How to use the 3D printing technology to create a custom wedding ring
As a piece of jewelry that’s meant to be worn forever, you’ll need a wedding ring that is both authentic and timeless, and which tells of your own beautiful love story. Here’s how you can use 3D modeling and 3D printing to create a custom wedding ring that your loved one will truly appreciate.
The “I designed it myself” feeling is gaining momentum
There’s no doubt we like to feel special. Whether it’s about the clothes we wear or the accessories we use, we want to believe that the choices we’ve made are distinctive and define best our uniqueness.
Luckily, the mass customization era is here to help us achieve just that. People are starting to express interest in personalizing products or creating their own custom made items. What seemed like science fiction 10–15 years ago, can now be easily done online, from the comfort of your home or anywhere else. This so-called “I designed it myself” feeling is empowering more and more people to create unique, special things that better express their needs and personalities.
3D modeling a unique wedding ring is easier than you think
Using a 3D design tool to create your own jewelry may sound too complicated, but the technology is already here and it’s getting easier and easier to utilize. The simplest way to create a wedding ring is to choose a 3D model from an online gallery and then send the file for 3D printing. While this can certainly be an option if you don’t want to put much effort into it, there’s no real customization in it.
The best way to personalize your wedding ring is to design it yourself and add your personal touch to its features. And it’s easier than you might think. With the free, online 3D tool VECTARY you can create beautiful 3D models without the need of having any prior design or 3D modeling experience. You simply open a browser, sign in to VECTARY and click START CREATING. No software downloads are needed, everything is done online and your work is saved in the cloud.
If you’re a beginner to 3D, there are plenty of videos and step-by-step tutorials on the site to get you immediately started with 3D modeling. You can also access these from the engine or use Interactive Help to have each tool function explained to you in detail as you 3D model.
It is always helpful, right before starting to 3D model, to have at least a basic idea about how your ring should look like and then take it further from there. Probably your best bet on finding some great inspiration is Pinterest, with its huge collection of photos which allows for a preferential search.
3D printing your wedding ring
Once you’re done with 3D modeling the wedding ring in VECTARY, you can send the 3D file to an online professional printing service. It is more difficult to 3D print proper jewelry at home since it usually requires more complex, industrial 3D printers. We recommend that you use 3D printing services like Shapeways or iMaterialise for a good-looking end product.
The most common and affordable way these printing services use 3D printers for jewelry is to make wax or resin moulds of the models you created in VECTARY. Then, through a process called lost-wax casting, these moulds are placed into a cast and poured over with molten metal (you choose what metal you want the ring to be). This dissolves the wax and leaves behind the solid metal object.
What are the benefits?
You might think that 3D printing is not as creative as traditional handmade jewelry manufacturing, but you can use the VECTARY 3D software as an artistic tool. The parametric design allows you to create many different versions of a particular 3D model until you get to that special one that you (both) really like.
Here are some of the benefits that come with designing and 3D printing your own wedding ring:
- Unique and special design
- Reflects your personality and values
- Expresses more accurately your feelings towards each other
- You’ll create your own wedding ring story to last through the years
- You have complete control over your design at all times
- Any creative decision is yours and will reflect in your design
- Design is for free, and you only pay for the materials and 3D printing the ring
And if you ever, by some weird circumstances, get to lose your wedding ring, fear no more, we’ve got your back! With your 3D file saved in the cloud, you can always send it to a 3D printing service and have the ring printed out before your better half notices. How does that sound for a backup plan? ;)
Get inspired by our 3D modeling tutorials:
