3D Printing Armor

KingRahl · Dec 4, 2012

3D Printing is on the rise. It is making it's transition over to the armor making community. I've prepared a starter video to help you prepare your armor files for printing with your 3d printer using the "Fused Filament Fabrication" method.

Updated 8-6-14.

Instructions and files can be found here http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:88881.

Visit my youtube channel for entire playlist.

Skullptura · Dec 5, 2012

This will be quite helpfull. Thankyou!

vargatom · Dec 5, 2012

Some pics of the final results would be nice

KingRahl · Dec 5, 2012

vargatom said:
Some pics of the final results would be nice

I'm sorry. I was only making the video as a how to for those interested in doing it. I didn't actually print it myself. I have however been printing these

MEMORY IS THE KEY
(inspired from Rooster Teeth's shirt design)

Skullptura · Dec 7, 2012

I have long planned on getting a 3D printer. When printing out armour and sections and piecing them together.... I would asume that the final surface area would still require some kind of preparation and smoothing. What would you use for this?

KingRahl · Dec 7, 2012

Skullptura said:
I would asume that the final surface area would still require some kind of preparation and smoothing. What would you use for this?

I just blogged about it, but I'll put it here too.

Here is a hood ornament I printed last night.

I then sanded it with 80 grit sandpaper followed by 180 grit. Finally I gave it an acetone wash with a cotton ball. (Acetone melts ABS plastic.) A soft touch, well ventilated work space, and gloves that acetone won't eat through is recomended.

The final product.

Skullptura · Dec 7, 2012

Looks good. I must buy a 3D printer and have a play.... lol

soul products · Dec 7, 2012

im looking into getting a reprap mendel after christmas so its good to see that the process isnt too hard.

Skullptura · Dec 9, 2012

Is it possible to scan a 3d object? Kind of a noob question i guess. Just curious though. Or is it that you have to program a 3D image first?

KingRahl · Dec 9, 2012

Skullptura said:
Is it possible to scan a 3d object? Kind of a noob question i guess. Just curious though. Or is it that you have to program a 3D image first?

Yes. It is possible to scan an object and make it 3D. There are many tutorials, software, products and companies to help do this. Some use still life pictures, some use lasers, and others use webcams and Xbox Kinect.

In the end... to print the object in question it will have to be in a format your gcode making software can recognize. (Usually .stl format)

Skullptura · Dec 10, 2012

OK cool. Thanks!

KingRahl · Dec 22, 2012

I've checked the RepRapPro website and they currently have a sale here on their 3D printers. That is probably the cheapest you'll find anywhere. (Even if you build your own.)

AquaticKestral · Feb 11, 2013

So, I've been looking into getting one of these 3-D printers for a very long time now. I have seen alot of videos all over the internet and it seems the only problem would be the work space size of most affordable models is pretty small. I think to do a complete piece, you'd have to break up the 3-D model and print pieces that are glued or connected together on an undersuit. Of course I'm assuming based on videos and dimensions from the printers themselves.

I'm also pretty inept at doing any 3-D modeling... My only other question would be about how complicated is it to scan in images say for a forearm piece ? In my mind it would be basically pepping a forearm piece, fiberglass resining it, then cutting it into manageable pieces to scan into a 3-D printer. Or would it be easier to take an already pepped file and converting into something a printer can accept ?

KingRahl · Feb 12, 2013

Most of what you are asking can be answered by watching the video on the first post.

The 3D printers are getting better every day. The RepRapPro Mendel is now available to print in 3 color. It's still in Beta but they've showed really good results. For those code writers and 3D modelers out there you can win a 3D printer by entering this contest. http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2013/01/23/win-a-makerbot-replicator-2x-experimental-3d-printer/

AquaticKestral · Feb 12, 2013

I was on my phone last night and it didn't bring up your video. Sorry...

I'm thinking about getting the Makerbot Replicator 2, just for the build space. It's 11"x 6.0"x6.1".

AgentMaine · Feb 12, 2013

booty.
seriusly doh nice work!

royalpain88 · Jun 26, 2013

But, my only complaint with this is size. The torsos of practically all of our builds are beyond what the printer can do unless we break it down to large sections and assemble it which may be better in the long run in terms of maintenance and repair work and shrinking, expanding guts. I would LOVE to have my hemet build be 3-d printed but the vrogy halo 3 marine helmet file is missing some small details.
Anyway, maybe in the future with printers getting larger and cheaper, it may be possible to have in one day, a complete printed armor set, scaled down to fit us snugly.

Thugzz Deluxxxe · Jul 10, 2013

Skullptura said:
Is it possible to scan a 3d object? Kind of a noob question i guess. Just curious though. Or is it that you have to program a 3D image first?

Check out 123D Catch from Autodesk. It's freeware, and it's pretty powerful. You can take a bunch of still images of an object, then dump them in and the program will piece them together into a 3d model. It's not always perfect but its awesome for freeware.

OP: 3D printing is an amazing tool, but I feel like the affordability or lack thereof is a huge hurdle. The most affordable models are the Maker-Bots. I've worked with them plenty of times and the amount of correcting you have to do with the low resolution usually winds up being more work than pepping. Also keep in mind that ABS plastic armor would be HEAVY. Even if it's low density. That weight adds up. When Legacy Studios did the Master Chief suit for Forward Unto Dawn, they 3d printed a master, that was finished and molded in silicone (even more expensive) Then cast in Polyfoam. Also, they're using Objet printers which are some of the nicest ones you can buy. I love the possibilities of 3d Printing, and for the smaller detailed stuff it's definitely a possibility, but I think pepping is more affordable and you'll wind up with a product that's just as good.

I was looking for the behind the scenes where they show the molding and casting process, but I don't think it's made its way onto youtube yet. It's definitely on the blu-ray. But this vids pretty interesting.

jimbo only one · Jul 10, 2013

I own a small game company and everything we produce starts as a a 3D model and is printed. So far any prototyping method is going to start more expensive, as a group effort the costs could be split by any group large enough. All prototypes need some work/cleaning but is typically less than a full pep/rondo build. I can definitely see this as a future for prop makers.

KingRahl · Jul 10, 2013

Thugzz Deluxxxe said:
...The most affordable models are the Maker-Bots. I've worked with them plenty of times and the amount of correcting you have to do with the low resolution usually winds up being more work than pepping. Also keep in mind that ABS plastic armor would be HEAVY. Even if it's low density. That weight adds up...

That's not all entirely true. MakerBot makes an almost plug-n-play device good for non modelers who just want to print other peoples models. Since it is based on free technology shared with everyone, there are many different variations you can buy, or build. MakerBot's products are still around 2k and up. You can build yourself one between $500 and $1000. I myself have bought 1 and am building 5 from scratch.

I'm also thinking about building a larger version so that I can print a full sized helmet. I was asked how much it would cost to print one and I couldn't print the helmet without chopping it into lots of pieces. And with the problems of warping It might not turn out good. For now the idea of 3d printing armor would only be good for displaying the armor rather than wearing it.

A word on weight. With as much Bondo as some people use on pep'd helmets, it wouldn't weigh more. The only thing to compare it to would be against foam or vac-form. If I decide to print a helmet I can weigh it and let everyone know.

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