{"id":1038,"date":"2017-06-05T10:00:14","date_gmt":"2017-06-05T15:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keithcchan.com\/?p=1038"},"modified":"2017-06-06T12:19:06","modified_gmt":"2017-06-06T17:19:06","slug":"secret-summer-craft-project-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.keithcchan.com\/wordpress\/2017\/06\/secret-summer-craft-project-part-4.html","title":{"rendered":"Secret Summer Craft Project, part 4"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the last part of my 3D printing saga. Recall that I first dabbled in 3D printing<\/a> to get a Homo naledi<\/em> skull replica for the\u00c2\u00a0anthropology department at Grossmont College. While work on that area went on its own path, I used 3D printing for my own goals<\/a>. My personal projects wrapped up before the Homo naledi<\/em> skull since the latter project was far larger and more complicated than the busts that I made. I am happy that the\u00c2\u00a0work on the H. naledi<\/em> skull reached its own happy end with the production of two life-sized replicas.<\/p>\n

When we left the Homo naledi<\/em> replica story, I had sent the hollowed 3D file off to a local printer whom I found on the 3D Hubs site. The skull has a lot of fine details and irregularities that demanded a lot of 3D printing expertise. Browsing the local printers, I found one whom I could trust to get the print done without giving up. The printer I chose was Brother Robot<\/a>, or Calramon Mabalot. He is a ten-year-old who built his first printer two years prior and has made very detailed 3D selfies<\/a> of customers, an articulated prosthetic hand<\/a>, and quadcopters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Brother Robot eagerly took the challenge and worked through many obstacles in producing the Homo naledi<\/em> skull. Reduced-scale prototypes showed that the model was stable, but the full-sized version encountered several false starts due to printer issues (remember what I said about current 3D printing technology).<\/p>\n

\"{<\/a>

{ Caption: First print attempt, showing the breakaway support structure inside and out. Photo by Brother Robot. }<\/p><\/div>\n

One promising attempt hit a snag common to printers of all types: running out of material right before completion!<\/p>\n

\"{<\/a>

{ Caption: Almost there! Aaaand, out of filament. I here this one\u00c2\u00a0is now a pencil cup. Photo by Brother Robot. }<\/p><\/div>\n

Brother Robot eventually used the Homo naledi<\/em> print to christen a new advanced printer that he had built, and it worked perfectly.<\/p>\n

\"{<\/a>

{ Caption: Success! Photo by Brother Robot. }<\/p><\/div>\n

The end of a 3D Hubs transaction usually involves picking up the print at the printer’s doorstep without ever meeting in person, but that seemed like an ignominious end for such a demanding project. We thought a better conclusion would be to show the classroom where the replica would be used, along with the other pieces that we have. Calramon documented his visit on his Twitter:<\/p>\n

\n

🔎Project Study: Delivering the Homo Naledi #3dprinted<\/a> Skulls to the @Grossmontedu<\/a> Anthropology Department where it will join the collection! pic.twitter.com\/oMaTZqNMHy<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u201d Calramon Mabalot (@HabSkibbix) March 22, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n