🪜 Steps to 3D Printing
1. Download your design onto an .stl file
Lets say you already have a design made out in TinkerCAD or another CAD software. You will need to save that file as an .STL file, since 3D printers are only able to read certain types of files. Name the file something that will help you remember the object.
An .stl file contains a set of instructions or information for your 3D model. The format represents the raw surface of a model with smaller, simpler shapes. Just like building a lego tower from scratch, you need to make it out of smaller blocks.
2. Upload your file to the slicer software
Watch the video in the last step for a walkthrough of using the slicer software!
When you open the .stl file on your slicer, you can change the settings on the slicer software to fit your printing needs, including:
- Layer height, or the height of the individual slices/thickness of each layer. This will also affect the quality of your print.
- Quality: By choosing taller layer heights (0.2-0.3 mm) you can significantly shorten the print time but have less visible layers. On the other hand, choosing a small layer height (0.10 mm) will result in extra detail but longer print times.
- Temperatures for the nozzle and build platform.
- The location of the object on your buildplate.
- The scaling of the object, like if you want to make it bigger or smaller.
- The speed of printing.
- The infill (or inside filling) amount or pattern. 0% infill would be completely hollow, while you can change the pattern inside to a grid, triangles, lines, etc.
When you finish changing the settings to best fit your design needs, press slice and see how much time it will take.
Your slicer should then immediately give you the option to move your finished file onto your flashdrive so it can be sent to the printer in g.code.
Instructions for your print are given in the form of G-Code(Geometric Code). G-Code is basically a long list of instructions that the 3D printer will follow to build your model. So now, your design file has gone from a .stl file to most likely g.code.
3. Starting the 3D print job
Insert the flash drive with your g.code file into the 3D printer.
When the print job begins, the nozzle will heat up. Once the desired temperature has been reached the extruder will begin to pull and push the filament through the nozzle to be deposited on the build plate.
The fans near the printhead cool the material and it begins to harden shortly after exiting the nozzle. After the layer is complete, the process repeats itself until the final layer is completed.