EVA Pod from 2001: A Space Odyssey

cults3d

I tackled the massive task of printing the Discovery Model, a magnificent creation by metaform3d, along with several Hutt City Library Staff members. Metaform3d's design is one of the most impressive 3D printing models I've ever seen, and working on this project taught me a lot about good design principles. My next goal was to print off the EVA pod from the same films as a separate project. However, I found several STL versions of the model online, but they were all low-polygon and poor quality, making them difficult to print with most slicing programs. I decided to go back to the original base model in my archives and carefully make it manifold before smoothing out the mesh. The result was a high-poly model with a smooth shape that could be printed with any slicer, even the older ones. I also added supporting sections that snap off during printing, ensuring the model prints successfully and tidily without requiring additional support from the slicer. Unfortunately, the original 3DS file had lost its attribution documents long before it reached me, making it impossible to give credit to the creator. When comparing my model to images from the movie, I noticed a couple of errors, particularly around the HAL port on the front and detailing in the back. However, the model still captures the essence of the original. In terms of painting, I took some liberties with the design. The manipulator arms in the film are predominantly white, but my painted model features silver sections. I had primed them in black expecting they would be silver, and since there were already a few inaccuracies, I decided to add another one. Printing the main body took 11 hours, while each of the manipulator arms required about 12 minutes. The size used was chosen to accommodate standard rod sizes for the printed lengths, ensuring the arms are strong enough on their own with sufficient definition that they don't need dowels.