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3D printing

KenGKenG Traveler
in Mapping with ProFantasy's Software
So in say 5 years will CC be able to support 3D printing. I can see that as being very cool to create a village map or a single building in CC and being able to print it out on a 3D printer. With the current cost of the machines being around 2 grand for the basic ones I could realistically see that price be in the $500-600 range in 5-7 years.
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Comments

  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    edited December 2012
    Considering that CC isn't really designed for 3D-modelling, I would say probably not (Although, since it is CAD-based, it is probably easier to add such support than for many other programs). For this to be realistic, it would mean that all the artwork must be provided in a 3D-format, something which is not that helpful for most people, so it is probably not a good direction for the program to go, considering development cost vs income on such a feature.

    Just my guess though, but I am pretty sure I won't be finding it worthwhile to pay for such features in 5 years. I'll admit the idea is cool though.
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  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    From what I have seen on the Science channel there are 3D printers that can make things in 3 dimensions. There are some problems. 1) they are very expensive, 2) they make plastic models in very thin increments. The last time I saw anything definitve, it took days to make one small item less than a one foot cube.
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  • jigsawmanjigsawman
    Nah, stuff printing in 3D these days is pretty fast and pretty inexpensive to outsource if the design is done properly. But like Monsen says it really is a program issue with CC. Everything about the program would have to be changed in order to work with outsourced printers. They all have their specific parameters that need to be followed because of the ways the different materials print. For example printing in acrylic means that wall thicknesses of material need to be something different than printing in metal or ceramic. This is not to mention that most out sourced printers still have their limitations in regards to size. I nice detail plastic can usually only be a maximum of 12 inches cubed. This is simply because the machines are designed with tray this size and no one really needs them any bigger. Why you might ask? That's because most people printing in 3D that are making something can just as easily print pieces of their object separately and then assemble them later if they are too big. I know this first hand as some of my artwork is in pieces that I put together after they are printed. In fact, I design what I want have masters printed and then recast in resin by either pour casting or roto-casting. Maps, now that would be a different story all together. Who would even want a 3D printed map that's only 12 inches square?
    JSM
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  • Henrie61Henrie61 Traveler
    3d printing is developing pretty fast.
    Take a look at shapeways.com to see that the possibilities are staggering.

    But printing a map in 3d? Certainly not now. Wouldn't be very cost effective.
    But in the future, who knows.
    Anything is possible.
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  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    Hmm... How about printing a contour guide onto plastic used in overhead projectors, and use that as a guide for clay ? Be labour intensive and weigh lots though. There might be a cheap and light weight solution, but I don't know enouh about the materials that might be available.
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  • NilsNils
    Someone created hex tiles for Settlers of Catan for sale on Shapeways.com:

    http://www.shapeways.com/search?q=catan+hexagon

    These are made in colored sandstone, so you don't even have to paint them! Not sure how crisp the colors are, though. At Shapeways.com, for example, they charge you per volume, ie amount of material used, so you'd need to take care to make the models hollow wherever possible without losing too much structural strength, in addition to take care of wall thicknesses, etc.

    You could have them 3D-print a master model of something, and could make a silicone mould from that to create resin duplicates, as jigsawman wrote. This way, a map of a village could be populated with buildings and other items.

    Nils
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  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    wow. Expensive now, but I think the price could drop given enough interest and over time.
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  • KenGKenG Traveler
    Very Cool Nils, and those tiles are a great application for it. This is the sort of thing I was thinking, you build a small village map that would print on a 8*10 page and it would allow you to contour the landscape, add buildings and even vegetation. So basically what he did is what I was thinking about. As I' not a programmer and I have no notation of what it takes for 3d rendering of the items this is more of a musing of wondering where we will be in 5 years and what fun things we might have to mess with.
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