My own design of Metal Sonic has been sculpted with various details, such as vents, bolts, screws, and numerous other plate or joint patterns. Most details show up even at 0.20mm layer height!
The model's feet bank sideways, allowing you to pose him on uneven surfaces. Print the model large enough, and you can use articulated fingers; choose from two-digits or three-digits for your thumbs and fingers!
Go big, or go small! Metal Sonic comes with pre-painted 3MF files optimised for full colour printing on the BambuLab X1C, in both a small and large size. The raw STL files provided are all sized appropriately to match the “Large” size.Please be aware that RAW STL files do not have paint data on them, and that the 3MF may not open outside Bambu Studio.
Important Information
- If using the 3MF files, please be aware that the head requires 5 colours; If you only have 4 AMS slots, I recommend assigning the RED colour (eyes) to the YELLOW colour (ears) and manually change your spool to yellow once the red portion of the eyes has finished.
- If you use the raw STL files, this model requires additional steps before printing can start. Please see below for details.
- Raw STL files do not come with paint data; only the Bambu Studio 3MF files have painting data on them.
SUPPORTS ARE REQUIRED. You can find an instructions card for the model in the pictures, which will help you set up your own supports should the 3MF be faulty in your slicer, or if you use the raw STLs.
- The articulated hands with fingers are NOT recommended on the small size; scale all the parts up if you want to use them on a size smaller than the "LARGE".
- If you find the ball and socket joints too difficult to insert, run them under warm water before trying again; if you force the joints too much they may break.
- The joints will wear out over time and use if printed using PLA filament; I recommend using a more durable filament for this model. Silk/Blend PLA is not recommended.
- Whilst provided in 0.20mm in the 3MF, this is only suitable for the small model. Layer heights of 0.20mm or 0.24mm are not advised for the large size, as it can weaken the model.
- The larger the model becomes, the heavier it gets, which means it cannot keep its arms up. if printing the LARGE model or bigger, expect it to be unable to hold some poses without support.
- Do not lower the infill density below 10%; this increases the chances of joints snapping when you insert the ball into the socket.
- Infill pattern does not matter, use whichever pattern suits your taste, though the 3MF patterns are set to “Grid” by default.
- Do not print the model too small; the SMALL size I have provided in 3MF is the safest small size I tested to print it.
Q&A Please see the questions below before asking any in the comments; your answer may be here already.
I want to sell prints of this model. Is this allowed? Not without paying for the right to do so. The fee on this model is for private printing use. If you wish to sell prints of this model, you must subscribe to the “Commercial License" tier of my Patreon and can only sell prints for the period you subscribe for. “Free membership” plans do not cover paid-for models: https://www.patreon.com/thomastedwards/membership
I want to remix this model. Is this allowed? You can only remix this model for private use. You cannot upload your remix or any model you have made that uses any of this model's parts.
How long does it take to print this model? This depends on 4 things; your printer's speed, the model's size, if it uses multiple colours, and if you're printing everything on one plate or as loose parts. My examples were printed on a BambuLab X1C. The models were printed as loose parts on multiple plates and assembled afterwards. The large full-colour took about 31 hours. The smaller flat colour took around 10 hours. The smaller full-colour was around 18 hours. Printing the model as loose parts and assembling it is highly recommended for the full-colour version, as it drastically reduces the number of colour changes and any resulting waste. It also means you don't have to leave your machine running for over 24 hours to make one of these models.
How large is this model? If printed at the recommended small size, he stands at roughly 15 ½ cm. If printed at the large size, which is the same as the raw STLs, he stands at around 28 ½ cm.
What materials/colours are used in your examples? I used PLA filament from various companies for these examples. Flat Colours: Gratkit tri-colour (silver, copper, gold) Full Colours (SMALL): BambuLab Metal Black, Matte Lemon Yellow. 3DTomorrow Galaxy Blue. Eryone Sparkle Red. The silver was unbranded. Full Colours (LARGE): BambuLab Matte Black, Scarlet Red, Lemon Yellow. Prusament Silver Blend, Royal Blue Blend.
Will it fit on my printer? This depends on 2 things; how large your printer is, and if you are printing everything on one plate or as loose parts. Most printers have a print space of 250x250mm and can print this model even at the larger size without making any changes to it. (If making it bigger or smaller, be sure to scale everything at the same time to ensure all parts fit when assembled). Tiny printers such as the A1 Mini have a printing space of 180x180mm which can print the SMALL model perfectly fine. However, if printing the LARGE, you will need to adjust everything to print either individually, or as close as possible to one another.
I'm having issues with adhesion. What would you suggest? A majority of adhesion issues are user-end problems and are not associated with the model itself. There are numerous things you can do to troubleshoot your adhesion issues. First, establish if your printing plate is clean; gently clean it with dish soap and warm water, and dry it with a clean cloth. Try not to touch the surface of the plate, as the natural oils in our skin will contaminate the surface, making it dirty again; hold the plate in the corners or in areas you won't be printing on. If the plate is clean, and you still have adhesion problems, and you are using a smooth plate, you could try applying glue to it. However, only use glue recommended by your plate's manufacturer. If the plate surface is damaged in any way, you should consider replacing it; the surface should be free of scratches or deep marks. Try printing with a brim or levelling your hotbed. Try a different style of plate; if you used a textured PEI, why not have a go on a smooth plate? The material you are using might be too wet; dry out your filament before printing with it again, or try another type of material. If your nozzle is over-extruding, it can “pull” the model from the plate during printing, making it seem like an adhesion issue when in reality, it's an extrusion issue. Ensure your nozzle isn't over-extruding filament. You may want to investigate if your machine's firmware needs updating, or if there is a known fault with your machine/plate type. Once all user-end problems have been ruled out as the issue for adhesion, THEN you can ask me to help.
The model messed up. Can you help? I need to know HOW it has “messed up”, and WHERE in the model it has “messed up”, before troubleshooting anything. If you provide no details to me, I can't help you.
The model broke when I touched it. What happened? Anything could have happened, it depends on numerous user-end factors. Don't “rip” your models from the plate when they are done, even if you saw some YouTuber do it; this guarantees you'll eventually break a model, often a result of putting unnecessary strain on joints/links as you rip the model off the plate. Study proper model removal procedures, such as “flexing” your plate at all four corners to help lift the model from its surface, and gently use a scraper to get under any stubborn parts. Don't print the model too small; chain links and the socket joints become more delicate the smaller they become. Don't print using a brittle filament. Whilst I print all my items in PLA and PLA+, and the parts hold up fine, if you want something guaranteed to be stronger I recommend giving ABS a try. Double-check your printer's layer settings, and ensure the nozzle is clean; it may have skipped a layer, or the nozzle may have had a clog and failed to extrude part of a layer. Bad layer adhesion can cause weak joints/links on all models. If a socket joint broke when inserting a ball joint, double-check you orientated the socket joints as shown in the pictures. If orientated correctly, and all support material is removed from the ball and socket, the joints shouldn't break. If you add additional walls to the model it makes the model thicker, resulting in parts fusing or the balls will no longer fit in the sockets. Do not add additional walls. The infill density must not be set too low, as it will weaken the model. I print mine at no less than 10%.
Something else went wrong/I have a question that wasn't answered here. Read the instructions first if you haven't already, then please provide your issue in the comments. If you require my help, please be clear and precise about what went wrong. If you have another question, please leave it in the comments and I will do my best to answer it.
This file covers personal, non-commercial use; do not share or redistribute. Do not sell the files or prints of the files. Remixing is not allowed. If you want to sell prints of this model, please visit my Patreon to learn how to obtain a Commercial License: https://www.patreon.com/thomastedwards