Having some issues converting to 3d

[TimC]

Alright folks I recently got a 3D printer and I want to make some custom number plates for my buddies and my boys 4 wheelers. I have a pretty good start but when I type TXTEXP to raise up the numbers and letters the numbers just go way off screen and get real big. Any ideas?

[BIGAL]

"Why Use TXTEXP?

3D Extrusion: Converts text into line/polyline paths that you can use the EXTRUDE command on."

 

So to use extrude you must have closed shapes it can take a few minutes to properly close the exploded text. When using extrude you should set a height that you want.

 

[SLW210]

Can you post a .dwg?

 

You might give the FREE Autodesk TinkerCAD, I barley have looked at it lately, but IIRC it does a great job with 3D Text creation.

 

But, like you I tend to use AutoCAD and Blender to make objects for the 3D Printer.

[SLW210]

What 3D printer do you have?

 

I just recalled, there used to be an APP at the Autodesk APP store, but no longer there, works on older AutoCAD, but it is also posted here at CADTutor and the Swamp.

 

 

I use Bambu Labs and it comes with Bambu Studio which has a 3D Text that is very easy, I can do a custom name plate with text directly on the machine.

 

 

[TimC]

Sorry it took so long to get back. I never got notifications that there were any replies.

 

OK, so maybe I'm missing something here and ChatGPT and Gemini are of zero help so far. I have this drawing. I'm trying to make a 3d printed ATV number plate. Extrude absolutely won't work for me, not sure why. I was able to use the "presspull" command to punch out the holes (which I don't believe is the correct way) and I can raise the plate up the 3mm I want and the support around the holes the additional 1mm I want but it absolutely won't do anything with the text. I tried MTEXT and single line text. Neither works

 

My printer is a FlashForge AD5X

Mark Macey Rear Plate.dwg

[BIGAL]

Ok I used Txtexp on "MACEY", then went to a 3d view so could see what was going on VPOINT -1,-1,-1. 

You have to check that all the objects that appear are plines I had to join the little "A" triangle.

Ok extruded the base 1.5 

Extruded the circles 2.5, then unionid both, to base, subtracted the inner circle from the new solid.

Extruded the  ""M" 4.5 then did a union again. 

Extruded the two parts of the "A" unioned together with base then subtracted the inner triangle, 

You can see the progress. 

 

 

What you want is not a single step but rather multiple steps, lastly can export the STL file.

 

Once you get the hang of extruding, subtrcat and union you can do multiple objects at one time. This is a bit rough as a solid and can be done better, by moving the text to a Z matching base height before you start.

Edited 1 hour ago by BIGAL

[TimC]

So this is something I want to set up so that I can do multiples and just change the name and number. What's the easiest way to go about this? Doing what you did, seems like there's gotta be an easier, more efficient way from the begginning...lol

[TimC]

Just to be clear, I don't mean that the way you did it was wrong. I mean, what can I change earlier in the project to make this part easier? I reread what I wrote and it definitely didn't sound like I meant it to

[TimC]

When I tried txtexp it shot the text way off to the left and made it huge