Digital modelling
Start a model with dimensions instead of details
Build a short dimensional brief before adding bevels, textures or decorative features. It gives every later modelling decision a reference.
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Digital modelling
Turn dimensions and sketches into printable geometry.
20 articles
Ideas, decisions & making notes
Digital modelling
Understand STL and 3MF when sharing a print project
An STL mesh and a saved 3MF project can carry different information. Decide what a recipient needs before choosing the file to send.
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Digital modelling
Check the scale of an imported model
Use a known dimension to check an imported model before judging its proportions or preparing it for printing.
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Digital modelling
Repair a model only after identifying the actual problem
A repair command should answer a diagnosed mesh problem. Preserve the original and compare the result before accepting automatic changes.
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Digital modelling
Design a simple display plinth from basic shapes
Make a display plinth around the object it supports, the viewing angle and the available shelf space before adding decorative edges.
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Digital modelling
Add clearance between two printed parts
Treat clearance as a relationship between two surfaces, then test that relationship in the same orientation and material as the finished parts.
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Digital modelling
Split a large landscape model into printable tiles
Choose tile boundaries for assembly, appearance and handling, then verify that every exported piece retains its place in the landscape.
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Digital modelling
Use reference photographs without copying perspective errors
A reference photograph describes a view, not a ready-made set of dimensions. Separate visible shape from perspective before tracing it.
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Digital modelling
Build a naming system for model revisions
A small naming system makes it possible to connect an exported mesh, a test print and the editable model that produced them.
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Digital modelling
Export separate parts without losing their alignment
Preserve an assembled reference before exporting parts individually, then reimport the delivery files to check their relationships.
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Digital modelling
Check a model licence before adapting it
Read the licence attached to the exact model file and keep its conditions with your project before editing, sharing or selling anything derived from it.
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Digital modelling
Create a test coupon for text on a model
Test lettering at its intended size and orientation before committing a whole model to a font, depth or placement.
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Digital modelling
Design a removable lid for a small storage box
A removable lid needs an opening path, a repeatable fit and a way to grip it. Model those features before adding a decorative top.
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Digital modelling
Plan locating pins for a multi-part model
Locating pins help establish position, but their shape, spacing and assembly direction must suit the joint rather than merely decorate it.
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Digital modelling
Simplify hidden geometry before exporting
Remove geometry only after identifying what it contributes to the final object, its manufacture and future inspection.
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Digital modelling
Compare sculpted and dimensioned modelling workflows
Choose a modelling approach by the decisions the object requires: controlled dimensions, organic form or a combination of both.
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Digital modelling
Prepare a hollow object with a clear manufacturing plan
Decide how a hollow part will be printed, opened, inspected and cleaned before adding an internal cavity.
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Digital modelling
Model an island outline from an original sketch
Build a coastline from a deliberate silhouette and a few large landforms, then add only the detail that supports the scene.
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Digital modelling
Keep editable files alongside exported meshes
Keep the file that explains how a model was built, not only the mesh that can be printed today.
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Digital modelling
Make a dimension checklist before ordering a printed part
Give a printing service the dimensions and relationships that determine success, rather than asking it to infer them from a mesh alone.
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