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Introduction to Rhino and 3D Printing for Jewelry

Rhino is a CAD modeling program extensively used in the jewelry industry for design, prototyping, and production. CAD, an acronym for Computer Aided Design, enables us to design and, in a virtual 3D environment in our computer, build the piece we design in a format that can then be 3D printed in a medium similar to wax.  Once "printed" this model can be sent to a casting facility to cast into the metal of choice!  Because we have a computer file of this piece, we can then easily print multiples and/or modify and scale them to achieve different sizes and variations.  CAD modeling lets us achieve precision and repeatability not easily accomplished with wax and hand fabricated metal models - and has also redefined what is possible in jewelry fabrication!

In this course, students will learn the basics of using Rhino to create a virtual digital model and print that virtual model into a solid castable resin part.  This class will begin with understanding and navigating the Rhino environment, creating, locating in space, and manipulating points, lines, curves, and surfaces.  Those building blocks of geometric objects will be used to create solid printable forms.  We will then learn the basics of 3D printing, and print in class simple models that each student will create. Students can then send those printed models to a casting company that will cast them into metal.

Beginning jewelry students will find that Rhino is an important tool used in the creation of jewelry, along with the hand tools that they are using for fabrication and finishing.  As most casters have the facility to print Rhino files, a piece of jewelry created virtually on the computer can be sent directly to a caster who will return a casting of that piece in the metal of choice. For jewelers that have been carving waxes and/or hand fabricating from metal, Rhino and digital modeling can be a tool to expedite and simplify prototyping and production.

Rhino is a tool that is used in a wide variety of applications, from architecture to boat design to consumer products.  Although we focus on jewelry applications in this workshop, Rhino is a powerful CAD program that can be used for any 2D or 3D modeling application.

Meet the instructor

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Steven Parker is a jeweler, having been trained in the techniques and disciplines of classic fine jewelry.    His study of watch and​ clockmaking led him to a quite enjoyable detour into the world of toy design and manufacture where he invented, prototyped, and manufactured various types of electro-mechanical toys and collectibles over the course of a decade before returning to the jewelry industry.  Steven currently works with industry and private clients designing, modeling, and manufacturing jewelry in a wide range of styles and materials.  Believing strongly in giving back, Steven also teaches as adjunct in the Jewelry Design Department at FIT in New York City.

 

Materials & Tools

Metalwerx will have a 3D printer on hand for this workshop.  The instructor will print several exercise forms that students will be working on in class at no additional fee. As time allows, if any participants want to print additional pieces, there will be a fee based on size/amount of resin used.

For this workshop, students should have a basic understanding of using a Windows PC, and must have a PC laptop with mouse to bring to class, ideally with a fast processor and at least 8 GB of RAM.  Click here for system requirements

We will be using Rhino6 in the class, and a free evaluation copy can be downloaded that will be good for 90 days, found at this link. Please download the evaluation copy about a week before the start of the workshop so that in case of problems downloading you can sort them out with the excellent Rhino support team.

Please note that Mac computers are NOT supported in this class! 

It will be useful to download this whitepaper before coming to class

 

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