Sculpt and prepare 3D models for your custom articulated action figure parts using Meshmixer. Part 2 in a series of 3 stepping through designing and 3D printed action hero dolls.

1. 3D Printing Action Heroes
Anna Gerber
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

2. Outline
• Previously: 3D Sculpting Action Heroes
– Generating base models
– Slicing into parts & adding joints
– Customizing via 3D sculpting tools
• Today: 3D Printing Action Heroes
– Recap meshmixer & finish models
– Preparing parts for 3D printing
– 3D printing
– Cleaning up 3D printed parts
• Adding electronics to 3D printed Action Heroes
– April 24th
– Make them interactive
– Electronics & coding
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

3. Outline
• Decide on which models you want to use
– Models you created yourself
– Adapt models from other sources
• Use Meshmixer to:
– Scale models to ~18cm
– Add joints, magnet mounts and other structural
features
– Add mount points for electronics components
– Customize appearance with 3D scuplting tools
• Prepare models for printing & export to STL
• Orient models for printing
• How to use the 3D printers
• How to clean up printed parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

4. Sources for models
• Character mesh generators
• Thingiverse
– http://www.thingiverse.com/
– Use Creative Commons licensed models
• Model Resource
– From games, for personal use only
– http://www.models-resource.com/
• Create a model of someone's head
– Use 123DCatch app to create model from photos
• http://www.123dapp.com/catch
– Use a Kinect & Microsoft's 3D Scan app
• (Windows only)
• http://microsoft.com/3d
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

5. Character Mesh Generators
• Use character mesh generators to save time:
• Make Human
– Free & Open Source
– http://www.makehuman.org/
– License of generated characters: CC0
• Mixamo Fuse (Now owned by Adobe)
– https://www.mixamo.com/fuse
– Free preview requires Adobe account
– Royalty free use of generated models allowed for 3D
prints but you cannot sell the generated models
directly
• AutoDesk Character Generator
– http://area.autodesk.com/products/charactergenerator
– Free & Paid Subscription service
– Unrestricted usage of generated models
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

6. MakeHuman
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

7. Fuse
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

8. AutoDesk Character Generator
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

9. Export the character model
• Export model as OBJ format model
• AutoDesk Character Generator exports FBX –
convert these to OBJ using AutoDesk FBX
Converter or other 3D software
• Online converter:
– http://www.greentoken.de/onlineconv/
• We're using AutoDesk Meshmixer for 3D Sculpting:
– http://www.meshmixer.com/
– Free software for Windows, Mac or Linux
• Alternative sculpting programs include Sculptris & Z-
Brush
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

10. Scales
You'll need to scale your model to Action Hero
size. Popular scales:
• 1:4 (18") common for collector dolls
• 1:6 (12") i.e. original G.I. Joe scale
• 1:10 (7") currently the most popular size
• 1:12 (5 -6") 90s Action Toys
• 1:18 (4") kids action figures e.g. Star Wars
We'll use 1:10 scale i.e. around 15 – 18 cm tall
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

11. Import OBJ model to Meshmixer
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

12. Scale Model in Meshmixer
• Adjust scale via Edit > Transform so that the model
is around 15 – 18 cm tall
• Red = X
• Green = Y
• Blue = Z
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

13. Ball Joints
• We're using a ball joint system:
– Ball joints fit into sockets
– Parts held together with elastic
• Alternative joint systems include:
– Print-in-place ball joints
– Snap together joints
e.g. see Open Source Action Figure
by Jason Welsh
http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:116571
– Scale by 0.4 if you are using these parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

14. Slice model into parts
• Use the Plane cut tool to separate limbs
• Use Select brush then Edit > Separate for more
control
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

15. Add balls joints to parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Add ball, use Transform tool to scale to appropriate size and move into position

16. Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Combine & Make solid, then use sculpting tools to refine model & blend joint onto part

17. Customize parts
• Use sculpting tools to refine and modify parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

18. Joints for elbows & knees
• Elbow & knee joints can be created as separate
parts if desired, for maximum flexibility
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

19. Torso joint
• Slice torso using
select tool
• Mesh mix cylinder
to extend torso
base
• Hollow out parts
• Add strut across
inside of torso
base for elastic
• Add length to
neck
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

20. Add sockets to parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Place ball (slightly larger than joint ball),
then use boolean diference to subtract

21. Hollow out parts
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Also use boolean difference to
Create hollows in parts

22. Add holes for elastic
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Use a cylinder and boolean difference,
Use sculpting tools to round edges

23. Split head cap from head
• Use select brush for precise selection or use
slice tool for flat cut
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

24. Hollow out head & eyes & add magnet
mounting points
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

25. Add magnet mounts
• Round magnets hold
head cap on: 3mm x
1mm
– Use meshmix tool to
add cylinders at least
(6mm x 4mm), move
into position
– Add a 3.5 mm x 1.5mm
cylinder and use
boolean difference to
cut out the hole for the
magnet
– Make solid, and use
sculpting tools to blend
into base model
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

26. LED mounts
• LEDs are 5mm or 8mm in
diameter. You'll have 2 single
color and 2 multi-color LEDs
to work with
– If you want to use LEDs for
eyes, meshmix in a sphere
and use boolean difference to
hollow out space from inside
the head
– Use sculpting tools to shape
outside of eye sockets
– You can also use doll eyes,
beads or 3D printed eyeballs
for eyes
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

27. Add magnet & electronics mounts
• Magnets on feet are 4mm x
8mm cylinders
• Also add 2mm hole for wires
(wires run up the legs from
battery holder under feet)
• Microcontroller is 18mm x 25mm
x 4mm
– Make sure you cut out a big
enough space inside the torso
to fit this
• Also leave space for the piezo
buzzer (for beeps and sounds) &
wires (11mm diameter x 12 mm
high)
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

28. Button mounts
• You can add pushbuttons to your figure to trigger
different behaviour (e.g. change colour of LEDs)
– Make space to mount inside head or cut out holes
from torso back if you want the buttons to be
visible
– Our buttons are 6mm x 6mm
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

29. Add insignia
• Use meshmix tool to merge insignia on to the
figure (e.g. Iron-Man style chest medallion)
• Use boolean difference to punch cut-outs or thin
out shell of torso to be transparent if you want to
mount LEDs inside chest
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

30. ANALYSIS AND PREP
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

31. Meshmixer analysis tools - units
Use Analysis > Units / Dimensions tool to check part dimensions
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

32. Meshmixer analysis tools - strength
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Use Analysis > Strength tool to assess strength of the part – it should be all green

33. Meshmixer analysis tools - measure
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Use Analysis > Measure tool to measure between any points on the
model e.g. to confirm that the magnet mounts are big enough

34. Meshmixer analysis tools - Inspector
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes
Use Analysis > Inspector tool for basic repair of holes

35. Orientation
Select Analysis > Orientation for automatic orientation
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

36. Fixing problems
Models need to be manifold to print (i.e. could exist as
objects in the real world). Avoid:
– Extra internal faces
– Holes in the mesh e.g. faces not properly connected
• Remove internal faces: Use Make Solid tool
• Holes: Use automatic repair or use select tool to
select sides of hole, then use Bridge tool to fill them
in
• Thin walls: Use select and then Edit > Extrude tool to
thicken walls
Use NetFabb Basic auto-repair as a final step if your
part has problems. They also provide an online
repair service: https://netfabb.azurewebsites.net/
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

37. Overhangs & Support
• Overhanging parts
will need support so
they don't suffer the
effects of gravity
• The Up! Printers will
generate support, or
we can manually
add it to the model
– Select Print
– Transform & Move
to Platform
– Add Supports
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

38. Export to STL
Export to STL
format for 3D
printer via Export
button on Print
screen, or via
File > Export.
Then import STL
into Up! software
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

39. Next steps
• Make a list of all parts required
– Prepare printable versions for all parts
– Create mirror versions for left/right feet, limbs, hands
• Add your models to the USB stick
• Next session:
– Adding electronics
– Soldering
– Microcontroller programming
– Assembling the figures
– Decoration: hair, eyes, costumes
– We'll discuss options for painting/finishing 3D printed
parts, if you want to paint your figure after the
workshop
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes

40. License
• This slide desk was authored by Anna Gerber,
April 2016 and may be shared or adapted under
a Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike (4.0
CC-BY-SA) license:
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Anna Gerber
3D Printing Action Heroes