www.3ders.org

Oct 15, 2015 | By Benedict

A New England-based maker going by the handle ‘The Irish Cowboy’ has shared instructions for creating cool, realistic 3D printed Halo props such as firearms and other weaponry. Using only reference images and a good understanding of Autodesk AutoCAD, Cowboy was able to produce a collection of visually stunning models inspired by the popular computer game. It seems that talented makers can’t help creating Halo-inspired objects: just last week we saw one gamer’s awesome 3D printed Master Chief helmet, and now we have the weaponry to match. Looks like our office is going to be filled with 3D printed Halo junk before the latest instalment, Halo 5, is even released!

Here’s how The Irish Cowboy went about creating their 3D printed Halo props, and how they encourage you to make yours. The first stage involves planning out your end-game and gathering a large number of images of your chosen object, to get a detailed look at its shape and structure. Think about which parts, if any, need to move. Make some initial sketches.

This next step requires the use of AutoCAD. Draw lines, curves and circles until every single part of the object has been outlined. To connect lines, hover over an endpoint with the pointer until a green box appears, then click. Experiment with settings and functions until you have a design which looks the business. Designing the prop in several parts will make life much easier for you: it will become easier to print. Just remember to design working pegs and joints so the pieces fit together. Scaling your prop to the appropriate size is similarly important. Don’t make something too big for your printer or too small to be of use!

Next, Using Autodesk Inventor, create a new ‘part’ for each component of your prop, each of which can be added to a single ‘assembly’ file later on. Simply copy and paste your 2D design from AutoCAD into a plane of your new Inventor sketch. Use the Extrude function to make a base to modify. Only work in small parts—this will help you when it comes to printing. When you have a multiplicity of parts, create an Assembly file, into which you can place each part. Move the parts around and join them together as required.

Inventor has its own rendering capabilities, whilst VRED can produce renders of a much higher resolution. Be warned though: you’ll need a capable PC on which to run it.

3D Printing:

Time to create the finished piece! In Inventor, export the project as an .stl file, in the highest possible resolution. Send the .stl file to your 3D printer or 3D printing software and assemble your prop once each part has been 3D printed.

Halo 5 will be released on XBOX One on October 27th.

 

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

 

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