Articulated Platypus (Singlecolor + Multicolor files)

Dimensions (LxWxH)

170 x 90 x 25mm (100% scale)

Basic information

Platypuses are charming little creatures, that can be found namely in eastern Australia. They can be easily recognized by their distinctive beak, which might look a bit out of place at first, especially in contrast to their tiny furry bodies. They look like strange mutants of duck and beaver, and you would have a really hard time finding an animal more unique than the Platypus. Fun fact: Platypuses are also one of the very few mammal species that lay eggs!

The model has 9 movable parts: The body is split into 5 segments + 4 movable feet. It prints in place, and no additional assembly is required. You can choose from both, single color and 3 color multi material version. 

If you're printing it in a single color only, and aren't bothered with loss of definition too much, feel free to downscale the model to your liking. The model has been thoroughly tested, and should print fine up to 50% of the original size in single color, if you have a well calibrated and reasonably accurate setup. Make sure to keep your buildplate clean, and free of any oils or fingerprints! Good first layer adhesion is very important for a successful print. 

Files information

I've included 6 files, all of them are neatly sorted into 3 folders: 

• A complete plain stl ready for single color printing, as well as

•  3 multicolor stls for AMS/MMU systems (or similar)

• I've also prepared two .3mf multicolor files for PrusaSlicer, which come with all the colors pre-assigned, pre-painted seam placement and are ready for slicing. You can choose from two versions: Smooth and Fuzzy. The Fuzzy version utilizes the Fuzzy skin feature to achieve a textured surface, which mimics Platypus fur. I've selectively assigned it only to the parts which would be fuzzy on a real Platypus. The beak and feet print smooth for added realism. 

This design is a part of the Articulated Models collection by me. You can check out other designs from this collection here.

The Articulated Models collection is a live project, and I'm continuously adding new designs anytime I get an interesting idea or suggestion. The designs are also updated, if any changes or tweaks have to be made. Feedback, suggestions and ideas are welcome!

Material

 PLA

Layer height

 0,15 mm or lower. 

Infill

>15%

Support

None. The model doesn't require any support material.

Scaling

Possible, but keep in mind accuracy of your setup. If you go too far with your scaling experiments, you might run into issues such as fused segments, or fragile links. If you have a well calibrated setup, you should be able to print the model at up to 50% of the original size without any issues, other than a loss of definition.

Orientation

Default, laid flat on the belly

Adhesion aid

Not necessary, the contact area with the buildplate should provide a sufficient grip. However if your print surface suffers from poor adhesion, consider using an adhesive spray, or some other kind of adhesion booster. Using a brim is possible, but not recommended, as it would be too difficult, and inconvenient to remove afterwards.

This section contains a list of all updates and fixes, which were introduced to the model along the way. Each update will be thoroughly explained, so that you know, which issue was each specific update addressing. If you're having any problems with the model, you can check here, if a new, revised version of the model, has already been released in a response to your problem, or not. 

If you run into any issues with the model, please pay a visit to a section of known issues, which can be found just below the Updates and fixes. If you won't find your specific problem in there, don't hesitate to contact me via dm!

There currently aren't any known issues/work in progress. If you run into any, please contact me via dm.

My work is free for personal, non commercial use. If you want to sell, or monetize my models in any other way, please visit my Patreon for more licensing options.