3D Printing: Heat Shields for Larger Parts

Not 100% sure where I read it first, but the idea of using a heat shield (technically a "draft" shield) really does work!  Usually on my Replicator, a part that spans across the entire build platform will curl up on both ends.  

However, using a 0.8mm thick heat shield (single 0.4mm shell all around), this client part came out perfectly straight.  Also helped with the start and stop filament gapping that occurs with accelerated printing.

ZBRUSH: ZProject Brush

The ZBrush ZProject brush just became one of the most useful tools for my 3D printing pipeline.  I have an incredibly high detailed model of an engine that I have to make printable, with about 1.5 days of working time.

Naturally, I thought of ZBrush as my go-to toolbox for high poly mesh manipulation.  Using the "ProjectAll" feature under the SubTool panel yielded rough results.  There's just so much detail in the model that it requires a manual touch.  In comes the ZProject brush.

Essentially, it's the manual version of ProjectAll, allowing you to manually push and pull the geometry to fit the "plug".  Works almost like vacuum forming, and brought back fond memories of making aluminum foil clones of my Hotwheels cars, destined to by crushed by my RC car.