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How to smooth a 3D object with Meshlab for 3D printing

Hey friends maker,

You just got a 3D object from an online platform (Thingiverse, youmagine, 3DCults, Imaterialise ...). The only problem is that your object is not very smooth and you want to smooth it yourself without paying a dime.

I got a good solution for you. You can use a free software that we already talked about before "Meshlab" .

Firstly, you need to dowload the correct version of the software depending of your computer architecture and of course your operating system (Linux, Windows or Mac) with the following link: Download Meshlab.

Once done, you can now import your 3d file by left clicking on: File -> Import Mesh, and choose your file depending of it's directory.

After downloading my file, the very famous bunny flatfoot, :-) , we can see it is a little granular on the next image.

We can improve that and smooth it with Meshlab which is a free and opensource software. Click on:" Filters -> Smoothing -> Laplacian smooth" and type 1 in "smoothing steps".

After changing the value in the laplacian smooth window, now we have a smoother bunny. Check it yourself with the next picture.

Now you can see the difference. 3D print your object with whatever the 3d printer you got at home (Makerbot, Lulzbot, Prusa i3, Ultimaker...) or in a fablab or a makerspace.

More tutorials will come on Meshlab and Autodesk Meshmixer and allow you to modify and improver your 3D file and your 3D printing.

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