First time coding with OpenSCAD

  • Introduction and Thoughts

This OpenSCAD project gave me my first opportunity to code. I enjoyed the experience and it allowed me to test myself.

For the project, I came up with the idea to make a diamond. I know this will challenge me because I will have to use the different feature of a shape and move the shape around to fit on something else. Looking back at it know what I did is easy and it wouldn’t take me long to reproduce it but when I was figuring it out it was challenging.

This what my first openSCAD project was:

I encountered few problems while coding because I was unfamiliar with the writing. For example, I could not get the top shape to be tall and pointy. After a couple trials, I figured that I needed a space between the comma and the next value.

When I first started the project the base was a cube which I thought about cutting each edge off. After taking a step back I realized that I could just change the cube to a cylinder which made my job so much easier.

I also made sure to have connected parameters so I had to switch something, everything will follow. This appeared to be helpful when I decided to print because my model was too big.

The print out fine except at the top. I don’t know what happened.

  • Leveled-up OpenSCAD

To level-up my design, I decided to use other functions than form and translate. I wanted to continue with the diamond shape so I decided to make the design something that could be wearable like a bead for necklaces.

I had to learn how to use ‘rotate’, and ‘difference’ for that.

 

To me, this is an update as it necessity more function but also because it also has a purpose. This could easily be turned into a piece of jewelry. I will be interested to see how it could turn out in a precious metal in Shapeways.

When printing it, I added Cura support but unfortunately, it prints support it the middle.

 

Thingiverse: Here