2d Printing to 3D Print

[Tammy]

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to find a good video on how to scan a picture and change it to a 3D Print. I didn't see a video by Dr. Vax...??? I have used Tinkercab. I am more familiar with this program than any other at this time. What I need to create is very simple, but would like to try to make more my husband for Christmas. Thanks in advance for help and guidance.

[Geit]

I think lithophanes are the thing you are searching for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1sYVJjAWyM

There is no other way to turn 2D photos into 3D prints.

Here is a threat in this forum. roon4660 is the expert in this department.

https://forum.drvax.com/forum/3d-pri...or-lithophanes

[Tammy]

I actually want to scan something and then print it with the 3d printer. Not a picture but an item (car part) It's flat, so It fits in my regular scanner.

[roon4660]

What you want to do (I think) is to change an svg to an stl file. First you need a graphics program that can export an svg file or find a suitable file on the internet. After you can "import" the svg file to Tinkercad and print it any thickness you wish.

[Stuart]

Hi Tammy,
Can you scan your image and post it here? Just so we can see what you are try to print. Then someone may be able to offer advice on the next step.

[Ender5r]

I actually want to scan something and then print it with the 3d printer. Not a picture but an item (car part) It's flat, so It fits in my regular scanner.

If it's a flat part, it may be easier to simply take measurements & duplicate it in a CAD package. I've done that several times already, & I only start 3D printing in June. Also, you can take a photo and import it into a CAD package and use B-splining to outline the features of the part. I have found that to be more trouble than it's worth most of the time. For a couple of items with complicated curves it proved useful.

[Tammy]

I thought I had it, but my thought was wrong. I was so close, but my pattern was a little big and off shape. I have scanned a picture of what it is, and will upload tomorrow. Thank you for the help. It would be great if I could trace the object and color it in.... I created in tinkercab, by using cylinder shapes and lots of them.

Thanks again.

[Ender5r]

That's why I prefer to measure. Photographs, unless shot with very special lenses, & done using specific techniques not available to the vast majority of people, are not dimensionally accurate. If dimensional accuracy is important, they're not the way to go.

[Tammy]

This is what I'm trying to do. Hope it gives you a better idea. The actual piece is broken.

[Ender5r]

So it's just the pinkish part you're trying to replicate?

[Tammy]

I'm extremely happy to say I have finally got it. I traced the piece that goes on the gasket (silver part) and put it into Tinkercad. Took forever, but basically took a lot of cylinders and reshaped going up to the edge and filling in my trace and grouping each piece together each time. I then duplicated it and expanded it 2.5mm in size and placed the smaller piece in the larger one and showing it as a hole. I know there has to be an easier way. But after hours of doing this, I have learned a lot about Tinkercad, and I have a finished product. If anyone has a 1960 Buick that is in need of some door protection pieces (the pink part) I can provide. Is there an easier way? I will post a picture of the finished product.

Thanks to everyone that took the time to try and understand what I was trying to do.

Next project....

[Tammy]

[Ender5r]

Congrats. I suspect it was harder than it might have been if you had used FreeCAD or Fusion 360.

[Tammy]

Thank You Ender5r, I'm sure you are correct. I need to learn these programs. Which one would you suggest? It seems as if I see more help posts on Fusion 360... DrVax has info on both.

[Ender5r]

I can't really make a recommendation. FCAD has the advantage of being open source, but it also has some issues that make it, IMHO, more difficult to use than F360. It is getting better, but Geit recently pointed out some more issues going on with the developers.

As I said, I find F360 easier to use, but it is not open source, meaning 1 company controls its future. The F360 team @ Autodesk, the makers of F360, have stated that there will always be a free-to-use version of F360 for non-commercial use but, as Geit points out, how long that will actually last, and what features will remain free to use, can be changed at any time. That happened just recently, when Autodesk altered the number and type of free-to-use features.

[Tammy]

Thank you for your thoughts

[wmyhal]

Nice work!