Thursday, March 28th, 2013 Posted by Jim Thacker

Blender 2.67 to add 3D Printing Toolbox


New features in Blender 2.67 look likely to include a new 3D Printing Toolbox, aimed at troubleshooting models for 3D printing, and a new 3D ruler tool (above) intended for architectural modelling work.

Blender 2.67 will include a set of tools to make it easier to export models for 3D printing, BlenderNation reports.

The 3D Printing Toolbox, which is currently available as an add-on to Blender 2.66, checks models for common errors such as self-intersections, distorted faces, or walls that are too thin or steeply overhanging to print safely.

A separate set of tools clean up isolated or distorted faces before the model is exported for printing.

New ruler tool
Another new tool likely to make its way into version 2.67 of the software is the 3D Ruler, intended for architectural modelling work, and shown in the video at the top of this story.

Blender 2.67 is due for release in the second half of April, but you can download early builds via the link in the BlenderNation story.

Read BlenderNation’s story on the 3D Printing Toolbox

Read the documentation for the toolbox on the Blender wiki