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 11 hours 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

[BIGAL]

Don't know what is going on about Textexp but here is a favour for you. I just made A-Z 0-9 exploded. Convert to correct plines then can extrude into a solid say 1 unit high, will need to check the 36 shapes. The sample dwg really needs more thought say text size =1 and height equal say 0.1. It took about 10 minutes to make these. With a bit of practice much faster and use other fonts. You can use presspull to change height. BUT SET TEXT HEIGHT CORRECT BEFORE EXTRUDE.

 

 

Oh yeah why do you have units set to Architectural when your talking mm ?

 

new block.dwg

[SLW210]

Did you try doing these in TinkerCAD?

 

Not sure why your have issues with exploding the text in AutoCAD, I'll look when I get back to work tomorrow.

 

Even as you describe it "When I tried txtexp it shot the text way off to the left and made it huge", you just have to move it and scale it.

 

What you really want to do is learn to do this with the 3D Printer tools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9McpK4nNf2k

 

[TimC]

6 hours ago, BIGAL said:

Don't know what is going on about Textexp but here is a favour for you. I just made A-Z 0-9 exploded. Convert to correct plines then can extrude into a solid say 1 unit high, will need to check the 36 shapes. The sample dwg really needs more thought say text size =1 and height equal say 0.1. It took about 10 minutes to make these. With a bit of practice much faster and use other fonts. You can use presspull to change height. BUT SET TEXT HEIGHT CORRECT BEFORE EXTRUDE.

 

 

Oh yeah why do you have units set to Architectural when your talking mm ?

 

new block.dwg 1.95 MB · 0 downloads

Well, I just started learning AutoCAD in November of last year through Penn Foster (don't hold that against me. I'm basically teaching myself at this point with the help of you fellas). I didn't realize you could set the text height BEFORE you press pull. I just started the press/pull then typed the number I want. As far as architectural, I'll be honest, that's all we used when I was in college so that's all I really know

[TimC]

5 minutes ago, SLW210 said:

Did you try doing these in TinkerCAD?

 

Not sure why your have issues with exploding the text in AutoCAD, I'll look when I get back to work tomorrow.

 

Even as you describe it "When I tried txtexp it shot the text way off to the left and made it huge", you just have to move it and scale it.

 

What you really want to do is learn to do this with the 3D Printer tools.

 

 

I messed around a little with tinker cad but figured since I already had some knowledge of AutoCAD that it would probably be more useful to stick with AutoCAD. as I mentioned above, I just started learning AutoCAD in November of last year through Penn Foster (don't hold that against me. I'm basically teaching myself at this point with the help of you fellas).

[SLW210]

Like I stated, I still like leaning on AutoCAD for making things for the 3D printer, but also learning Blender and playing with TinkerCAD, etc.

 

The main goal is getting nice 3D Prints, I can tell you from experience, the stuff you get from online, supposedly ready to print, sometimes needs a little tweaking or outright re-modeled.

 

I also have been learning to work in the 3D printer software, in  my case, Bambu Studio, it's a lot easier cleaning up, scaling, adding text, etc. right before slicing.

 

Like anyone that uses tools to do a job, learning what tools to use, how to use them, when to use what, etc. is usually the best way to go forward, it's a learning process.

 

By all means start with AutoCAD and improve, we are here to help.

 

Do you know how to export to STL and import that into your slicer? 

[TimC]

13 minutes ago, SLW210 said:

Like I stated, I still like leaning on AutoCAD for making things for the 3D printer, but also learning Blender and playing with TinkerCAD, etc.

 

The main goal is getting nice 3D Prints, I can tell you from experience, the stuff you get from online, supposedly ready to print, sometimes needs a little tweaking or outright re-modeled.

 

I also have been learning to work in the 3D printer software, in  my case, Bambu Studio, it's a lot easier cleaning up, scaling, adding text, etc. right before slicing.

 

Like anyone that uses tools to do a job, learning what tools to use, how to use them, when to use what, etc. is usually the best way to go forward, it's a learning process.

 

By all means start with AutoCAD and improve, we are here to help.

 

Do you know how to export to STL and import that into your slicer? 

I agree 100% I've been on several of the "free STL" sites and that stuff is nice, especially for new people, but I like the satisfaction of knowing I built that and you're definitely right with some of that stuff needing tweaked. I've run into that a few times. I have a Flashforge AD5X and I'm still learning to use the software. If I remember correctly, I just used the STLOUT command to export the file from AutoCAD, then I open Flashforge and click/drag it from my desktop onto my slicer