Saturn V: Modular Minecraft Style

There's nothing cooler than space exploration. It has been the focus of countless popular television programs, and still captures the curious minds of many. My model is based off of the historic Saturn V rocket, which has been regularly used on Nasa missions for over fourty years (Like Apollo 11 and Skylab).

Is my project Minecraft-Themed you ask? Well, what could be more Minecraft-Themed than something modeled in Minecraft?! To create this model, I used a combination of MCEdit, Minecraft, and Mineways for large strucures. To finish up the process, I exported the model to Blender for some basic touch-up work.

But why would others want to print my model? It's simple, it's elegant, it's a statement. But most importantly, my model is modular! When beginning to 3D Print, most believe that you must always print everything in one piece. However, it is super eay to create a 3D model that is printed in pieces, and snaps together afterwards. My model is quite educational, as it displays one common way of making modular 3D Prints. There are many benefits to modular printing. You can change the color or material of each specific part, or simply create interactive toys and desk ornaments. Modular designs are also much easier to print with a conventional FDM/FFF printer, as each part can be oriented properly. This minimizes the amount of pesky support structures, allows parts to be printed much larger, and ensures that prints are successful.

When printed, my model comes in five pices: (from bottom - top) Thrusters, Stabilizers, Stage-One, Stage-Two, and NoseCone/Capsule. These pieces ae easy and intuitive to put together, as each triangular peg only fits into its proper receptor. The model can be snapped together with no extra materials, so it can be deconstructed at a later time. If you prefer, you can glue the pieces together with adhesives or solvents for a more permanent hold.

The stl is optimized for printing on an FDM/FFF printer. Its modular desgin minimizes support material, which greatly increases the ease of printing. My model does not require a texture to look cool, and will look great after being printed in one color on the Dremel 3D Idea Builder. To view a version of my model that is optimized for SLS Shapeways printers, click here.

Unfortunately, Shapeways does not readily support modular designs as they have two many separate parts, so this model cannot be ordered. However, anyone is free to download the files for themselves, free of charge! If you wish to view an unmodular Shapeways-friendly version of my model, please click here.

Enjoy!