MY FACE MASK Add-on Blender 2.82

MY FACE MASK Add-on Blender 2.82 by Alessandro Zomparelli

INSTALLATION

  • Download My Face Mask Add-on Blender 2.82 from GitHub 
  • Start Blender: open Edit > Preferences > Add-ons
  • Click “Install from file” and look for the downloaded .zip
  • Enable My Face Mask  Add-on from Edit > Preferences > Add-ons by ticking the corresponding box
  • Ready to start, you can find it on the right of viewport panel (to enable or disable it, you can press the N key from the keyboard as a shortcut)
Download Add-on

DESCRIPTION

My Face Mask Add-on Blender 2.82 is an open-source tool developed for modeling masks starting from 3D scans. The models created are all suitable for 3D printing. The whole modeling process has been studied in a way that guides the user step-by-step until the final product, leaving the freedom to operate laterly with the complete set of Blender tools.

TOOLS

New setup scene

To start modeling a new mask, firstly you need to click the “Setup scene” button which allows you to access a new work environment.

Import the scan and align

The add-on makes importing easier, with an automatic setting of the interface and units of measurement. Firstly you need to click on “Setup scene” to start with new scene. It is allowed to import both .obj and .stl files. It is necessary for the correct operation of the add-on to align the scan to the axes of the global reference system, keeping the nose in the position of origin Oxyz and orienting the front part of the face in the negative Y direction.

Remesh

With Blender’s powerful remesh modifier it is possible to reconstruct and fix the data from any kind of scan removing errors like holes, double edges, auto-intersecting surfaces and switched normals. In this phase is possible to choose the resolution to work with: we consider the useful detail 7 to 9. Choose the most appropriate based also on the desired resolution and available computing power.

Trace mask borders
Through the selection brush it is necessary to trace the external profile of the mask which, once worn, will adhere to the face. For a correct tracing it is recommended to consider a certain distance from the profile of the eyes, referring to the lower half of the nose and cheekbones as support points. As for the chin area, consider the first section only, without involving the area of attachment to the neck. Note that just the external area of the red paint will be considered for the next phase of mask adapting.

Adapt mask

By using the “Adapt mask” command the add-on automatically orients the 3D model of My Face Mask to the face, according to what you have drawn on the previous phase. We recommend to enable the command “Symmetric border on” to make the borders as much symmetric as possible; by select “Invert symmetry” you can choose the best fitted portion.

Adjust mask

You can orient the filter area for specific purposes with “Align filter on” by moving and rotating accordingly with the model. In order to make the model even more suited to everyone’s need it is possible to adjust the mesh control points with “Manual editing”. Note that these operations are totally arbitrary and could involve the loss of symmetry and therefore of the correct adherence to the face. By using the “Show Holes” command the holes for elastic rope are visualized and you can move them with “Transform” close to the mask’s border (0,5 cm), by keeping as much as possible in adherence with the cheek below, so avoiding the possible passage of air.

Dimensions variables

“Nose Pressure”: we suggest a negative value (-4) in order to make the mask surface, once worn, well adhered to the septum and face to make the seal effective.

“Thickness”: we suggest 1,6 mm in order to be compatible with the 3D printing profile  with the extruder WASP FLEX Extruder diam: 0,7 mm. Anyway thickness has to be set accordingly to the 3D printing process as well nozzle.
“Offset”: we suggest not to go over 2-3 mm. Recommended value: 1 mm.

Prepare the model for 3D printing

The add-on automatically orients the mask on the horizontal plane, in the ideal configuration for 3D printing process. It is possible to have a direct feedback through the color display of any printing problems (overhang), thus making it possible to modify the marked areas, going back with the “Undo” command until the passage where you want to intervene again.

Note that in the “Prepare model” phase it is no longer possible to make changes to the model’s shape, instead the opportunity is given to imprint a “Tag” (name or code, max 5 characters) on the mask model. It is suggested to choose with the selection brush the lateral area as planar as possible, without including neither the edges nor the through holes, thus avoiding critical issues during the printing phase. To change the dimension of the tag, you can manage by zooming or by modifying the radius of brush.

Export file

By selecting the mask it is possible to export the file with “Export STL” command. Remind to enable “Selected only” within the export tab.

TUTORIAL

STANDARD FILTER UPDATE TUTORIAL

DEVELOPMENT

My Face Mask Add-on Blender 2.82 is a tool created by WASP and Alessandro Zomparelli in an open-source philosophy. The idea is to make it easier for everyone to create custom masks with the help of 3D printers.