This is interesting: Meshy is partnering with Flashforge.
Flashforge is the well-known manufacturer of a wide range of 3D printers, and Meshy is a new service that can generate 3D models using AI technology. We’ve previously written about Meshy a few times, and they are one of the better 3D model generation tools available today.
The partnership is a kind of technology integration that should overcome some of the difficulties using AI generation tools. Typically, this is how it goes:
- A separate AI tool is used to generate a 3D model based on a text prompt, source image, or both.
- The AI-generated 3D model is exported.
- 3D print slicing software is launched.
- The AI-generated model is imported into the slicer.
- Slicing continues in the usual manner.
But then it gets more complicated because sometimes the generated models are textured. Colour is an essential element to some 3D models, and with today’s desktop 3D printers able to print in four or more colours, generated 3D models with colours should be used.
But there’s a huge problem: the generated colour textures would have to be reproduced in the slicer. Usually, this is impossible, so the operator has to manually re-paint the entire 3D model by hand in the slicer. This is a very long and tedious process, and at the same time, the painter must mentally map the generated textures to the small palette of colours available on the 3D printer.
This is now considerably simplified with the new partnership. Here’s how it now works:
- Launch FlashForge’s Flash Studio desktop application.
- Launch Meshy from within Flash Studio.
- Generate a 3D model with Meshy in the usual manner.
- Return to Flash Studio in one click.
- Flash Studio then automatically maps the model’s colour textures to the available colours.
- Slicing continues in the usual manner.
For printing, Flashforge recommends their latest device, the Creator 5. This desktop FFF system includes four independent toolheads, each of which can be loaded with a different colour. Because there are independent toolheads, there is no requirement for purging, and therefore no waste when printing a complex colour 3D model.
This is really interesting because it sets up the beginnings of what might have been considered a science fiction workflow years ago: describe an object, and it appears. This is not nearly as fast as imagined, but it is actually an end-to-end workflow that does exactly that.
One question I have is about pricing. While using Flash Studio is free, Meshy is not. It is a subscription service — although they do offer a free tier. It’s not clear whether you require a Meshy signup to use it within Flash Studio, or if Flashforge has arranged to pay Meshy for usage. Either way, it’s still a very interesting approach.
If this partnership provides a boost to Flashforge’s sales, you can bet there will be similar arrangements being made by other 3D printer manufacturers to integrate AI 3D model generation capabilities directly into printing workflows.
It could even be that negotiations are already underway.
Via Flashforge and Meshy
