In this week's Meet the Makers interview, we caught up with model railway creator Dave Yale. His incredibly detailed miniatures utterly captured our imagination, so we got in touch to find out more about how he got started, what programs he uses, and what he sees in the future for 3D printing...
How did you first get started in 3D printing? Do you have a background in design or technology?
In 2012 I started to get back into a hobby I had enjoyed as a teenager, model trains. I joined a modular model train club, where each member creates a 4 foot section of a model train layout in HO scale, which is 1/87 life size, with standard connections so they can be linked together in a large layout at hobby and holiday shows. You can find out more about the club at www.valleyhotrak.com.
As I started working on my "world" I decided I wanted to add interior detail to some of my buildings. I looked around and found out there are some outstanding metal cast details, but the price was high and the selection narrow. I had heard about 3D printing, and wanted to try it, and thought this would be good project. It has turned into a new hobby that compliments the model railroading nicely.
Although I didn't have design experience, I had a lot of computer experience, including original programming and software development, and running a Bulletin Board System - a computer that people could call with their computer over phone lines back in the stone age before the world wide web. I have always been pretty good at using different programs and making them do what I wanted.
What software do you use?
I started with some on-line tutorials on a 3D printing company's site, and started using the free version of Sketchup. I added on a number of free plug ins that have been developed for it. Sketchup is fast to learn and fairly intuitive. It has some frustrating points, though, and doesn't do everything well. Still, I find it is my program of choice for now. A search on youtube will give you a bunch of videos that demonstrate the program better than I can.
After I am done with Sketchup, I use NetFabb and a free 3D viewer to review my 3D CAD cad file. If I designed something life size, like a piece of furniture, I scale it down to 1/87 scale in Netfabb. Then I use Meshlab to center the file - and I'd be lying if I said I understood this part - I just know I have to do it.
On some models I load them into Blender, another free 3D CAD program. I use about 5% of Blender's capabilities at this point. There are two major things I use Blender for right now. Often I'll print a model that starts out as a bunch of different models - say eight pieces of furniture that I designed full in Sketchup and shrunk in Netfab. I import each of them into Blender one at a time, and then connect them with spruces (although I am told the correct term is "runners.") I then export the now connected individual models as one STL file to print.
The other thing I use Blender for is to create arrays. Say I am putting together a porch railing. It will have 20 posts which are all identical. With Blender I can import one post, then tell Blender to repeat it 19 more times and adjust the spacing so they are correct in the model. It's a lot easier than trying to line up 20 posts by eye. The learning curve is kind of steep at first, but you get the hang of it.
Why did 3D printing appeal to you, over other forms of design and making? Are there things you can achieve with 3D printing that you couldn't do otherwise?
3D printing has almost no start up costs. I owned a computer already and the software was free. Also, I am more a technician than an artist. My designs mimic something in the real world. Designing on the computer, if I add a line or shape that doesn't look right, I can undo it and try again until I like the result. I don't have the artistic ability, the steady hands, or the keen eyesight to hand carve a master and make a mold to either metal cast or resin cast details. And the time frame and commitment with a casting method it much greater. The unit cost may be much lower one you get going, but if I sell 20 copies of a model I'm happy. I originally designed it for myself, and I just paid my costs.
Do you have any favourite designers?
On the Shapeways website I noticed model railroad items by numerous designers that just blew me away. They include include Eric Cox, Stonysmith and "Hurly". I figured if they could do it, so could I.
What developments in 3D printing would you like to see over the next few years?
Automated checking for printability. Right now the biggest frustration I face is even when I successfully test print a model, all too often when a customer orders it the printing company says it violates design rules and can't be printed. It destroys repeat business, angers potential customers, makes me look like an idiot, and hurts the reputation of the industry. When a potential model is uploaded an automated process needs to check the entire model to ensure it meets the rules to be printable before it is offered to a customer. Since I work in miniature I tend to rub up against minimum wall thickness all the time.
The next thing is better resolution of course. It's key in my design to know what will actually show up on the model.
I am also excited about colour 3D printing. I wanted to do a concrete bridge support. I designed if for full colour printing, and although the actual model was a little darker than I intended, over all the process really excites me. It came out of the box ready to use with no other prep needed. I can't wait until I can print a custom 1/87 scale figure of a person in full color, even down to the eyebrows.
Do you see 3D printing becoming a mainstream technology in the near future?
I think 3D printing is mainstream now - OK, so it's a small stream. My models are ready for the consumer when they finish the printing process. I have talked to designers who use it as the initial part of creating moulds for metal casting, and others who use it to design and test prototypes. These uses are not going to go away, the stream only gets bigger from here on out.
What would you say to someone who wanted to get started in 3D printing, but didn't know where to start?
Oh, man. First learn the strengths and limitations of the material you are designing for. That is as important as knowing how to use the design software. It does no good and a lot of harm to spend a great deal of of time creating a wonderful design and then finding out you can't print it. The material drives the design details.
The next thing is patience. I am in the process of going through all of my older designs (older means over three months) and redoing quite a few, and fixing others. I just know more now, and realize how many can be better with some changes. I also am constantly learning new ways to do things. YouTube and other online sources contain a huge treasure of knowledge. It's all right there for you. Some tutorials are of limited quality, but others are a great help. An early chair I designed had an error (revere faces for the designers out there). It printed, but there were pieces missing. Lesson learned. I corrected it an made a successful model.
Lastly, enjoy yourself. Of all things, the model that gets the most comments in a port-a-potty with full (almost full) interior detail. Although I made the model about three times before I was happy, people love it and laugh. And hand painting the interior was just as hard as it looks. Presently I am redesigning this model for higher resolution, and more expensive, print method. It actually looks better in person than in the photo, but the cheaper material is a bit rough in appearance.