You can find nearly everything in modern shops, including your favorite movie and video game models and figures. Still, sometimes your heart wishes for something super exclusive, unavailable anywhere in the market. That's when 3D printing comes handy, allowing you to transform the coolest 3D print ideas into "live" masterpieces with the help of electronics. How complex is the process of adding electronics to the models? Where to get 3D printer files? Let's look closer at the stages of turning your project from "simply static" or "just action" to "wow-LEDs-awesomeness."
Before you can even think of adding electronics to anything, you should find cool things to 3D print. There are so many different platforms with various STLs that finding the best place for 3D print files can be difficult. If you wish your every project to be highly detailed and impressively close to the character or model from your favorite film, video game, comics, cartoon, etc. - check out Gambody 3D printing marketplace.
Filled with some of the best 3D print ideas, Gambody is a reliable source with hundreds of unbelievably detailed, unique, one-of-a-kind, and cut-smart models that support 3D printer file format STL (most popular among hobbyists and accepted by all desktop machines, both resin and filament-based).
This best 3D printing website has premium and stock ideas to 3D print that will make your heart beat faster from excitement. From Star Wars and Star Trek to Marvel and DC Comics to the most popular cartoons and franchises, like Harry Porter, Lord of the Rings, Rick & Morty, Terminator, Alien, etc., you'll discover many projects that look fantastic when 3D printed and turn into amazing masterpieces when you add electronics.
Would you like your 3D printed life-size version of Terminator to walk around your neighborhood and peer through the windows to your neighbors' excitement and fear? Would you want your son to drive a life-size Batmobile in your backyard after you have 3D printed and assembled this car? What do you think about decorating your children's bedroom with a lighted and roaring head of a 3D printed T-Rex?
Electronics can turn any 3D print project ideas into exclusive action figures and outstanding spaceships, vehicles, robots, and other models. How exactly is it doable?
Visit the best 3D printing website, Gambody, and search through the premium or stock models. Imagine the one you would love to make "live" with LED lights and/or sounds. Pick that one project from the coolest 3D print ideas and download its STL files based on which 3D printer you have (FFF/FDM or DLP/SLA/SLS).
You will find recommendations for Cura, Bambu Studio, Simplify3D, Slic3r and PrusaSlicer to make your model turn out the best. There is also a video and PDF manual explaining the assembly process and a detailed description of the model or figure to understand all the assembly parts, connectors, features, and empty spaces designed for LED wiring.
Turn on your machine and let the best 3D print ideas transform into physical 3D printed parts. Sometimes, hobbyists love to upscale the STL files to create life-size models or adjust the design for their personal needs (for instance, to use as a 3D printed "costume" fitting a humanoid robot that can walk, jump, and dance!). You can then post-process every part and prepare to add electronics before assembling your project.
After you download 3D models and print your projects, you usually need to post-process every part. What is post-processing work? It can include various stages based on the project. For instance, you might need to:
Use pliers or a knife to remove the supports carefully;
Use sandpaper of different grind numbers (from 200 to 600, the bigger the number, the more precious and smoother the result will be) to smooth the surface of every part (keep in mind that sanding might not sound difficult, but it can take forever, so be patient);
Add putty or another type of filler to fill in the gaps and holes in your model;
Use brush-on or spray-on primer on your parts before painting them (some enthusiasts prefer using automotive primer spray, but you can always find something else in your local hardware store). Do extra sanding after each layer of primer;
Use acrylic paints or airbrush your model (some hobbyists like to build an outside "lab" to complete this step). You can weather the paint to add a rusted or dirt-like effect if needed;
If you wish to protect the painted areas and clean surfaces from new coats of paint, use masking tape;
Let the paint dry.
Sometimes, when you don't want to paint your 3D printer projects ideas, you can instead use different color filaments to make it colorful.
You can leave the best 3D printer models as they are without adding the electronics. However, installing the LEDs you can control and adding the sounds make any figure or model much cooler!
You can choose single-color or multicolored LED strips, individual LED lightbulbs, small diodes, or fiber optic lighting kits to light up your 3D print. Here are some tips for adding electronics and what to avoid:
Avoid using heating bulbs because they can easily ruin the 3D printing material (filament or resin);
Most hobbyists prefer using strips with a power supply and light controller or a USB connector, which saves a lot of time;
You might need to do the soldering work and some programming to the microcontroller if you wish to control your LEDs and/or sounds;
You can power your LEDs with a power bank or a mobile device charger to avoid soldering;
LED strips can be adjusted to any length (just cut them with regular scissors at marked spots);
You can combine a “neopixel” LED stripe with Arduino Nano and adjust the sketch code to control your colors and special effects;
To light up small 3D print ideas, you can rely on tiny diodes which you can be powered using 3.3V button cell batteries;
Before you install your electronics into a 3D printed model, ensure you have cleaned it, painted it, and let it dry fully;
Try to avoid installing your LEDS on textured, bending, or rough parts;
Most LED strips have an adhesive backing, so once you cut it at a designated section to your preferred length, remove the backing and stick the strip to the 3D printed surface;
If your LEDs require additional adhesive, you can use putty or clips to attach them to the model;
Use connector clips to join multiple strips and ensure each strip is locked inside securely;
Connect your electronics to the power adapter or controller, and enjoy lighting up your 3D print or make it produce the desired sounds.
When done, assemble your model using the connection parts, superglue, or magnets that clip the parts together.
Assemble the model and enjoy your customized project!
P.S. Some of the best 3D print ideas of robots, spacecraft, and cars might require transparent parts for eyes and windows. How can you make them most realistically? You can use translucent filament or resin, cut a piece out of transparent plastic, find watch glass replacements, and other options to create a realistic-looking model.
When working with cool ideas to 3D print from movies, such as human figures and ships, you might want to use real pieces of clothing to complete the outfits, sails, and ropes as well as genuine wooden parts to finish the mast.
Use electronics to light up and add sound to your projects, and remember that Gambody is the best place for 3D print files that truly stand out and turn up fantastic, no matter how new you are to 3D printing!
