Box with Random Line Pattern

Because the box with the heart pattern worked out great, I tried something more complex this time. The new set features a random line pattern. All four sides of a box have the same, but each box has its own random pattern.

Like the previous set, I generated 500 different sizes for the box with two lids for each size. The sizes start from 35mm up to 120mm in small steps, so you can choose a box in the perfect size for you.

The Pattern

The pattern is a well known hexagonal arrangement of a single tile.

This tile, shown above, is repeated and rotated to create the line effect.

To get the same result in each pass, the pseudo random number generator is seeded with a defined value. This guarantees, I can reproduce the same box with exactly the same geometry.

Part Numbering

To choose the right box, you need to know the inner dimensions. There is the width (x), depth (y), and height (z) to choose from. If you want to print a box with the inner dimensions 35×70×60mm, search for a file named like this:

LR2103L-x035-y070-z060-box.stl

For the matching lid, search a file like this:

LR2103L-x035-y070-lid.stl

Because the x and y dimensions are interchangeable, there is no file LR2103L-x070-y035-..., for these dimensions, always put the lower value in x.

There are two different types of lids for each box size. The regular lid, with the suffix “-lid” has a spacing of 0.1mm, which should work with all 3d printers. If this lid feels too loose for you, there is a lid with the suffix “-lid-tight” which has a spacing of 0.05mm.

Download

You find the STL files for all boxes in the following GIT repository:

Download from GitHub

There are multiple subdirectories for the different ornaments. Look into the directory LR2103L for the boxes with the line pattern.

How to Print the Box

It is a very simple print and should work on most printers. For best results:

The box is made for FFF. I recommend using a Prusa printer.
Use PLA for the box. I recommend using Prusament filament.
Use a 0.4mm nozzle. With larger nozzles, the fine line pattern will not look detailed enough.
Use 0.1mm or 0.2mm layer height for the print. The object is optimized for these layer heights.
Do not scale the model!

With the large boxes, there is a risk of warping. Make sure the ambient temperature is high enough.

Conclusion

I think the random pattern adds a nice touch to these boxes, each size is unique in some way. Even the geometry of these boxes is in my opinion not extremely complex, the calculation and processing of the boxes took a surprisingly long time.

Also, I am a little bit disappointed the resulting mesh, even modelled from solids, kept having defects. So I had to post process the mesh and repairing these.

If you have any questions, missed information, or simply want to provide feedback, feel free to comment below or contact me on Twitter. 😄