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I have a .stl file I created in Freecad and I want to put a stone texture onto it for 3d printing out. I figured out how to attach an image to my part but that doesn't print out the stone texture.

Do I need to attach a 3d image to my part or can I use a regular image and somehow make it a 3d image on my part?

I downloaded a stone texture 3d image displaced 3D model of a stone pattern from the internet and that actually printed out on my printer but I cant figure out how to attach it to my part. I've watched 8 videos and none cover that.

I would attach my .stl file here but I don't see an option for that. It's just a round cylinder and I want to attach a stone texture to it and it wrap around the part and then be able to 3d print it out.

It's a gaming piece I'm making for my son.

Duarte Farrajota Ramos
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  • See http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/57531/fbx-export-why-there-are-no-materials-or-textures/57541#57541 and http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/53036/issue-with-importing-3d-models-into-blender/53037#53037 – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 27 '16 at 00:46

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Similar issues have been asked many many times before, see .fbx export why there are no materials or textures? or Issue with Importing 3D Models into Blender

The STL file format doesn't support textures, its a geometry only file format suited for 3D printing and computer based fabrication processes.

It doesn't include any color or texture representation structures, as far as I know it doesn't even support UV Coordinates.

UV coordinates are what is needed for 'wrapping' a 2D texture around a 3D mode, they can be either automatic, or obtained by UV Unwrapping

There is no such thing as '3D textures', at least not in the way you mention. Those are generally either procedural textures or voxel based textures for volumetric data representation (like smoke or sparse mediums)

If your 3D printer does indeed support color information you will have to look into its documentation what file formats it supports and what it uses for color information. And you will most likely need a separate image file for the texture.

Edit: Ok I think there some confusion and wrong terminology use here hence the misunderstanding from my part.

What you downloaded is not a 3D texture (textures are images with color information), it's a 3D model of a stone pattern albeit one achieve with an image texture through displacement, but that is irrelevant.

If you want to wrap it around in a cylinder shape, forget your STL cylinder, it is useless, its probably easier to just do it from scratch.

Use the .blend file from the download archive, open it, apply Displacement Modifier, then add a simple Deform modifier set to Bend.

Add a an empty object, rotate it -90 degrees in X axis and use it as a origin object in the Deform modifier.

Increase the angle of the deform modifier until it wraps up into a cylinder.

Now it's only a matter of closing the caps and removing doubles so that it forms a manifold closed shape.

Wrap

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Duarte Farrajota Ramos
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  • I searched 12 different tags and saw no answer and was on link 32 before I broke down and actually asked a question, so I looked. I don't need color. I don't know where that came from. I'm printing this out in black ABS . My printer I made from spare parts lying around. It supports grbl files. But I downloaded a 3d stone picture off of a webpage the other day and it printed it out fine after i imported it to blender then exported as a stl file. And the stl file I made in freecad imports into blender without any issues. – Embed Sep 27 '16 at 01:36
  • I'm not sure I understand what you mean by a "3d stone picture". Could you please edit your question and post some images of what you got, or perhaps a link to where you downloaded it from? I'm confused about what you are trying to achieve – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 27 '16 at 01:41
  • Well here's a link to the stone I downloaded but I don't see anyway to attach a picture of my stl file cylinder. [link] (http://tf3dm.com/3d-model/cobblestones-3-86328.html). I want to wrap that stone around my cylinder and merge the 2 together . Then export as an .stl file and then print in ONE color of ABS plastic. – Embed Sep 27 '16 at 01:55
  • Ok I read your answer about a dozen times before I realized I'm either not going to be able to use blender for anything or learn all aspects of blender and model the stone from scratch. What you done works for that shape but I'm probably going to have a dozen or so more shapes to add that same texture to. And not just straight lines, cylinders, cubes and all. Another thing that's going to throw me off if I do learn blender is I'm all lost on textures. Here in the US, If I close my eyes, walk up to a wall, rub on it I feel the "texture". I cant feel colors with my eyes closed. – Embed Sep 27 '16 at 03:28
  • What's the correct term everyone uses here for what I call "textures " ? – Embed Sep 27 '16 at 03:30
  • "Texture" is not totally inaccurate, it's just that it's more commonly used to refer to the images that are used to add color information to a model. Some times (less commonly) image textures may also be to achieve the effect you see here, called Displacement which is sort of a height map in the form of an image(a displacement map), that adds rugosity (or well, a "texture" as you say) to an otherwise smooth surface. – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 27 '16 at 03:58
  • If you wish to add that cobblestone displacement effect to various other models it is totally possible and not at all too complex. It is a completely different workflow from what you were trying to do, though. All you need tis the underlying image that is creating that effect, and use it as a displacement map on any other base geometry. Look up about some Blender Displacement tutorials or feel free to post a new question if you have any further doubts. – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 27 '16 at 04:05
  • Ok thanks Duarte. I'm going to have to learn the terminology while I'm learning blender. Which might make me more lost than I already am lol Guess I need to find a tutorial on making a stone wall and use arrays ? to cut down on the work load. I could do this in freecad but I don't have 90 years, which it might take me that long in blender because I'm seeing the same process so far....lol – Embed Sep 27 '16 at 04:11
  • Try looking for tutorials, or see the ones linked in my previous comment. Terminology will come naturally as you learn the rest, don't worry about it specifically. You'll do just fine, what you want is not too complex, search for "Blender Displacement Tutorials". – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Sep 27 '16 at 13:34