They say it's what's on the inside that counts. It turns out that expression doesn't just apply to humans and chocolates 😉 but to 3D prints too! This week, I made these simple tiles to transform our puzzle box experience from a digital one to a physical one.
You see, in order to figure out the combination to unlock a box, you have to first (mini spoiler alert) figure out that you need to hold the tiles up to the light to see what's inside, and then decipher the code.
To achieve the effect of a solid within a sparsely infilled 3D Print, I took advantage of multi-body modeling in xDesign and the unique capabilities of the 3D printer slicer.
I'm using Bambu Studio with a Bambu Lab P1S printer. When you import a multi-body STEP file, it comes in as a single object and all of the printer settings like wall thickness, layer height, and infill density apply globally. You can, however, split the model into either objects, or parts.
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Let's consider this multi-body airplane model.
If I split it into objects, all of the pieces will be repositioned down to the print bed and I can move them around individually. If I split it into parts, the pieces will stay in their original positions so I can print the airplane as is.
Which approach you choose, will be determined by your particular project. Either way, though, you'll end up with individual items in the object list, for which you can now individually set print values.
To make the hidden symbols in the tile, I set the infill to 15% for the tile and 100% for the symbol!
Of course, this technique isn't just good for clever puzzle pieces. It can be effectively used to strengthen specific areas of your 3D prints! Consider this little bracket. If I want to strengthen the area around the screw holes, I can split my model into multiple bodies and then change the infill value for just the area around the holes.
Alternatively, I can use the shapes that come with Bambu Studio to do the job. When you add a shape, you can mark it as something that adds geometry, removes geometry, or modifies geometry. I can bring in a cone, set it as a modifier, size it to suit my needs, and then increase its infill density.
Check out how this impacts the print! Pretty cool, huh? With very little effort, you can strengthened specific areas of your 3D prints!
What other ideas do you have for using this multi-body approach to printing parts with differing amounts of infill?
Check out this video to see the above steps in action:
