3D Printing: Useful Tools for Preparing/Testing a Model

I have been creating and testing 3D Models for the purposes of 3D printing for some time now. One of the problems that I have discovered is in testing the model before sending it to the printer. I have had several orders cancelled (and refunded) due to issues. Most of these issues were due to a mesh having holes, multiple shells, or insufficient wall thickness. The problem is that most conventional modelling tools (such as 3DS Max, for example) do not have the tools neccessary to test a model designed for 3D printing.

I am currently using two tools for this purpose, one is “Mini Magics 3.0” and the other is “3D-Tool” Mini Magics is free, and is actually developed by iMaterialise, the 3D printing company that I use for my 3D prints. It is a very easy to use program, that scans for holes and multiple shells, however, it does not check for minimum wall thickness, which is, in my opinion, a vital feature. This is particularly true for people like myself, who model in 3DS Max, as Max does not have an easy way (that I have found at least) to specify or examine dimensions.

3D-Tool has a pro version, but I have been using the free version only, and so far, it seems superior to Mini Magics. This is largely due to the inclusion of a very powerful edge thickness tool. The user can easily specify the minimum thickness that they are working with (which will vary depend on the material) in addition to a number of other features.

The pictures below are from 3D-tool, and show the wall thickness tool in operation. This is a model that was rejected by the printers, and this tool easily shows why. The blue colour on the edge of the star at the center of the model are below the minimum thickness of 3mm. The extrusions at the head of the model are also below 3mm.