14 DAY TRIAL // 3D printers may come in various shapes, sizes and techniques, but they ultimately have one thing in common: they are driven by software that follows a 3D virtual file. Making the files can be tricky though.
Well, maybe not necessarily tricky, but pretty rigid in terms of options. Essentially, to create a model, you'd need a pretty resource-intensive program, like 3D Studio Max, or any other CAD application really (computer-aided design).
Modio didn't like this, so it set about creating a program that can run on a tablet. The result was the Modio.
That's right, Modio named its program Modio. Making things eponymous has always been a trend in the English language, and any language really.
The program currently runs only on the iPad, but it does show that the purpose has been well enough achieved: to enable mobile 3D model creation.
Certainly, if this had been half a decade ago, tablets wouldn't have had the necessary performance capabilities to handle it.
Nevertheless, the resources required by the app are significantly lower than for any PC-based program meant for similar tasks.
The Modio app was released at the the Maker Faire Bay Area conference in San Mateo, California, and is better than alternatives like Sculpteo and Blokify because it actually works with most 3D printers.
For one thing, the interface is “intuitive” and lets you set the size of the items to be printed, as well as the layout on the print plate.
Secondly, the templates can be printed out of the box, so to speak, without support material of additional rafts. Among the templates are ninjas, knights, scorpions and other objects.
Early adopters may want to consider that the templates might not stay free forever. Modio is still trying to reel potential customers in, so it's handing out the library free of charge, but this could change sooner rather than later.
Moreover, you should be able to interchange parts and templates, or their parts, building different things from the items you've already got. You won't be able to do that with the finished, physical items though. Unless you deliberately create a puzzle anyhow.
No clue how long it will take the Modio to be made available to Android or other operating systems, but it should be soon enough. Even on Windows, the app should be pretty popular, especially if it's kids that end up using it. Certainly, it might have helped Sierra make her 3D printed Cyborg Beast hand with less help.