Make A Time-Lapse 3D Print Video With A GoPro

We're always looking for interesting ways to show off our kits, and recently we got hold of a GoPro to take some bugs eye footage. Whilst we were all set up we thought we'd show you how easy it is to make a time-lapse video of a 3D print on the Robox RBX-01 Printer using a GoPro. The first part in this short series of tutorials shows you how to use the Automaker software combined with a supported Go Pro to get a quick and easy time-lapse video.

Level of Difficulty:

• Easy.

You Will Need:

• Robox 3D Printer.
• PC with WiFi Capabilities.
• AutoMaker Software.
• Supported GoPro (Hero+, Hero 3, Hero 4).
• Micro SD Card.
• Tripod / GoPro Mount.
• Micro USB cable (To charge GoPro for longer timelapses).

You Will Learn:

• How to set up Automaker for time-lapse printing.
• How to connect a PC to a GoPro's wireless network.

Make a Time-lapse 3D Print Video with a GoPro

• Step 1: Setup Automaker.
• Step 2: Setup Hardware.
• Step 3: Post Editing.

Step 1:  Setup Automaker.

Open Automaker and click on the settings symbol in the top right hand corner of the application. Click on Timelapse and proceed with the following settings:

• Enable Timelapse *Tick*
• GoPro WiFi Password - This needs to be the same as the WiFi password you set on your GoPro
• X Move - This is the X coordinate in which the head will move to for each photo.
• Y Move - This is the Y coordinate in which the bed will move to for each photo.
• Seconds delay - This is the amount of time the bed will stay at the position when the photo is being taken. We initially tried at  2 seconds but found that sometimes the bed is still moving back to this position, so we found 3 seconds works best.
• Capture delay - This is the delay before the software triggers the GoPro. This works best at 0 or 1 seconds.

If you have not already you may need to connect the Go Pro to a smartphone app, this can be done by following this tutorial. Once this has been setup, you can connect your PC to the GoPro’s WiFi network. Finally, make sure your Go Pro is in Photo mode, NOT time-lapse mode.

Step 2: Setup Hardware.

Align your GoPro so you get the desired view. Plug the USB into the charging port and get printing!

Be careful not to nudge the GoPro once you start!

Step 3: Post Editing.

Finally you need to import your image sequence into your desired software and export as a video. We used Adobe Premiere Pro, but you can use your own movie making software. You can see our video below.   Coming soon - How to achieve the same results with a DSLR camera (digital camera). Stay tuned!

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