The first thing I did was go on Thingiverse and select the 3D print I wanted to make for the class. I decided on a butterfly inspired by a dream I had. I even used the colors from my dream to design the butterfly during post-processing. Below is a picture of the STL file.
I first started using FDM printers to create four prints of the butterfly impossible object I found online. There were a few iterations due to printing issues that required supports or modifications to the STL. Some of the empty cavities within the part needed to be filled; otherwise, the print would have been much harder to make. Once I modified the design and added the necessary supports, I successfully completed four prints. See below.
Failed iteration 🙁
Good prints….let’s sand these babies down
Once the prints were done, I post-processed the parts by sanding down the side that wasn’t on the printing plate, as it had some curvature and wasn’t completely flat. I used three different sanding grits to smooth the surface. Once it was smooth enough, I began spray painting my butterflies.
After spray painting, I used acrylic paint to add details to the wings, including the yellow and white dots. Once the painting was complete, I applied a final clear coat of spray paint to give the butterfly a glossy finish.
Similarly, I used the Formlabs printer for my SLA print. I had to swap out the tray and cartridge to ensure compatibility with the flexible filament material. My goal was to create a butterfly that could articulate. Initially, I tried using clear Biomed material, but it made the print too stiff, preventing proper articulation. This was partly due to how I washed and cured the butterfly, but also because of the material itself. Once I switched to the flexible material, the results were much better, and I was able to get a solid print for my submission. I was really happy with how it turned out and loved how squishy it was. I followed the same painting steps but didn’t need to sand the print since it was already smooth on both sides.
my failed stiff butterflies that wouldn’t fly 🙁
Flexible butterfly that can flap it’s wings 🙂
Submitted and super proud 🙂
| Cost Type | Cost | Price | Source | Quantity | Total |
| Materials | Filament (PLA) | $19.99 per roll (8.8 oz) | us.store.bambulab.com | 1.09 oz | $2.47 |
| Filament (Flexible 80A) | $199 (1 L) | Formlabs.com | 5.89 mL | $1.17 | |
| Sand Paper (Grit Sandpaper Wet/Dry 15pcs/Set) | $3.23/pack | walmart.com | 1 | $3.23 | |
| Acrylic paint bottles | $0.97/bottle | walmart.com | 2 | $1.94 | |
| Spray paint can | $5.98/can | walmart.com | 2 | $11.96 | |
| Labor | Prototyping Engineer (You!) | $36/hr | ziprecruiter.com | 2 hours | $72 |
| 3D Printing operator | $19/hr | ziprecruiter.com | 6 hours | $114 | |
| Overhead | Facility Cost (Machine Time) | $30/hr | https://www.bestinhood.com/houston/specialized-home-services/best-3d-printing-shops-in-houston/?utm_source=chatgpt.com | 6 hours | $180 |
| Design | Engineering and Development | $32/hr | www.ziprecruiter.com | 6 hours | $192 |
Workspace:
