SpikeClam - 3D fractal artifact

This is a 3D fractal sculpture. Although it was created using some fairly simple math, it has a distinctly organic look and feel. In your mind's eye it could be an exotic shell found on the beach of an off-planet paradise...or maybe it's just an interesting chunk of eye-candy. :)

Print Settings

Supports:

Yes

Notes:

This is a tricky print, It will need generous supports. I had good luck on this on with Cura's Tree supports. I spent about 2 hours crackin' this thing like a fresh crab to get though 'em all. Luckily the shape itself is pretty sturdy so there's not much danger of snapping bits off. A brim will help it stick better, too. There are flat bits on the 'bottom' of the piece, but there's a lot going on with this shape so more stick = good.

I've tried cutting this in half to print, but it didn't really make it easy. Still had overhangs pretty much everywhere.

How I Designed This

Created using Mandelbulb 3D, MeshLab, and ZBrush. I made a tutorial for the basic process of turning the fractal shapes into meshes. It's a few years old now but the overall process is the same with current versions of the apps. https://youtu.be/Kpu-DZs9HXU

Category: Math Art