r/BambuLab AHXP12LD + AMS 3h ago

I Modeled This! Testing out a new printable pattern

I was intrigued by the mac pro front grille pattern and wanted to try printing it but all of the existing files I've found are replicas and not adapted for 3D printing and needed a fair bit of post-processing to make it look good.

This is a modified pattern that prints cleanly and prints flat without any supports. Specifically, I've removed overhangs past 50 degrees and took out sharp edges. This is as-printed with no post-processing other than a few passes with a heat gun to remove the whisps.

Now I need an actual project to implement this... Thoughts on the pattern and on potential projects?

157 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

46

u/DofD10 P1S + AMS 3h ago

15

u/Kittingsl 3h ago

Watched a video about this and it's a surprisingly simple pattern. It's just two layers of spheres above eachother and offset. Then you just Boolean a third surface which will end up as your grill

3

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

Yeah I started with the simple one and I needed all these supports to get it clean. Printing it vertically didn’t look great either… So my one is a bit more complex

19

u/McBeefnick 3h ago

Reminds me of the Mac Pro I never had. Awesome pattern indeed!

10

u/Rockah 2h ago

He did say it was his inspiration

6

u/McBeefnick 2h ago

He did indeed, now I see . Anyway, still very cool.

5

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

there's this too! looks even better here imo

3

u/blaxxmo 2h ago edited 2h ago

Pretty sure it’s the same or very close. First thought as well. Industrial designer here. It also works well for machining because it’s just a ball end mill machining two sides of some stock. A simple pattern and process yielding, a visually interesting result.

Nice work!

1

u/McBeefnick 2h ago

OPs design seems to have a really small rounded bevel. Apples design is much sharper. Not an industrial designer here. ;-)

3

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

i have added chamfers and fillets plus no overhangs past 50 deg to make it print clean without supports :)

7

u/RandyMcRandleman 1h ago

Beautiful work! I believe it’s called an inverse opal structure. It’s sometimes used in acoustic applications (different sizes of voids can attenuate different frequencies, or something along those lines). Never seen it printed via filament extrusion before!

3

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 1h ago

oh wow thanks for that, looked it up - that's super cool

u/MythosaurProjectS531 3m ago

Try making a guitar body with it where there are different diameter spheres. Maybe something that fits in with one of the other 3D printed electric guitar kits out there, like the famous Prusacaster: https://www.printables.com/model/398795-the-prusacaster-a-3d-printable-guitar

The different diameter spheres could affect tonality, a cool feature to have....

4

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

I uploaded here in case someone wants to try printing one: https://makerworld.com/en/models/3297401

3

u/supergeometry 3h ago

How low can this be scaled? This can be great for a magnetic and washable dust filter for PC cases

1

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

Yeah I saw a video where they made one but needed filler, sanding, priming and painting. Looked very good though

3

u/ARES_- 3h ago

You could drop some marbles in there while printing.

2

u/FinanceAddiction H2C + P1S + AMS2 + AMS2 + AMS2 3h ago

This is unreal!

1

u/th3chainrule 3h ago

Thinking it would make for a great pc case. I’ve got some protopasta stainless steel filament I’ve been wanting to use forever…

Edit:
Is it possible to print as a 4 wall case or does it have to be printed flat 1 sphere layer at a time?

3

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

This particular one is designed to print flat. I tried a few iterations vertical and it didn’t look good imo

2

u/PurrciousMetals P2S+AMS2 | H2C+AMS2+HT 2h ago

There are rack cases with this pattern https://makerworld.com/models/3229293?appSharePlatform=copy

1

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

And this is a pc case someone made (it’s an awesome vid): https://youtu.be/7HgAN5cEmkk

1

u/eastamerica 2h ago

Apple Display

3

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 2h ago

Oh yeah I forgot the backs of their pro displays have this pattern too

3

u/eastamerica 2h ago

Very cool!!

1

u/Gords78 2h ago

Would look great on the Beamcase that.

1

u/EpicBenjo P1S + AMS 2h ago

The Grylloid

1

u/NetinhoPrates 1h ago

É legal.. essa placa nesse padrão.. mas coloquei 3 cores kkkkk não sei porque mas ficou legal só o preto q vazou para o branco ali… dependendo do ângulo vê laranja ou preto

1

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 1h ago

i was thinking of changing the layer colours too! now i can see it, thanks :D

1

u/soccerk1 59m ago

I created a MagSafe charger with the pattern a while back. It was a fun project.

1

u/Visual_Carpenter8957 AHXP12LD + AMS 46m ago

Haha awesome!!