Print them faster in Vase Mode – 3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades

Additive Manufacturing, fused deposition modelling (FDM – FDM Printing) or 3D Printing and Lithophanes almost seem like two types of technologies you wouldn’t expect to be a good pairing. But the nature of 3D printing makes it unique enough to be a perfect, albeit challenging, union. If you’re looking for a quicker way to 3D print, a lithophane lamp or 3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades on your 3D Printer… Look No Further. I can create 3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades in less time by using Vase Mode.

What is Vase Mode?

Vase mode is a feature in most if not all, 3D printing slicers that allow the printer to 3D print an object in one continuous motion. It winds from the print bed all the way up like a corkscrew or strand of DNA. 3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades are not anything new; people have been 3D printing them for some time.

I design this process using Vase Mode to help you create them faster and using a lot less material. The process is still in its infancy and even has a way to go, but that is the beauty of an iterate technology. There is always a new way, a different step or material that will improve on it.

Here is a process I created to decrease the time it would take for you to develop awesome-looking 3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades.

This process is currently aimed at creating 3D printed lithophanes that are not necessarily high resolution but for simpler patterns, designs, and images. As the method matures, so too will the results.

Tools of the Trade

Once again, I will use three specific applications in the making of my models.

1. I am using BeFunky, a free online image editor (The paid version adds a significant amount of extra tools and features) to alter my images.

2. For the creation and editing of my lithophane, I will use Luban. Luban is a paid application but provides a free trial.

It is worth paying for, as it has many more features aside from Lithophane creation.

3. And the third piece of software I use in my 3D printing of Lithophanes – and pretty much everything I print is Simplify3D.

If you are unfamiliar with these three applications, you can follow these links to their respective websites for more information.

BeFunky: Online Image Editor. Luban: Lithophane Creation Software. Simplify3D: 3D Printing Slicer.

Befunky

The first step in creating any lithophane is to find an image you want to use. Once you have the image you want to make into your new 3D Printed Lithophane, you will want to convert it to a greyscale format. This is where we will open up the BeFunky image editor to import our image.

Importing your image

This is where you will introduce your image or photo from your computer or cloud storage.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Greyscale conversion

In this part of the process, you can begin the greyscale conversion.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Everything’s better when it’s BIGGER

If you need to increase the physical size or pixel count

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Size Matters

Make sure you retain your Aspect Ratio when editing

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Exposure – Fill Light – Sharpness

The following three settings are optional, but I believe they are worth doing to maximise the effectiveness of your final image.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Exposure

There are four settings to manipulate under the exposure setting, and each one can make a high impact on the detail for your 3D printed lithophane. When adjusting the settings under the exposure section, be sure to change the Brightness, Contrast, Highlights and Shadows.

These settings will aid in making your image more defined and increase the illusion of depth. Perfect for a 3D printed Lithophane Lampshade. Be sure to take advantage of the built-in help and tutorials in BeFunky, as they are informative and easy to follow.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Fill Light

By adjusting the Fill Light setting, you can alter how the light distributes across the image. This can be beneficial for adding more depth to shadowed areas.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Sharper Image equals more defined 3D printed lithophanes

I find it more useful to use the standard Sharpen feature instead of the Smart Sharpen, as it seems to keep more realistic edging in the picture.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Creating the Lithophane

Luban lithophane creation

The Luban application has some remarkable features that are sure to interest many creators, besides the fantastic Lithophane component. I focus this tutorial on the Lithophane aspect of the software. The Cone Shaped lithophane, to be more precise. I do the remaining part of the process in Simplify3D.

Vase Mode – Save Time

There are multiple reasons I wanted to attempt 3D printing cone lithophanes in Vase Mode. The first reason is usually the most obvious to anyone who likes to experiment because I can.

Secondly; I wanted to see what the results would deliver. I knew that I would not achieve a high-quality photo lithophane with this method, but for the purposes I wanted, this method will be a great way to create a unique product.,

Third, I tried to find an economical manner. This process not only saves on time (sometimes significantly) but also in materials. Both equate to dollars.

Vase Mode Settings and Tips

3D printing objects in Vase Mode are fun and fast.

You have more options to play with than most people think. How you change your settings will play a significant role in what your finished print will look like, the amount of printer filament you use and the time to complete the 3D print.

Diameter and Retraction

When you input the Nozzle diameter into your slicer settings, remember that even though you may deal with a specific aperture, this doesn’t mean you use that as your setting. While you want to exercise caution when setting the size of the nozzle, you can usually push it by .05mm – 0.10mm. I do it all the time.

When I am printing in Vase mode, but am not concerned about details, I will tell if it is about .10mm higher. If I am looking to keep some detail in a 3D print, then I will set it to .05mm or even 0.10mm.

Keep in mind that you will need to adjust your temperature settings, print speeds, and flow rates to maximise the output. Make sure that when printing anything in Vase Mode that you are NOT using retractions.

Retraction is the filament being pulled back by the extruder a specified amount and when 3D printing in Vase Mode. You want the filament to have a nice steady and constant flow.

Layers and Shells

When I print in Vase Mode setting or Single outline corkscrew mode, my bottom and top layers will depend on the model I am printing. Usually, when printing in Vase Mode, you will have multiple bottom layers for added strength to the model.

This keeps the model open at the top. But with cone lithophanes or lampshades, I will have no bottom layers either so that both the top and bottom of the model are open. By default, the shells or perimeters will be 1. To my knowledge, you cannot override this setting in any slicer.

Steady as she goes!

Speed is crucial when doing any Lithophane 3D printing, and printing them in Vase Mode is no exception. While you may play with the speeds, it’s a good rule of thumb to go 30-50mm/s, with 45mm/s being a good average.

Fill the Gaps

Selecting Merge all outlines into a single robust model slices the model taking all the outermost perimeter outlines and assumes the interior is solid. Using Merge all outlines is useful for models that have errors in the mesh or if using Vase Mode, as it will usually fill holes or gaps.

Selecting Perimeters only for Thin Wall Behaviour tells the slicer how the walls (shells) should print. Allow single extrusion fill shows the slicer how to fill those walls.

3D Printed Lithophane Lampshades In Vase Mode

Unfortunately, after going through these steps, the Cone lithophane of the image I was working with failed multiple times in the printing process. I could determine that because of the level of detail at the uppermost part of the cone, it could not successfully print.

I have included images of several successful Vase Mode Cone Lithophanes below.

There are a lot of cool projects you could make with these types of Lithophane Lampshades.

I hope I have inspired you to try some of these ideas and look forward to seeing some impressive 3D printed Lithophane Lampshades from the community. If you like this article then head over to 3D Printed Lithophane: Take your photos to 3D Print

Thank You for Reading