Object detail screen: 3D visualization overlay

Clicking on the tile of an individual .stl file or OBJ file listed in the FILES pane towards the bottom of the object detail screen (refer again to Figure 8.4) will bring up a 3D visualization and rotation interface overlay screen, at which you may drag the component or object to rotate it in three

Object detail screen: 3D visualization overlay

8.1.1 Object detail screen: 3D visualization overlay

Clicking on the tile of an individual .stl file or OBJ file listed in the “FILES” pane towards the bottom of the object detail screen (refer again to Figure 8.4) will bring up a 3D visualization and rotation interface overlay screen, at which you may “drag” the component or object to rotate it in three dimensions; see Figure 8.6 and Figure 8.7.

Figure 8.6: Worm Drive Gears Redux: 3D visualization of the base

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Figure 8.7: Worm Drive Gears Redux: 3D visualization rotating the base

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As an alternative to dragging and dropping the object itself on the 3D visualization screen, you may click the “3D” icon (towards the upper right of the 3D visualization screen) to superimpose axes by which to manipulate the object’s location and orientation. In Figure 8.8, the “MOVE” axes are present, and as with the build plate screen, clicking on an axis (or on the center “origin” of the object) will allow you to move the object along that axis (or move the object’s origin); Figure 8.9 shows the object moved.

Figure 8.8: Worm Drive Gears Redux: 3D visualization MOVE axes

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Figure 8.9: Worm Drive Gears Redux: 3D visualization, object moved

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Clicking the “ROTATE” button present at the bottom of the 3D visualization screen when “3D” axes have been selected, see Figure 8.9, will switch from position axes to rotation axes; see Figure 8.10. (And similarly, once “ROTATE” axes have been selected, clicking the MOVE” button will switch back to position axes.) Figure 8.11 shows the object rotated around an axis.

Figure 8.10: Worm Drive Gears Redux: 3D visualization ROTATE axes

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Relatively small rotations are often conveniently performed using simply the basic drag-and-drop of the object on the 3D visualization overlay screen. Larger rotations (such as arise, for instance, when dealing with OBJ file objects) are sometimes more conveniently performed using the “ROTATE” axes on the 3D visualization overlay screen.

Figure 8.11: Worm Gears Drive Redux: 3D visualization screen, object rotated via axes

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When “3D” axes have been enabled, click the “X” at the bottom of the 3D visualization screen (right of the “ROTATE” button) to remove the axes, and return to the basic 3D visualization overlay screen.

Click the “X” at the upper right of the 3D visualization screen to close the overlay and return to the main object detail screen.

Experimenting with rotating an object, or component of an object, in three dimensions may help students (and you!) better understand objects, and aid in developing spatial visualization and mental rotation skills. In particular, experimenting with visualizing such rotations may aid in determining a “good” printing orientation for an object – an orientation likely to result in a more successful print, in which material can be “built up” from a base, limiting problematic protrusions, overhangs, or “bridging” during the printing, and reducing the need for printing support material.

Another use for the 3D visualization screen to rotate an object is to change the orientation of the model file image(s), particularly the primary image, for one of your own objects.

At the object detail screen for one of your own objects, see Figure 8.12, click the object icon in the “FILES” pane to bring up the 3D visualization overlay screen, and rotate the object as desired; see Figure 8.13. Note in Figure 8.13 that through the overlay, you can see (faintly) the original object orientation.

Figure 8.12: Velociraptor Business Card object detail screen

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Figure 8.13: Velociraptor Business Card object: rotating image with 3D visualization overlay

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When you have the object oriented as you would prefer, then click the camera icon towards the upper right of the 3D visualization screen. The main object image will be updated to use your selected orientation; note in Figure 8.14 that through the overlay, you can now see (faintly) that the orientation on the detail screen has changed.

Figure 8.14: Velociraptor Business Card object: camera clicked on 3D visualization overlay

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Click the “X” at the upper right of the 3D visualization overlay screen to return to the object detail screen, which will now show the new orientation for the object; see Figure 8.15. With this rotation of the object for the main image, note that the entire object can now be seen in the image (rather than, as before, having a corner cropped off due to the perspective of the original orientation).

Figure 8.15: Velociraptor Business Card object: detail screen updated

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The camera icon is only present on the 3D visualization screen for objects you own, so you may only change the main image orientation for your own objects. You may, however, use the 3D visualization overlay screen to experiment with viewing rotated orientations of the objects of others – as in Figure 8.7.

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