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| Data Visualization Animation of Student Scanned Sample - a Claw! |
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| Data Visualization - a Feather |
Based on these experiences, I wanted to delve more deeply into 3D data visualization. In particular, I have sought to learn how to use Avizo, which allows much more advanced image processing than FIJI (the open source alternative). One big obstacle was cost: an Avizo license sells for $5000 -- with the education discount. I emailed Avizo and requested -- and received -- a free trial. When I looked online for video tutorials on how to use Avizo, I could only find one or two videos. During the trial, I made several tutorial videos of my own. I then asked Avizo to extend my trial for as long as I continue producing high-quality tutorials. They agreed and it has been a great partnership. I have now made 15 videos, which are hosted on my YouTube channel. Currently, my tutorials have over 3,500 views and 9,450 minutes watched.
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| Our School Director Trying Google Cardboard |
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| Meeting with Scientists at the ALS |
I also played around with OpenDive, "free DIY 3D VR glasses by using your 3D printer, a non-commercial project by Stefan Welker" and was able to print out my own set on our school's Makerbot!
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| Dive printed and ready to be assembled - just add cell phone! |
I plan to continue my data visualization work and since its announcement in May 2015, have been interested in learning more about working with Google's Jump!
- Sam S (9th grader in the fall, BPC Maker Club intern)
The recent Maker Faire provided our Maker Club an opportunity to meet and collaborate with the leading 3D Printer manufacturers in the world. We saw this as an opportunity to test their print quality on a hard challenge.
When we were at the ALS (read about it here), we scanned an eggshell and created an STL file with the data. We asked several 3D-printer manufacturers to print the eggshell blown up about a thousand times.
The companies were excited to help out. We had the eggshells printed on, from left to right (starting with the top row): the UP Plus 2, Cube 2, Afinia, Ultimaker 2, Printr Bot Simple Metal (using Microsoft's new slicer), RoBo 3D, MakerBot Dual, Form 1, and a Printr Bot Simple Metal (using Slic3r).
We were very impressed by the results -- they were far better than we could obtain from our old printers.
The Printrbot Simple metal has the best value for it's price. I recommend using the Microsoft slicer with it because Slic3r isn't the best at closing holes in the data. The Printrbot also has the standard 100 micron resolution.
For the best quality that isn't SLA, I would rank the Afinia and the UP Plus 2 at the top. They both have outstanding XY quality and have no excess bridges like the Cube 2. They are very similar in price, with each costing about $1,600. If you want a mid-ranged consumer 3-D printer, I would definitely recommend one of these.
The Type A machine is almost as good as the Afinia but it creates more bridges. I don' think the bridges would be a problem for less complicated prints, but for something in our experiments, it produced a lesser quality print than similar printers.
The Form 1 has the best quality. You can only barely see the layers because SLA printer's levels bond more closely together. One downside to the Form 1 is that its post processing takes an extra 30 minutes to finish the job. The post-processing includes dipping it in rubbing alcohol, so it isn't the best for schools (at least yet). The other downsides are its cost ($3299) and supports. The supports leave marks on the bottom of your print but you can scrape them off very easily. Bottom line: if you are looking for stunning quality, it is hard to beat on the consumer market.
Of course, our experiment was not perfect. We did not always control for slicing software, type of filament, etc. but we think it gave us some pretty interesting results anyway.
On the whole, we were grateful to the manufacturers and very happy with the results of this challenging test. If you are a printer manufacture and would like a full review of your product, email us.
When we were at the ALS (read about it here), we scanned an eggshell and created an STL file with the data. We asked several 3D-printer manufacturers to print the eggshell blown up about a thousand times.
The companies were excited to help out. We had the eggshells printed on, from left to right (starting with the top row): the UP Plus 2, Cube 2, Afinia, Ultimaker 2, Printr Bot Simple Metal (using Microsoft's new slicer), RoBo 3D, MakerBot Dual, Form 1, and a Printr Bot Simple Metal (using Slic3r).
We were very impressed by the results -- they were far better than we could obtain from our old printers.
The Printrbot Simple metal has the best value for it's price. I recommend using the Microsoft slicer with it because Slic3r isn't the best at closing holes in the data. The Printrbot also has the standard 100 micron resolution.
For the best quality that isn't SLA, I would rank the Afinia and the UP Plus 2 at the top. They both have outstanding XY quality and have no excess bridges like the Cube 2. They are very similar in price, with each costing about $1,600. If you want a mid-ranged consumer 3-D printer, I would definitely recommend one of these.
The Type A machine is almost as good as the Afinia but it creates more bridges. I don' think the bridges would be a problem for less complicated prints, but for something in our experiments, it produced a lesser quality print than similar printers.
The Form 1 has the best quality. You can only barely see the layers because SLA printer's levels bond more closely together. One downside to the Form 1 is that its post processing takes an extra 30 minutes to finish the job. The post-processing includes dipping it in rubbing alcohol, so it isn't the best for schools (at least yet). The other downsides are its cost ($3299) and supports. The supports leave marks on the bottom of your print but you can scrape them off very easily. Bottom line: if you are looking for stunning quality, it is hard to beat on the consumer market.
Of course, our experiment was not perfect. We did not always control for slicing software, type of filament, etc. but we think it gave us some pretty interesting results anyway.
On the whole, we were grateful to the manufacturers and very happy with the results of this challenging test. If you are a printer manufacture and would like a full review of your product, email us.
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| reconstructed data on computer |
Why an eggshell? Well, here is the abstract from the student group whose experiment involved the eggshell:
We at the Black Pine Circle Scientific Studies Division, want to scan an eggshell. Pores on the surface of the shell allow air and moisture to go through. A larger, 3D-model will provide tactile information. Designs may be made to create new housing materials, for hot, humid places. We will be beaming hard X-rays through the sample from various angles, giving us a computer model, which can be 3D-printed. This information can be studied for housing materials, to create a new type of ultra-modern house that literally breathes in places with moisture buildup.
Besides, eggshells are pretty fascinating! Scientists have known for a long time that the chicken eggshell is 95-97% calcium carbonate crystals, but it wasn't until the electron microscope came around that they discovered, "Rather than simple layers of crystals of calcium carbonate, the shell was shown to consist of a very complex type of mineral formation, with a protein matrix as its foundation." (journal article, and perhaps way more detail than you will ever need about eggshells!)
The Exploratorium states succinctly, "Bumpy and grainy in texture, an eggshell is covered with as many as 17,000 tiny pores. Eggshell is made almost entirely of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) crystals. It is a semipermeable membrane, which means that air and moisture can pass through its pores. The shell also has a thin outermost coating called the bloom or cuticle that helps keep out bacteria and dust."
Another site explains, "The outer cover of the egg, the shell comprises 10-11% of total egg weight. On an average the eggshell weighs 5-6g, with remarkable mechanical properties of breaking strength (>30N) and is 300-350 micrometer thick. This structure plays a crucial role in protecting the contents of the egg from the microbial and physical environment and in controlling the exchange of water and gases.
More research uncovered these two diagrams, which makes me think that we actually printed the eggshell "upside down" or more-accurately "inside up," revealing those mammillary layer structures that touch the inner, organic membrane! Interesting to consider.
If you are still hankering for more egg formation information, check out these videos:
Definitely check out 0:34 - 0:50 in the video below
Our printed inventory now totals:
- v.1 beetle bean scan
- v.1 eggshell scan
UPDATE 6.23.14: OUr eggshell scan has been cleaned up and made available on Thingiverse, if you'd like to download and print your own!
Here are the steps we took:
1.You start out by going to FILE >> OPEN. and opening the tiff stack.2. Then you create a binary from the tiff stack by going to PROCESS >> BINARY >> MAKE BINARY
It turns into this
3. If your model has holes in it that you want to fill you can go to PROCESS >> BINARY >> FILL HOLES. If your model still has holes then repeat step 3.
4. If you want to make your file smaller then go to PROCESS >> BINARY >> DILATE it will condense 4 pixels to 1 pixels. If you want it super small keep repeating step 4.
5. If their are stray pixels then go to PROCESS >> BINARY >> ERODE. If there are still pixels repeat step 5.
6. Once you complete steps 3-5 you go to PLUGINS >> 3D VIEWER. Don't worry if your computer freezes; this is a complicated process. A new window should come up.
7. To create the 3D surface you go to EDIT on the new window >> DISPLAY >> SURFACE Don't worry if your computer freezes; this is a complicated process. You should now have a 3D model!
8. To export you go to FILE >> EXPORT SURFACES >> STL(BINARYorASCII)
That is how you take an TIFF stack and covert it to an STL. I took the STL file and put into the Cube software but you can do what ever you want. NOTE: MOST PRINTERS CAN ONLY HANDLE FILES LESS THAN 50 MB. (If your file is too big, you can simplify / decimate it in MeshLab.)
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| (screenshot of reconstructed data from a different, not open-source software) |
