OpenSCAD 3D Surface Plotter

thingiverse

Could there be anything more fun than drawing 3D surface plots? Yes, you can 3D print 3D surface plots and hold them in your own hands! (Indeed, I wrote this OpenSCAD program in 2011 for a math teacher who wanted some tangible 3D plots for a blind student.) And, it would be REALLY COOL to mod this somehow for dualstrusion to produce AWESOME contour plots. For example, print every fifth layer in a contrasting color. The one in the photo was done manually using the Jetty Firmware's "Pause at Z-height" and changing out the filament in a single extruder. At any rate, be the first carbon-based life unit on your block with a Lego(tm) set which includes z(x,y) = cos(sqrt(x^2+y^2))/(1+x^2+y^2) Or, print your own doll house washboard with z(x,y) = cos(|x|+|y|). Instructions Download the attached OpenSCAD program, 3dplot.scad. Load the program into OpenSCAD. Uncomment one of the sample functions, z(x,y)= and the corresponding 3dplot() call. Render; using F5 to get a look-see is reasonably fast. Note that when using math plotting software, the software often rescales the Z-axis for you, causing its range to be exaggerated or diminished relative to the X and Y axes. Since you're dealing with physical sized models here, that's left up to you. So, if you 3D 3D surface looks quite flat, you probably just need to multiply the Z values by some value like 5. Just change the Z function to add that multiplier. (While you could use OpenSCAD's scale() operator, that has the effect of also enlarging the skirt which you may not want.) I did find that going much beyond a 50x50 grid would cause trauma for OpenSCAD (2012.04.04). I also managed to cause it to core once or twice. So, please be gentle with OpenSCAD. And if I'm doing something stupid, do let me know.