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After much searching I saw articles written about using two modifiers: Wireframe and SubDiv.

I thought this was the greatest thing from the pictures. However I've spent some time creating rows of cubes. Eventually getting to the process of scaling a unit cube x times, inserting x-1 loop cuts, going inside this mesh and placing faces internally to create x cubes. Upon applying the modifiers the internal corners, let's say of a 2 x 4 matrix of these cubes, are not rounded like the exterior corners.

I'm developing a product and if printed as a solid... would waste a lot of material. But the object is exposed to 5000 - 9000 psi. This prevents normal infill as an option as the part would implode.

My intention was to create either cubic, triangular, or rhombic dodecahedric structures internally and provide small holes to allow the part to equalize. Wireframe + SubDiv is almost there...I just require a vertex joining 8 cubes to have 6 cool looking circular edges... ideally with a larger diameter "ball" at the vertex, then get the 6 edges with 4 distinct lobes.

The latter is weak... and I can't use support material so the use of curved surfaces getting to the right angles generally works well.

Imagine Wireframe + SubDiv on a single cube with a small/no crease weight and the SubD iterations at 4... the internal structure of that cube would be the exterior surface of this lattice I would like to create. To better visualize can add an array modifier to it. Better approximates the goal.

How can I accomplish this?

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Blender has no functionality for this. You should create infill in slicer software, because you will not be able to control gcode in Blender and whatever you model will get sliced so it will not be as strong as what is made from continuous lines slicers use for infill. If you need stronger prints, print thicker walls and denser infill. You can have a range from 0% to 100% density of various infill patterns including triangular infill. If that doesn't work, it means it's not the right material for the purpose. It's best to use tools intended for the job in this case.

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  • $\begingroup$ If the object is exposed to 5000-9000 psi, he might need to do FEM on the model. I'm not sure if there are slicers that will send give you the solid after slicing... But your point about using the right material for the purpose might be correct here. Why try to be genius in engineering when you could just be genius in design and planning? $\endgroup$
    – WhisperingShiba
    Commented Oct 3, 2022 at 23:17
  • $\begingroup$ It all depends on the specific situation. If a solid part works, maybe a part with thick walls and 80% infill will work as well. Maybe using gyroid infill and some holes in the print for the pressure to be equal inside and outside might work. I own FDM printer and my modelling skills are quite OK since it's part of my job for many years but I can think of no situation where I would want to attempt modelling infill manually. Whatever structure you can model and then slice, infill will be stronger and easier unless you need the structure for something else than holding shape. $\endgroup$
    – Martynas Žiemys
    Commented Oct 3, 2022 at 23:35
  • $\begingroup$ I took biotechnology and computer science Wish I had done engineering at the moment, Lol. All my thoughts really may not matter... thick walls and 80% infill may be fine. But I don't know how to use the TDS numbers to determine this. Initially I was going for thick walls and the purpose of these was to maintain the shape by providing curves up to the ceiling of the cavity instead of a 1+ inch gap that needs crossing.... but this might come down to slicer settings... fan only on gaps possible? I can just go solid but thought why not try and make more parts with the same amount of filament. $\endgroup$
    – Nolan Robidoux
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 4:28
  • $\begingroup$ @NolanRobidoux if you haven't already, post in the engineering or 3D printing stack, and provide very top level overview of what needs to happen. For instance, I am unsure if by "internal support structure" you intend for a structural infill, or for something to aid the print geometry (prevent overhang). By "equalize", do you intend to say this will be exposed to a 9000 psi fluid? Can you print the part and drill a hole after the print to create the geometry? So many unanswered questions here on my end. $\endgroup$
    – WhisperingShiba
    Commented Oct 4, 2022 at 18:11
  • $\begingroup$ @WhisperingShiba I redesigned the part. Essentially collapsing it in a sense... bringing the hollow space inside, outside. But to answer your questions, I was just going to place holes in the model to allow water to flow through. That way the entire part is exposed to 9k psi not just the exterior. Your last question... I think I'm reading it correctly. If I am... FDM can't do that. Although someone somewhere mentioned injecting the part with open cell foam... not sure how quickly water penetrates. We don't really sit around waiting. $\endgroup$
    – Nolan Robidoux
    Commented Oct 6, 2022 at 14:30

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