by Camden S.
How does one start 3D printing? In this article you’ll learn the basics of 3D printing, and where to start.
Picking the Printer
There are three main types of 3D printers: FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) uses a spool of filament and prints molten plastic in layers, SLA (Stereolithography) uses a laser to cure resin for each layer, and SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) uses a laser to fuse powder together to create layers. We are talking about FDM printers as they are the most common desktop 3D printers and are the easiest to use. This is about FDM printers specifically, so information may differ if you are using another type of printer.
Types of 3D Filament
3D filament ranges in color, materials and uses. Some common materials are PLA, PETG and TPU.
PLA has a lower melting point and is easier to work with compared to other materials but is not ideal for outdoor conditions.
PETG is better suited for outdoors and has a higher melting point. It is also more suitable for bigger objects and mechanical parts but can be a little bit harder to work with.
TPU is a flexible material allowing you to make parts that need to deform but is a difficult filament to work with.
3D Models
The 3D printing process starts with a model. You can either make the model yourself or find one online on sites like printables.com or thingiverse.com. If you want to make a model yourself, there are multiple great programs to do it in.
Tinkercad is free and is used for 3D modeling electronics and coding well-being beginner friendly.
Blender is a free open-source program that has a wide range of uses from 3D modeling, video editing to even making movies though it has a steep learning curve.
Slicers
A slicer is a program that converts a 3D model into something a 3D printer can read called G-code. Slicers also allow you to adjust every aspect of your print from size to print speed, infill and supports. One great slicer is Prusa slicer which is free and open-source.
Infill is a trick that is added in the slicer and is used to save filament and reduce print time by making an object hollow and filling the inside with a support structure. There are many types of infill ranging in look and density depending on what is needed.
A 3D printer cannot print in midair so when an object has parts that cannot be printed because there’s nothing to print on, that’s where supports come in. Supports are plastic scaffolding added in the slicer designed to be removed after the print finishes. Supports are an essential part of 3D printing though if they are not necessary it’s better to not have them.
The Finished Product
Finally, you get to print the object. This is usually the final step as post processing is not common when using FDM printers. 3D printed objects usually are strong and can be used for a wide variety of uses. Examples of uses range from miniatures to parts for mechanical objects, but the sky is the limit when it comes to 3D printing.
The Lighthouse 