3D Printing

3D Artist Jeremy Ortiz Demonstrates How to Get the Most Out of Your Form 1+

Form 1(+) manufacturers Form Labs posted a guest blog entry recently from digital artist and 3D sculptor Jeremy Ortiz with his top 7 tips for successful 3D printing with their stereolithography 3D printer.

Ortiz is a freelance 3D modeller, sculptor and design consultant who has been working with programs like Zbrush and Maya to create video games, 3D printed toys, props and illustrations. He also co-founded his own indie video game company Neural Entertainment, and operates his own 3D printing lab. While his background began with traditional sculpting, he was quickly attracted to the freedom that 3D design and digital sculpting offered.

 Jeremy Ortiz 3d model and printed dragon head
Ortiz chose the Form 1+ to print his models because desktop stereolithography machines simply produce more detail than virtually any other printing medium on the home market. He needed to use his printed models as masters to create molds, so the striation typical with FDM 3D printers was not a suitable choice for his highly-detailed work.

form_1_plus 3d pritnerHe offers a great list of tips that may be specific to 3D printing with his Form 1+, but many of them will extend to other types of 3D printing and 3D design as well. And while he personally uses Zbrush and Maya, Ortiz says that they should work for any 3D modelling or design software available.

The tips include emphasizing the importance of ensuring that your models are manifold, how and when to create multi-object prints, how to create extremely fine detail that will show up on a final print and the best ways to go about maximizing your build area. He also recommends soaking prints in IPA to help remove excess support material and to smooth out the surface, as well as providing tips for removing supports and reducing material usage. It’s a pretty thorough list of tips, and even veteran 3D printer enthusiasts should take a look.