3D Printing at the Digital Studio - Getting Started

Any BC student can use the 3D printers in the Digital Studio by making a reservation online at _____. The DS has a Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printer which is ideal for basic proof-of-concept models along with simple prototyping.

If you already have a model created, please follow the instructions under MatterHackers on the next page in order to add support beams to your model and ensure its printability.

If you are looking to design your own model, please follow the instructions below under Tinkercad.

Tinkercad

Tinkercad is a free, easy to use, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser. You can make a free account at: https://www.tinkercad.com/join

• Once you’ve created a Tinkercad account, there will be a walkthrough tutorial on how to use the website. You can watch this if you’ve never used Tinkercad before.

• To create a model, click on the blue “create new design” button on the homepage. This will open a ‘new project’ page.

There are several important parts of the ‘new project’ page, including:

• The blue plane (workplane) at the center of the page. This workplane is the 3D analog of a Photoshop or GIMP canvas. All of the designing will take place on this workplane.

• A panel on the right with geometric shapes. This panel defaults to contain basic building blocks for all designs. You can select other categories and pre-made models through the drop-down menu.

• Menu items, which are located above the workplane and panel, on the top bar. These menu items can be used to perform operations like aligning, merging, etc.

Additionally, you can maneuver your model and the workplane in the following ways:

• To change the 3D perspective of the workplane, right-click and drag your mouse.

• To zoom in and out of the workplane, scroll up and down on your mouse.

• To undo changes, use Ctrl + z, or use the designated arrows in the top bar

Building a model can be a challenging but fun process. Don't be afraid to play around with different features, make mistakes, and try again!

Once your model is complete, click the Export button on the right panel. Be sure to export your model as an .STL file.