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The Snowflake Machine

mathgrrl

November 27, 2015

medium_flake_2.stl

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Summary

The Snowflake Machine uses random numbers, mathematical algorithms, computer code, and SCIENCE to create well over a billion unique and beautiful snowflakes.

But all you have to do is click a button! Press "Open in Customizer" to get started. See the Snowflake Machine post on Hacktastic for instructions and design tips.

If you 3D print a snowflake from this model, please take a photo of your print and then click the "I Made One" button to upload your picture, so we can all see it!

Don't have a printer, or want something fancy?
Custom snowflake ornaments made with the Snowflake Machine are now available at the geekhaus Shapeways store:

UPDATE: UrbanAtWork made a great video of the Snowflake Machine in action in OpenSCAD: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWbcSe4t7M&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWbcSe4t7M&feature=youtu.be)

How to Operate the Snowflake Machine

Here's what to do:

• Press "Open in Customizer"
• Choose seed and style settings (see our Hacktastic post for tips)
• Click "Create Thing"
• Wait 2-3 minutes for the magic of creation to take place
• Go to your list of Things and reload it until your new snowflake appears
• Download, 3D print, enjoy, take a picture, post a Make
• At this point there will still be over a billion more snowflakes to make, so keep going

About the Demo Files

If you want snowflake designs that have already been test-printed, try the demo models in the Download section:

• The "micro_flake" models are about 15mm in diameter and 1mm thick. These are designed for printing with a smaller-diameter nozzle such as the .25mm nozzle that comes with the Ultimaker Olsson block.
• The "tiny_flake" models are about 25mm in diameter, 2mm thick, and have loops for hanging as ornaments.
• The "small_flake" models are about 50mm in diameter, 2mm thick, and have loops for hanging as ornaments.
• The "medium_flake" models are about 100mm in diameter and 1mm thick.

The "large_flake" models are about 220mm in diameter, 1mm thick, and really huge! You'll need a large build platform to print these flakes, which were designed to max out the large build area on an Ultimaker 2.

Creators: [https://www.thingiverse.com/mathgrrl/designs](https://www.thingiverse.com/mathgrrl/designs)