We’re proud to have had a helping hand in developing PrintXR, an app created by Mike Griffin at Augmented Solutions which enables you to literally visualise a 3D print before you physically print it.

The app utilises augmented reality to enable you to download an STL file, visualise the end product, change the print materials and inspect the end product before you spend time and money printing it. This is useful, especially if you need to print items en masse or you are unsure of how well the end product will turn out.

As a prototyping tool, it’s indispensable. You can compare several models alongside each other, and apply different print materials and layer thicknesses, and look at the items, manipulate them and compare or align them with other physical or virtual elements.

To start, you ensure that you’re in a safe position in your workspace. Then, with the use of a Fiducial marker that you can either print off or buy from the AS website, you then have a point of reference that can be adjusted to the same size as your print table. Then, once you download your file from your chosen website, you can then adjust the model, play with it as if it’s a real physical object and adjust its parameters until you’re happy with the end result. To explain how it works in detail, please watch Mike’s video on the AS YouTube channel. It’s about four minutes long, and is well worth watching.

You can download the app from the Apple store for £9.99 (click here for the link), which can be used on either tablet ideally or phone. There are plans to develop an Android version of the software in the not too distant future.

“PrintXR is an excellent addition to our rapid prototyping capability, and has already shown its worth in terms of testing print quality before we commit to a physical print”, says the MD of Starjammer, Steven Parham.

“It has more than paid for itself in terms of cost and time saving, as well as allowing us to virtually apply and investigate materials and elements to their maximum potential use”.

To find out more about PrintXR, visit the Augmented Solutions website or their YouTube channel for more details.