3d Printer?

[SusanC]

Hi,
I noticed that X6 now includes an export format for 3d printers called STL. Has anyone tried printing out on a 3d printer yet?
Thanks,
Susan

[Electromen]

Hi,
I noticed that X6 now includes an export format for 3d printers called STL. Has anyone tried printing out on a 3d printer yet?
Thanks,
Susan

I don't know much about it but page 1178 of the reference manual describes it. See Print Model
http://cloud.chiefarchitect.com/1/pd...nce-manual.pdf

[Electromen]

I just tried it. It interesting to see what it does.

[SusanC]

Greg,

Did you like how it printed out? Would it be something you could use for a client presentation? What kind of 3d printer did you use?

Thanks,

Susan

[Electromen]

Greg,

Did you like how it printed out? Would it be something you could use for a client presentation? What kind of 3d printer did you use?

Thanks,

Susan

Sorry, I think we were talking about two different things. I don't own a 3D printer. I didn't Export, I used Print Model. I used a standard printer, it prints "Cut Outs" and a map for assembly. You can build a cardboard house with it.

[Electromen]

I found 3D Export on page 1133 of the reference manual.

[Doug Maddox]

Just tried "Print Model" - cooool but it has some problems. Still playing but it doesn't seem to give any details of doors - only openings. Also, tried to do just a kitchen - no exterior walls - and it won't do it - hangs up and had to reboot. Added walls and all ok.

Have others tried this.

Doug

[SusanC]

Thank you all for your replies. However, I am not asking if anyone has printed out walls and built a 3d model, I am wondering if anyone has actually printed out a plan on a 3d printer and had success.
Thanks,
Susan

[Electromen]

Thank you all for your replies. However, I am not asking if anyone has printed out walls and built a 3d model, I am wondering if anyone has actually printed out a plan on a 3d printer and had success.
Thanks,
Susan

I seriously doubt it. The cost of a printer large enough to make a model even 1ft x 1ft x 1ft, is extremely high. Usually around $20,000.
Most 3D printers under $20,000 produce 8"x8"x8" or less.
An interesting note: a company near me makes a printer that will print stainless steel or bronze. They start a $1,400,000, the company is ExOne.

[johnnyprc]

There are some more affordable 3d printers out there now. There are desktop versions that I think run about $2k (I saw it a while back, but that is my recollection). Not to mention, you can always go to a service provider for a specific project to be printed on a fee basis.

3D graphics are cool, but clients react well to "real" models where they can observe elements of a structure on their own basis - and use for fundraising and stakeholder parties. Obviously that doesn't happen a lot in the single-family residential world as often. In a commercial world, real life models are almost always done for major projects regardless of the 3D graphics.