Modeling Topography and Erosion with 3D Printing

Model Overview & Print Notes

Summary "Modeling Topography and Erosion with 3D Printing" is a project that will demonstrate the effect of river erosion on the Grand Canyon. This model will act as a visual aid for studying geography and earth science. The included 3D printable files will allow students to create a scale terrain model of this region and all the accessories needed to simulate a water source. By using rigid plastic PLA to print the Grand Canyon and water soluble PVA to print a River Valley that fits within, water poured through the river will dissolve the PVA and gradually expose the canyon underneath. During the experiment, participants will observe natural formations that will appear and identify geographic terms to understand how and why these structures come to be. Update #1 - 4/12/2018: I have uploaded an experimental two-part mold for the PVA river, in case you would like to cast the river insert out of a different material (or from liquid PVA). This is still in the very early testing phase, so please use at your own risk. The mold has four mounting holes for standard M3 (x12mm or longer) bolts. Update #2 - 3/28/2019: Included in the files now is a text document which goes into the details of exactly how I made the Grand Canyon and PVA insert in Blender 2.78. If you are an advanced user and would like to try to make your own topographic model, be sure to check it out. Update #3 - 6/27/2019: The source Blender 2.78 file used to make all the terrain model pieces is available in the files now. This includes the original geometry, the starter river shape, a blank PVA insert (before the river was booleaned), and boolean cubes which can be adjusted to make a new insert or deeper river. For people who don't want to manually program the color changes, there is a Grand Canyon model separated into 6 colors in the file too. In the Thing Files, the raw geometry of the starter river, an extruded starter river for booleans, and the blank PVA insert are uploaded for making custom molds for new erosion substrates. Feel free to share any images, videos, tips, tricks, or suggestions from your experiment and experience with the project! Awards, Accolades, and Mentions Pinshape Create to Educate Lesson Plan Contest - 1st Place Winner Pinshape Featured Design - December 1, 2017 Make Magazine Blog Article - December 18, 2017 Cults 3D Selection - December 2017 MatterHackers Minute - Create to Educate Design Challenge Review https://pinshape.com/blog/announcing-create-educate-lesson-plan-contest-winners/ https://pinshape.com/blog/pinshape-featured-designs-december-1st/ https://makezine.com/2017/12/18/science-simulation-3d-printing/ https://cults3d.com/en/creations/selected https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_rikCwHumk Timelapse video here (and embedded at the bottom of the page): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhQ9V3SRjRw Follow me on Instagram to see more of my cool stuff! :D https://www.instagram.com/roberthemlich/ This lesson plan is written with an emphasis on the Common Core Science Standards for the state of Michigan. The guide follows classroom goals set by the "Science Course/Credit Requirements" document to engage student interest in STEM subjects. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Science_CourseCredit_466083_7.pdf Print Settings Printer: Prusa i3 MK2S Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: 0.2mm Infill: 20% (PLA), 100% (PVA) Notes: The PDF guide includes a detailed print setting chart. The basic goal is to print the Grand Canyon in PLA with thick walls (3 perimeters or 1.2mm, 20% infill), and the River Valley in PVA that is completely solid to allow for proper erosion (100% infill). This will come out to around 60-70 grams of PLA and 30-35 grams of PVA. Each brand of filament and machine is different, so make sure to use the recommended settings as a starting point and do plenty of tests before printing the final model. I have included the "testPiece_insertPVA.stl" file for small PVA prototype prints. How I Designed This The Grand Canyon model was generated using Terrain2STL by Thatcher Chamberlin. I then used Blender 3D to make the custom PVA River Insert and the additional experiment parts. If you have a dual or multi extrusion 3D printer, like the Ultimaker 3 or the Prusa i3 MK2/3 Multi Material, you can easily combine the PLA and PVA to print them simultaneously. If you do not have one of these, the models can still be printed using a single extruder. As long as your print bed is 160mm or longer, any printer will work. All of the models have been tested and verified on my Prusa i3 MK2S. http://jthatch.com/Terrain2STL/ https://www.blender.org/ Timelapse