Microsoft’s 3D Builder is a powerful yet simple tool for 3D designers. Beginning 3D designers can sometimes be left scratching their heads as to how achieve “simple changes” in a 3D object. This series from imagination-3d.com “Quick Tips” for 3D Builder is intended to help you out with that.
Resizing Only Part of an Object
Users frequently run into the case were only a portion of a part needs to have its size adjusted but the rest of the part is perfect. This presents a challenge in 3D Builder (Builder) because the resize feature impacts the entire part. So here is how you can achieve this with Builder……
Our video shows you how to do this here, or you can continue reading.
In this example we are simply trying to resize the lower porting of this object to have a smaller diameter because it is too large. We need to change the diameter from 9mm to 8.7mm:
Step 1: Select the object:
Step 2: Click on the “Object Tab”
Step 3: Click on the “Duplicate” button. This will create a duplicate of the object.
Step 4: Click the “Deselect all” button.
Step 5: Select the original object by clicking on it.
Step 6: Click on the “resize” button. This will allow us to change the physical dimensions of the part.
Step 7: Click on the padlock button. This will unlock the X, Y and Z axis from each other.
Step 8: The X and Y values representing the diameter appear in the bar. To change them, click on each one and change the value from 9 to 8.7.
Photo 3d Builder tips Resizing an object x and y
Step 9: Select the “Edit” tab
Step 10: Click on “Split”
Step 11: The “split pane” will appear. We are trying to resize the bottom of the object, so click on the “Keep bottom” button. This will switch the behavior of Builder.
(resize_012)
Step 12: Drag the split pane down to the area you want to resize. What is showing up will be “kept”.
Step 13: Click on the Spit check button once you are satisfied with your selection.
Step 14: After the split is complete click on “Deselect all”.
Step 15: Now we need to work on the other part. Select the duplicate part by clicking on it.
Step 16: Again, click on the Split button.
Step 17: We want to keep the top portion of the part this time so click on “Keep top”
Step 18: Drag the split pane down so that it overlaps the cut area of the other part slightly. The reason you want to do this is we will be attempting to merge the to parts together. If the parts do not overlap you could end up with an unfused void when you print your merged part and it will break.
Step 19: After you have made your selection click on the “Split” check button to split the duplicate.
Step 20: Click on the move object button so that we can move the duplicate part back into position.
Step 21: Drag the duplicate part back into place on top of the original.
Step 22: Once you have the duplicate in place, click on the bottom (the original part). Now both objects should be selected.
Step 23: Click on the “Merge” button. Both objects will be merged, and you are all done. If you have overlapped the objects correctly the “Ungroup” button should be grayed out as shown below. If it is not, it indicates that you have not overlapped the parts.
You may have to give this method a try several times to not only pick a resize area you like, but also to get the overlap right. But once you pick up this technic you will find resizing an object in this way extremely easy. Always remember to make a backup of your original before attempting any modification to any of your designs.
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