3D printer

[dreamaker]

If someone were interested in purchasing a 3D Printer, what is needed to create a 3D object start to finish?

Dan

[ggallant571]

I come from a programming background and find the openscad tool comfortable. With it you define and combine shapes with a limited number of operators. It is open source and while being actively developed/supported there have been relatively few releases. To me that is encouraging.

With it I have modeled a couple of core-xy laser etcher. Exported svg/dfx files for the metal components and stl files for plastics.

Approximately 3% designers use this technique. I'm sure others will give opinions on the remaining 97%. In the end, you use a tool/methodology that fits your style and where you can best get help and examples.

[Zax]

I have used OpenSCAD for basic designs but use a true 3D CAD (you could use FreeCAD) and MeshMixer for most 3D design.

[pedwards2932]

I highly recommend Sketchup.  You can get it for free and the learning curve is not that great.  You have to load an addon that allows you to export as an .stl which most slicer programs use.  I purchased Simplify3D for my slicer because it has a lot of features that I like.....it is a bit pricey.  A lot of people use Cura for a slicer it's free as well

[GD George]

Let me throw Fusion360 into the mix. It's got a bit of a learning curve but it's not that hard to pick up. And it's pretty much free. I come from AutoCAD and it's very different. My workflow is to:

• create a plan in ProjeCAD (Intellicad-based Acad clone).
• dxf it to Fusion
• Extrude and fill in the sides as necessary. (This is the part with the learning curve.)
• Export as a .stl file to Slic3er
• Slice and send to the OctoPi controlling the printer
• Print
• Edit the prototype if necessary
• Print the final.

Best,
Jerry

[pedwards2932]

How do you get Fusion 360 for free?  When I looked into it, it was pretty expensive.

[Administrator]

In order to be able to 3D print, what you print determines where you got your file from. 3D printers use a file format called .stl. stl files are exported out of 3D CAD programs. So most likely you will have to learn a 3D CAD program.

Thingiverse has lots of pre-made .stl files that you can download (most are free) and send to your 3D printer and print right away. But I think for most of the parts or objects you will want to print, you'll have to create them yourself using some kind of 3D CAD program.

I use Sketchup online which is free. Recently I've been learning openscad (open s cad) which is free and to use it, you write script-like statements to define your 3D parts or objects. Being a programmer I was comfortable with that way of working.

FreeCad is a great free 3D program and I spent some time looking into it recently. It works more like traditional CAD programs but it is buggy. Everyone admits to that. You'll want to try both and see which one you like working with. If you use FreeCAd, save your work often!

Fusion 360 does have a free version. Be aware that while it is a capable program, it is a massive program and over kill for most 3D printer hobby projects. It will work and do the job but it's like someone learning to fly using a Boeing 747 instead of a traditional two seat propeller airplane.

Your 3D printer will come with a Slicer software program which is what you use to load in the .stl file. You'll do a 'slice' operation which will produce a .gcode file. You run this .gcode file on your 3D printer to accomplish the actual 3D printing. You can connect a USB cable to your 3D printer and run your slicer program on your PC and send the .gcode file to your 3D printer. Or you can load the file on an SD card and insert the SD card into a slot on your 3D printer and interact with it using a LCD screen to get to print.

I recently bought my second 3D printer, an Ender 3 Pro from Creality:

https://www.creality3d.shop/collections/ender-series-3d-printer/products/creality3d-ender-3-pro-high-precision-3d-printer

It's a very popular 3D printer with lots of support online and Youtube, etc. I find the quality of its output to be extremely high. Much better than my first 3D printer which was a Prusa type printer.

[Hokuro]

i use fusion 360, 3dbuilder (for very stupid things) meshmixer and cura

[Camera]

How do you get Fusion 360 for free?  When I looked into it, it was pretty expensive.

Download and install it.  Tick either Personal - Not for Commercial Use or Education license.  No question asked for the personal not for commercial license.  A few questions for the education license.

[Camera]

If someone were interested in purchasing a 3D Printer, what is needed to create a 3D object start to finish?

Dan

I use Fusion 360 for design and save the object to STL file.  Use Simply3D to convert the STL file to gcode for printing.

[ThothLoki]

How do you get Fusion 360 for free?  When I looked into it, it was pretty expensive.

Fusion is free for hobbyists. That means if you make less than $1,000 USD from your designs per year, you can use the hobbyist license.
I came to Fusion from tinkercad and, while it was a steep learning curve, once you get it, it just works.

I have since moved away from Fusion as they do not make for Linux (which is what I run on my main machine) so i am playing around with FreeCAD and SolveSpace. Neither really compare to Fusion or SolidWorks, but the price is right, it works on Linux and I have been having a mad desire to start designing again.

CAD Programs to look at:
- Fusion360
- Solidworks
- FreeCAD
- MeshMixer
- Blender
- SolveSpace
- BRLCAD
- Inventor
- Catia

Not all are free, not all are FOSS. but that should give you a start in programs to look at

[Administrator]

Also you might want to check out Openscad which is a 3D CAD program.

I've been using it for the last 3 months and no longer use Sketchup.

[ThothLoki]

crap. I meant to say OpenSCAD as well. my bad

[GD George]

How do you get Fusion 360 for free?  When I looked into it, it was pretty expensive.

Free for personal use. Quoted below. See https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/fusion-360-for-hobbyists

"Fusion 360 is available for free personal use for individuals who are doing home-based, non-commercial design, manufacturing, and fabrication projects.

Individuals must be learning for personal use, outside of a company environment, commercial training, outside of their primary employment.

Individuals must be engaged in hobby businesses* or creating YouTube videos, blogs or other web content.**"

[GD George]

Free for personal use. Quoted below. See https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/fusion-360-for-hobbyists

"Fusion 360 is available for free personal use for individuals who are doing home-based, non-commercial design, manufacturing, and fabrication projects.

There's also a "startup license" that is free.

"Fusion 360 for startups is eligible for venture-backed, angel-backed, or bootstrap startups that are less than 3 years old and have 10 or fewer employees.

Businesses must generate less than $100,000 USD in gross annual revenue (including parent entities) and have a valid website or transact on a social media or digital platform.

Businesses must design or manufacture their own physical products and be willing to share their story with the Fusion 360 community.

Service providers, resellers, contract manufacturers, and consultants doing work for other companies do not qualify for Fusion 360 for startups.

Don’t qualify for startup use? Get a commercial or personal subscription to Fusion 360."