Embedded Files
This project was the combination of trying to represent something unfathomably large into an object that can fit on a desk, converting scientific data into a resource to educate, while balancing manufacturing tools and constraints to keep this model accessible to as many people as possible.
Dr. Lindsay Goodwin at the Center for Solar Terrestrial Research, NJIT, invited me into this project and asked for my help in creating an educational model from a 3D mesh of the heliosphere. This mesh was provided by Dr. Nicholas Gross, Senior Research Scientist, Center for Space Physics, Boston University, and was originally derived from their SHIELD model of the heliosphere. We knew we wanted to show the scale of the heliosphere relative to something someone could understand, but even for how large the earth is, it is still orders of magnitude to small. So we thought bigger!
In this 3D printable model, it showcases the location of the termination shock, the orbits of Earth & Neptune, as well as the paths of 5 satellite's (in the 2D plane only, 3 of them have already left the heliosphere); scaling down the inconceivable size of the heliosphere to fit on a standard 256 mm by 256 mm build plate. If you would like to make one for yourself the files and print instructions are free to download off of Printables.com, following the buttons below.
Converting An STL To A Solid
The hardest part of this project, like many, was the beginning. I initially tried to import the STL file directly into Fusion to use their built in convert to solid tools. While it was slow, I was able to import it however when attempting to convert the mesh to a solid, I quickly learned this would not work with frequent freezes and crashes. This was due to the model having 138,186 triangles in the original mesh. I had come to learn that this was way to detailed, not only for my needs but also Fusions capability's, giving a warning when using the convert to solid tool on anything over 10,000 triangles.
After some researching I learned of Autodesk Meshmixer. I used this program to not only repair the STL mesh, but also to remove and smooth out the central hole running through the original file. This hole provided reference to our suns location within the heliosphere and was the origin of the model. I then used Meshmixer to generate face groups before remeshing the model down to 5,000 quads. This workflow retained a majority of the detail while providing a good base to bring into Fusion, allowing me to then convert it to a solid and do the rest of the modeling.
Original Mesh
138186 Triangles - STL
Meshmixer Modified Export
5,000 Quads - OBJGoogle Sites
Report abuse