How to create surface texture to look like a Multi Jet Fusion print?

[sarahlcraddy]

The title pretty much says it all - I am looking for an easy way to create "rough" looking finishes (as when printed with PA12 Nylon on MJF printers) on certain sections of a model which are not just a texture, but modelled. There are ways outside of Fusion to do this (Blender, etc) but is there anything inside Fusion for this?

[g-andresen]

Hi,

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@sarahlcraddy wrote:

There are ways outside of Fusion to do this (Blender, etc) but is there anything inside Fusion for this?

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No!

günther

[sarahlcraddy]

Actually yes, I found a few options for people who are interested:

Ensure you are working with a mesh to begin with (convert the body if needed via tessalate function https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=MESH-TESSELLATE ), turn off timeline, install add on:

https://github.com/lmueller27/Fusion360PatternsAndTextures

Also try https://github.com/hanskellner/Fusion360Image2Surface

[TrippyLighting]

The image2surface tool creates T-Spline geometry.

For a pattern as fine as 3D print "grain" that would result in a T-Spline with hundreds of thousands or even millions of polygons.

Polygons is the name of the game here and a displacement texture in a polygon modeler is really the best way to do this. Preferably on a properly modeled quad mesh model and not exported triangulated CAD geometry.

There isn't really any way to do this sensibly within most if any CAD application, because it is polygon based. The geometric modeling kernels in CAD applications work natively with analytic an geometry or NURBS, which are much more computationally expensive than mesh geometry.

I think if a user doesn't want to leave Fusion 360 then the Fusion360PatternsAndTextures is the best option.

[sarahlcraddy]

Thank you for the detailed information. I do still wonder how such surface finishes are being created. Is there any insight on how this is done? I would like to learn how to create an injection mold for ABS via Fusion but I would like to define areas that are not smooth (hence glossy).

I am aware of the options outlined for large productions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7ERckH7t04 but none of them are via CAD first.

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

Such a fine texture is not created in the CAD or 3D model. It is usually done by the company that makes the injection mold tools or by companies that specialize in creating such textures in the tools. For example, mold tools for many of the plastic parts in a vehicle that look like they are made from leather go through specialized companies and go through a process called graining after the mold is machined.