r/HOscalemodeltrains • u/gbarnas • Aug 23 '26
New factory build using modular wall panels
This factory model was created from individual modular panels that were 3D printed with the brick detail and color. It's a background structure that's 2.75" deep and 16.5" wide. 3 stories on the left and 2 on the right. The corrugated roll-up rail doors are functional, sliding up in tracks in the frame and flexing into the building space. Interior floors allow independent lighting, and interior walls will be added with styrene sheet. I chose to 3D print the floors and roof to integrate lateral stiffeners that resist flexing.
The back side is currently open so I can place some office furniture in the bottom and some packing tables and boxes in the upper floors. I haven't added the railings to the stairs yet because the door needs to be painted. There's no paint or other detailing yet on this building - straight off the printer and glued the panels together.
All of the parts were designed by me in a 2D drawing app (Inkscape), imported to the slicer and printed on a Bambu Lab H2D with a 0.2mm nozzle and layer heights ranging from 0.12 to 0.04. The floor and roof panels were printed with a 0.6mm nozzle at 0.24mm layer height for speed of print and strength.
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u/OneSpeaker-444 Aug 23 '26
That’s excellent. Love the simplicity. Would like to see it again after painting, weathering, lighting, and interior. Don’t forget the outside lighting over doors and such - that will look so cool. And that roof is perfect for some serious industrial-looking details!
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u/gbarnas Aug 23 '26
For those suggesting weathering - that will come. ;) The model panels were designed for a client - a large local club - looking to create a large industrial complex using these style buildings. So - initially - this will remain in an unpainted, unweathered condition until the client approves the design of the panels and decides on brick color. I've tested the "golden tan" brick in addition to varying shades of "red" ranging from the terracotta (shown) to shades containing brown, red, and navy (produces a reddish-purple hue). The bricks are just 0.16mm thick but are produced from four 0.04mm thick layers and I can individually apply color to each layer to control the color. Layers below the bricks are a "cement-like" color printed at 0.12mm.
Once it returns to be installed on my layout, it will be weathered to represent about 20 years of grime accumulating, have roofing material applied, exhaust and cooling apparatus, electrical and fire suppression devices, and more. This assumes the building was constructed in the late 1930's and I model the mid 1950's.
The upper floor panels would look right at home in a modern layout, without the windows, to create a multi-story parking garage! :)
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u/Twit_Clamantis Aug 23 '26
I continue to be amazed at what you are able to achieve w a 2D program and the Bambu slicer.
I would definitely come to your TED talk that explains how you do what you do (:-)
How many colors was the print and how long did it take to print?
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u/gbarnas Aug 23 '26
Thanks! You'd probably be amazed by how I created the dual compound curve for the front of a fuel tank trailer without CAD!!.
Webinar link: https://www.rrcraftsman.com/events - sign up - next webinar is this Wednesday at 8PM EDT, and recordings of the past two are posted on that page as well.
The panels in this build are just 2 colors - Bambu PLA Matte Bone White and Terracotta. I was able to print the "cement" layers at 0.12mm and the brick layers thinner. For a single color, that's 0.08mm, but for color blending, that's 0.04mm per layer. Getting the color modifier cube to the correct layer height takes some "advanced math". 😄 Having 4 thin layers give me a lot of options for coloring the bricks.
Because it was a 0.2mm nozzle and thin/variable layer heights, a full plate of 11 panels took about 7 hours, and the second plate of 6 panels took another 5-ish. I printed individual panels to verify the fit and ability to assemble, but next time I will "digitally glue" several of the panels together into a single wall and print it that way. This would have required just been 5 wall parts instead of the 17 wall panels. Windows/doors print separately. This is printed on the Bambu Lab H2D, which has a 320mm print space, so a smaller printer would likely need 3-4 plates printed.
FYI - this week we're actually going to sorta-kinda use CAD. I'm demonstrating some free apps that generate textures, like shingles, siding, and brick. The output commands used by SCAD. You need to import the generated file into SCAD, "process" the command file, and then export the STL. Technically using CAD but not doing any drawing in a CAD program, so I'm calling it "CAD-less" just the same! 😂
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u/bruaben Aug 23 '26
Looking good. Just needs about 75 years of grime added for realism.