3D Printed Lampshade: an Exercise in Patience
by pcroskey in Workshop > 3D Design
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3D Printed Lampshade: an Exercise in Patience
![20240422_175335.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FU0/DCNS/LVAYVZ41/FU0DCNSLVAYVZ41.jpg&filename=20240422_175335.jpg)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 202253.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FV5/7UQ7/LVAYVZVA/FV57UQ7LVAYVZVA.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 202253.png)
This project was full of twists and turns, but I did end up with a 3D-printed lampshade, so I will take it as a win!
Supplies
Software: Rhino 7, Grasshopper, Ultimaker Cura
Hardware: Bambu 3D Printer
Learning Through a Tutorial
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 201158.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FR4/9Z4H/LVAYVZBT/FR49Z4HLVAYVZBT.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 201158.png)
In an effort to become more familiar with the software and process of designing in Grasshopper, I decided to follow along to The Adam's "Grasshopper Parametric Light Tutorial" on Youtube.
More on the Design
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 202035.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F64/FRUJ/LVAYVZUA/F64FRUJLVAYVZUA.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 202035.png)
The tutorial was nearly silent and did not provide explanations for each step, so I had to pay special attention as I made sense of everything. This proved to be a useful learning method. Here's a quick summary of how it all works:
- Generate a list of polar coordinates on an xy plane at 360 angle.
- Translate the list along a vector with a random amplitude.
- Construct a nurbs curve from the list and duplicate it at a larger scale.
- Generate curves in between the previous two nurbs.
- Offset, shift and shorten the list of points
- Create a surface between curves using "Ruled Surface"
Problem 1
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 202406.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FR2/ND1G/LVAYVZWH/FR2ND1GLVAYVZWH.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 202406.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 202425.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FHN/21BI/LVAYVZX0/FHN21BILVAYVZX0.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 202425.png)
After completing the tutorial, I dropped the shade in Cura and used our agreed-upon settings to see if I had a viable print. However, because we're using vase mode, this design is not possible to print without supports because it is too steep and flat between each level.
Redirecting
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204549.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F04/8SDB/LVAYW1W9/F048SDBLVAYW1W9.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204549.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204454.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FO5/HUO0/LVAYW1VI/FO5HUO0LVAYW1VI.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204454.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204603.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FM2/LNTF/LVAYW1WZ/FM2LNTFLVAYW1WZ.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204603.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204643.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEJ/7TAZ/LVAYW1X0/FEJ7TAZLVAYW1X0.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204643.png)
I pivoted away from the staircase design and towards a smoother, less steep alternative. To do this, I replaced "Ruled Surface" with "Loft." I appreciated the result, and it foreshadowed no issues when placed in Cura.
Returning to Problem 1
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204932.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8A/N98J/LVAYW2HG/F8AN98JLVAYW2HG.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204932.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 204908.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWE/QDFP/LVAYW2GN/FWEQDFPLVAYW2GN.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 204908.png)
![Screenshot 2024-04-22 205233.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F3E/ALUH/LVAYW2SU/F3EALUHLVAYW2SU.png&filename=Screenshot 2024-04-22 205233.png)
Call me crazy, but rather than leaving well enough alone, I tried to rework my original design.
Adding some additional logic in Grasshopper and manually using a boolean union on each level of the staircase, I attempted to create smoother transitions while maintaining at least some of the original aesthetic... However, this too failed in Cura :)
Final Print
![croppd.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FYE/S7L3/LVAYVZ4Q/FYES7L3LVAYVZ4Q.jpg&filename=croppd.jpg)
![20240422_175340.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWN/488C/LVAYVZ46/FWN488CLVAYVZ46.jpg&filename=20240422_175340.jpg)
Finally calling it quits, I sent my redirection to the printer. The print itself was the smoothest part of the process and took roughly two hours. I am happy with the result and I do feel like I learned a lot through this trying process. So I call this a success.