Measuring approximately 90 × 90 × 90 cm, this axolotl could not be printed in one piece. Miguel discovered and purchased Split3r to divide the model into printable sections.
He had first separated the gills using Bambu Lab software so they could be printed whole. He then used Split3r to prepare the head, body and limbs.
Rather than relying solely on the predefined dimensions for his printer, Miguel manually adjusted the cutting planes to position the joints in less visible areas of the finished sculpture. The automatically generated alignment features and markings on the mating surfaces helped him identify the matching parts more easily.
Printing the entire sculpture required approximately 10 kg of material. Miguel assembled the parts gradually, layer by layer, bonding no more than two pieces at a time and allowing approximately 24 hours of curing between stages.
For bonding, he used a polymer that retained some flexibility so the joints could accommodate potential expansion and contraction in a sculpture of this size.
Once assembly was complete, all the joints were filled and sanded. Miguel then applied a base coat, masked and airbrushed the sculpture, and finished it with a protective clear coat.
