jhuyser Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 Hey I was wanting to print some LEGO video game only pieces is it possible? Quote
dr_spock Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 It is possible to 3D print LEGO compatible pieces. You'll need access to a 3D printer or 3D print service. Quote
N_Cat Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 On 1/8/2016 at 8:20 PM, jhuyser said: Hey I was wanting to print some LEGO video game only pieces is it possible? Fair warning, I'm not involved in 3D printing, so some of this may be inaccurate. But as I understand it, it's possible, but there are a few barriers to printing Lego that prevent the rest of us from doing it whenever we want: Modeling the pieces. In order to 3D print something, you need to model the pieces in a program that your printer can handle. My understanding is that this can be hard for novices, but maybe you already have experience. Alternatively, it may be a piece that other Lego fans have already modeled, in which case you'll only need to find the model. Getting access to a printer. Maybe you already own a printer, or maybe you have access to a local one. If not, the printers are expensive, so you might use a website to print your models. 3D printing, especially when you're getting started, can take some trial and error, so using websites means you have to wait for shipping, which can be frustrating. Color. Lego's pallet is very distinctive, and it might be difficult to get plastic in a color that corresponds to Lego's color. In other words, if you're trying to print a Light Bluish Gray 3x4 tile for a MOC, it probably won't match the surrounding pieces. If your only goal is to recolor a part, dyeing or painting will be much easier and have better looking results. Print resolution. At normal print resolutions, 3D printed pieces have obvious build lines that detract from the Lego aesthetic, and stick out like a sore thumb. I assume you're hoping to bring minifigure pieces, which are largely aesthetic, so this might be the biggest obstacle. Typical solutions include sanding the model and using acetone washes to slightly dissolve the plastic, smoothing the surface. Fragility. 3D printed parts vary a lot in their stability, depending on the plastic used, the design of the part, and even the heat that the printer uses. If you're going to be stressing the part, which you typically do at least a little when you attach it, it might break, so make extras. Friction. Official Lego pieces are designed to exacting tolerances, and have precisely measured "clutch power" to ensure that they attach to other pieces without falling apart or damaging the other pieces. If you messed up the modeling step at all, or your resolution is off, or your attempts to erase build lines messed with the structure, your piece might break the other parts you will be trying to connect it to, or it might not attach to other parts at all. Perhaps you are already a 3D printing expert, in which case, almost none of this is relevant. Maybe you were asking about the legality, in which case I can say that creating Lego compatible pieces is completely legal, and there are many companies that do so already. If you want, it might be easier to see if there are vendors on the internet selling the particular parts you wanted already. Quote
The Lego Nolan Posted January 9, 2016 Posted January 9, 2016 If your able to convert the game files into something you can 3-D print it would be possible. Quote
mediumsnowman Posted January 9, 2016 Posted January 9, 2016 Possible? Yes. Practical? Not really. Quote
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