Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Ultimate
Beginners
Guide to 3D
Printing
Written by Joe Coburn

Published February 2017.

Read the original article here: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/beginners-guide-3d-printing/

This ebook is the intellectual property of MakeUseOf. It must only be published in its original
form. Using parts or republishing altered parts of this ebook is prohibited without permission
from MakeUseOf.com.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Table of contents
What Is 3D Printing? 5
Terminology 6
What Can Be Made 9
Types of Printer 10
Fused Deposition Modelling 10
Stereolithography 11
Cartesian 13
Delta 14
Printing Materials 15
Choosing a Machine 17
RepRap 19
First Print 21
3D Models 21
Convert to STL Format 22
Using a Slicer 23
Layer Height 24
Shell Thickness 24
Retraction 24
Bottom/Top Thickness 24
Fill Density 24
Fill Pattern 25
Print Speed 25
Printing Temperature 25
Bed Temperature 25
Support Type 26
Platform Adhesion Type 26
Filament Diameter 26
Flow Percentage 27
Nozzle Size 27
G-code 27
Warping 28
Finding Help 30

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Youve probably heard of 3D printing. It was supposed to be the new Industrial Revolution.
People would be able to fabricate anything in their own homes! An upgrade for your car could be
printed in a matter of minutes. It hasnt taken over the world just yet, but Im here to talk you
through everything you need to know to get started.

Before getting started, lets clear one thing up. It will not be plug and play! No machine is
without issues, or requires no maintenance or work. Its not always the easiest hobby, but it is
very enjoyable. If you are still interested, then read on. If you want all the benefits of 3D printing
(without any of the hassle), look into online printing services 3D Hubs and Shapeways.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

What Is 3D Printing?
3D printing is a form of additive manufacturing. Objects are built in small layers, stacked on
top of each other one at a time. It can be quite a slow process, but it does have many benefits.
For comparison, a subtractive manufacturing process starts with a solid block of material,
and removes bits until the final product is born. Some examples of this are marble sculpting
and CNC milling (thats computer numerical control). 3D printers are technically a type of CNC
machine, but they are rarely referred to as such it can get confusing!

3D printing has been around for a long time. Ever since the 1980s, designers and engineers
have had access to commercial 3D printers these often cost tens of thousands of dollars, and
sometimes mandate expensive support contracts for routine maintenance. The recent
explosion of hobby 3D printing has occurred due to a patent expiry. 3D printing techniques
will continue to grow as more patents expire in the near future. Nowadays you can buy a 3D
printer for your home for around $1,000 or less.

Take a look at this model of the Eiffel Tower. Notice how it emerges as the bed moves down. This
is fairly representative of what 3D printer models look like.

Watch on YouTube: 3D printed Eiffel tower time lapse

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Terminology
Before digging too deep into 3D printing, here is some common jargon you may encounter
along the way.

Filament A material (often plastic) manufactured into a long strand (like a cable). These are
used by some types of 3D printers to manufacture objects.

Extruder The part of the machine where the material is melted.

Nozzle A small hole from which melted filament is pushed (extruded) out of.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Bed The surface on which a 3D printed object is produced.

Heated Bed A print surface that is heated to provide better adhesion.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Stepper Motor A precise and powerful motor used to move the various parts of a printer.

RepRap An open source 3D printer movement.

G-code Instructions for a machine describing every movement required to manufacture a

part. Not specific to 3D printing.

Slicer A piece of software used to convert 3D models to G-code.

Axis A reference line for movement. A 3 axis machine can move in X (left to right), Y (front to
back), and Z (up and down).

Carriage A moving part that the extruder sits on.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

What Can Be Made
Nearly anything! 3D printed parts wont be replacing traditional manufacturing techniques for
mass production anytime soon no printer is fast enough, or capable of producing the
required quality. Where 3D printing really shines is in the prototyping and home production
markets. Say the dial on your washing machine breaks, and the manufacturer quotes your $30
for a tiny piece of plastic plus shipping. Why not design your own replacement and be up and
running within a day, at a fraction of the cost?

Take a look at these ways you can make use of a 3D printer at home for some more inspiration.

Theres a reason the Ford Motor Company have 3D printed over 500,000 prototype car parts.
Having the ability to modify a component and then print it again is a huge time saver even if
that part takes five hours to machine, its still a very quick process.

There are fun things too, like these six games you can print at home.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Types of Printer
Now that you know what 3D printing is, lets look at the different types of machine. There are
two types of printing process: Fused Deposition Modelling and Stereolithography. These have
their own strengths and weaknesses, so here are the basics.

Fused Deposition Modelling

Fused Deposition Modelling, or FDM, is the simplest and most popular method of printing. The
printing material is pushed through a hot tube. This tube is pushed around to draw the
required shape, just like piping a message onto a cake. The temperatures vary depending on
the material, however 200C/392F is about average for consumer machines printing in plastic.

Popular models:

RepRap Prusa I3

Makerbot Replicator

Ultimaker 3
This is currently the most popular printing process. Prices range from $200 up to several
thousand dollars. There are a myriad of different manufacturers and models for FDM machines.
They print plastic in layers, each building upon the previous, lower layer. Machines start at the
bottom and build upwards. This can mean complex shapes or objects without a flat axis on
which to start may be difficult to produce.

Models often have lines where each layer has been built. This can be smoothed afterwards if
required.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

!

Approximate cost per 1kg/2.2lbs of material: $25.

Stereolithography
Stereolithography (SLA) is very different to FDM. This starts with a container of special liquid
plastic (known as photopolymer resin). An ultraviolet laser is directed at the top of the resin,
causing it to solidify (not the whole lot, just a small layer). Just like FDM, each layer is drawn
and cured successively. These machines work from the top down, pulling the object out from
the liquid.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Models produced using SLA are extremely smooth, with an incredibly high resolution. They are
faster to print than FDM machines, however they are less common, more expensive, and rely on
expensive resin.

Popular models:

Formlabs Form 2

3D Systems ProJet 1200

XYZ Printing Nobel 1.0

Approximate cost per 1kg/2.2lbs of material: $100.

Prices vary per model, although the average is a lot higher than FDM machines, approximately
$1,500.

This guide will focus on FDM machines, due to their relative ease of use, and popularity.

Aside from the manufacturing process, there is one other critical specification to know: the
coordinate system. This is how each printer moves the hot end around the bed. The two main
variations are known as cartesian and delta. There are other systems (like polar), as well as
several unique designs, although it is best to stick to a popular system. Using a coordinate
system that several thousand other people have used makes it much easier to troubleshoot
any potential problems.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Cartesian
Much like a traditional inkjet or laser printer, cartesian machines are fairly straightforward.
They have an X-axis, Y-axis, and a Z-axis, with one or more stepper motors to drive each one.
They will have a square or rectangular bed, and it would not be uncommon to have the entire
bed move in one axis. Heres what a cartesian printer looks like:

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Delta
Delta printers also utilize X, Y, and Z axis, however there is one important difference. Delta
machines suspend the extruder from three arms in a triangle arrangement. They will nearly
always have a circular print bed that does not move. These machines were designed to print
parts fast!

They are perfect for tall, narrow models. They are only slightly more expensive and complex than
traditional cartesian machines, so they represent an excellent alternative choice.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Printing Materials
Just as there are hundreds of different printer styles, sizes, and prices, there are dozens of
printing materials (filament for FDM machines). The main two you should focus on right now
are ABS and PLA. There are other materials gaining popularity (Nylon for high strength, and
wood-based for different textures), however these are not always as simple to use.

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable plastic derived from renewable resources, such as
sugarcane or corn starch. As a result, printing with it gives off a semi-sweet smell. It is one of
the easiest materials to print with, while still maintaining high strength. PLA can be stringy,
making it prone to clogging. Ensure you follow any and all manufacturer recommendations.

ABS, or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is the stuff Lego bricks are made from. Derived from
fossil fuels, it is strong, and hard wearing. It is not biodegradable, and printing with it can give
off a strong burning plastic smell. While it can be challenging to print with, it is still one of the
more popular material choices. A heated bed is often required to prevent warping and poor bed
adhesion. Parts printed with ABS can be sanded and smoothed quite easily.

Both PLA and ABS can be purchased in a wide variety of colors. PLA can be found in partially
translucent colors if required.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

!

FDM machines use plastic in filament form. Often provided on reels or spools of 500g (1.1lbs) to
1kg (2.2 lbs).

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Choosing a Machine
When making a decision, its important to choose the right machine for you and your needs. Are
you buying the cheapest model on the market? Are you buying the most expensive one? Whats
the customer support like? Is there an active support community, of which users may have
solved common problems?

Decide upon the features that are the most important to you. Reliability should be pretty high
on your list, as should quality. There are machines that can print very fast, and others that can
print huge objects. While not every machine can do everything very well, some models can do a
reasonable job at many things

Choosing a printer should not be done on a whim, or the spur of the moment. I have owned
three 3D printers, and deeply regret purchasing my first one, for reasons outlined below.

One important factor to consider is maintenance. Most machines use a belt driven X and Y axis,
with a lead screw driven Z axis. Not all machines operate like this, but it is a fairly common
design choice. Belts need to be calibrated and tightened, so if there is no way to do so, maybe
that model is not the best choice for you.

My first machine was reasonable, however, over time the belts worked loose, and regular
maintenance and calibration was needed (as is the case with all printers). When I went to
tighten the belts, there was no way to do so, and the manufacturers had ceased trading. Not
only that, but as there was no community around this machine, there was not a lot of
information about this particular design.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

!

This leads to another important factor: community. With many of the popular models, huge
online communities exist, often with solutions to common problem. This information is
invaluable to improving the quality of your prints, and maintaining your printer.

The final important feature to consider is cost of running. As shown above, filament is
reasonably cheap to purchase. Many different manufacturers produce a whole range of
materials and colors, for nearly every use and budget imaginable. A few select manufacturers
have attempted to introduce proprietary filament cartridges, which lock you into only
purchasing filament from that company. This is great at making money for the company, but a
terrible deal for consumers. I recommend you stay away from any machine that forces you to
use a proprietary filament design.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

RepRap
The RepRap project is an open source 3D printer movement. Many of the machines use 3D
printed components, and the rest are readily available (usually in hardware stores). The RepRap
community is huge, and many problems have been resolved thanks to this community.

A RepRap is one of the best machines you can purchase. Not only is there a massive support
community, but there are many tried and tested designs. Machines can be bought in kit form,
or fully assembled. Hundreds of retailers sell their own take on popular kits, and replacement
parts as well as upgrades can be cheaply purchased from Amazon or Ebay.

Many kits are sold at a very low price. While some of these may not be bad in themselves, poorly
assembled components or cost cutting in the wrong places (such as the power supply), can
lead to trouble. 3D printer fires are rare, they do happen, and while any 3D printer has the
potential to cause a fire, this risk can be reduced by purchasing from a reputable retailer, and
choosing a machine that has good reviews on the whole.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

!

If you are going to purchase a RepRap, I recommend the Prusa I3 MK2 from Prusa Research. There
is a vast number of users, with hundreds of modifications and improvements available. This
particular printer is available in kit or pre-built form, and is highly calibrated. Prusa Research
designed the Prusa models themselves, and while this is not one of the cheapest machines
around, the design and configuration in this machine really will save you a lot of trouble later
on.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

First Print
Now that you have chosen a machine, and its been delivered and setup, its time to start
printing! Im afraid buying the machine is only the start of the process. Most machines run off
an SD card, or your computer. You could install Octopi, a Raspberry Pi Distribution written for 3D
printing, but thats a bit advanced for today. Learn the basics first, then you will know
everything you need to configure an internet controlled printer.

Regardless of how your machine is controlled, every machine gets instructions in the same
way. Its a several-step process:

1. Design or obtain 3D model.

2. Convert 3D model to STL format.

3. Use a Slicer to convert STL model to G-code.

4. Print model using G-code.

3D Models
The first thing you need is a model to print! Thingiverse is one of the more popular websites for
sharing models, with most models already available as STL files. You will want to start with a
test cube or calibration model to ensure everything is configured correctly. If you are feeling
adventurous, you could design your own models. Many programs can do this. Google Sketchup is
a popular free tool, and its easy to learn:

Make sure you read our introduction to Sketchup first. Blender is another excellent tool, and one
that is slightly more geared towards artwork, rather than product design. Checkout our
compilation of fantastic tutorials for Blender beginners.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

If youre like me, and not so good at art, then have no fear! OpenSCAD is another free tool that
lets you design models using code! Its simple to use, I designed this hollowed out cube with
only five lines of code:

$fn = 100;

difference() {

cube(size = [10,10,10]);

translate([10,10,10]) sphere(r = 6.5);

Convert to STL Format

Now that you have a model to print, it needs to be converted into the STL format. This stands for
STereoLithography and it is a fairly universal 3D model format for 3D printing. Many tools can
save files in this format. Nearly all Thingiverse files can be downloaded as STL. If you are using
Google Sketchup, you will need to download the sketchup-stl extension to be able to export STL
files.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Using a Slicer
You may have heard of a slicer. These pieces of software convert your STL file into a set of
instructions called G-code. G-code has been around for a very long time and is used on
industrial machines as well as 3D printers. G-code will often be specific to your machine.

There are many different slicers available. They mostly function the same, and when youre just
starting out with simple models, it does not really matter which slicer you choose. The
manufacturer of your machine may recommend one, and even better if they provide a default or
getting started configuration file!

Some popular choices are:

Cura

Repetier

Slic3r

There are many settings in your choice of slicer. Here are some common ones and what they do.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Layer Height
This determines how thick each layer is. A lower number results in more layers, and a higher
quality print (at the expense of speed). A good tradeoff is 0.15 or 0.2mm. Very high quality prints
may use a 0.05mm layer height, but this will be very slow! Its often advisable to use a slightly
thicker height for the first layer, as this helps things stick better.

Here is a comparison between different layer heights. From left to right goes fine to coarse:

Shell Thickness
This is how thick the outer walls should be. You will want this to be a decent size, otherwise the
fill may show through. Anywhere between two and four wall thicknesses would be good,
depending on your model.

Retraction
Retraction helps to keep prints neat by slightly pulling the filament back into the nozzle when
not printing (ie, when moving across a gap in the model). It can sometimes be difficult to fine
tune, so stick to the default or manufacturers recommended setting.

Bottom/Top Thickness
3D printed objects are rarely 100 percent solid on the inside. This is done to save plastic, and
increase printing speed. The top and bottoms layers are solid, so you can specify how thick
these should be. Six layers is a reasonable number. Go too low and you may notice the semi-
hollow fill showing through or bubbling on the surface.

Fill Density
Expressed as a percentage, this is how solid the interior should be. Model designers will usually
specify this figure, as some parts may require a higher strength fill. A value of 20 percent to 30
percent will usually be sufficient.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Fill Pattern
A fill pattern is used for the semi hollow interior. Hexagons or a honeycomb design is fairly
common, but as this wont usually be seen, stick to your printer/slicer default for now. Here you
can see a honeycomb fill pattern on this cross section of a print:

Print Speed
Print speed is a very important setting. Printing too fast will nearly always result in a lower
quality print. Printing slowly will improve the quality (but it may not always be practical). This
should be set to a middle ground between speed and quality. Stick to your slicer default. Print
speeds of 70mm/second would be fairly fast. A speed of 40mm/s would be quite slow, but very
high quality. This video highlights the differences in printing speeds:

Watch on YouTube: FDM video analysis: Printing speed

Printing Temperature
Temperature is another setting that has a big impact on quality. Unfortunately, it varies based
on a lot of factors. Maybe your thermistor (digital temperature reader) is only accurate to +/- 5
degrees. Different materials have different printing temperatures, and even different colors and
manufacturers of the same filament can vary in ideal temperature. Start with your slicer
defaults (approximately 210C for PLA, 230C for ABS). If the temperature is too hot, models may
look squished, or possibly even burnt. Reduce the temperature 5 degrees at a time until a good
level is found. You may have to do this for every different filament you use.

Bed Temperature
If your machine has a heated bed (not all of them do), then set it to the slicer default. Heated
beds are required for printing in ABS, but are not always needed for PLA.

Heated beds keep the bottom of your prints warm (usually about 70C). Without a heated bed,
you may find the bottom of a large part cools, and becomes unstuck. This is called warping, and
Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .
if the part becomes 100 percent unstuck, the print will usually be ruined. Think of a traditional
printer or photocopier: how would the ink be in the correct place if you wobble the paper
around?

Support Type
Support is another setting you may not initially need. If you are printing a complex model,
maybe a figure or curved object with overhangs greater than 90C, a support structure is needed
to hold up the parts that will not print otherwise. Think of it like scaffolding for 3D printed parts.
This often leaves minor marks on prints that need cleaning off. Support is not needed for
simple shapes and calibration parts. In the image below you can see the support structure as a
concertina of thin plastic.

Platform Adhesion Type

There are two main adhesion types here. The first is a raft and is exactly as it sounds. This
prints a small raft first, and then prints your model on that. This reduces problems with an
uneven print surface. Rafts were widely used when hobby 3D printing first started, but now that
machine quality has improved dramatically, they are not often needed.

Brims are still used regularly. These are like a skirt or outer layers on your model. They increase
the surface area, and can help to reduce warping. They are usually only one or two layers high.

Filament Diameter
Filament is mainly sold in two diameters: 1.75mm and 3.00mm, with 1.75mm becoming
increasingly common as it is quicker to heat up. Your printer will be designed for one size only.
Its not possible to mix different sizes without changing the hotend and extruder. Nearly all
filament sold has some variation in its diameter; higher quality filament has less variation.
Filament with a wildly varying diameter may work inconsistently, and possibly cause clogging.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

This filament diameter setting allows you to tweak the exact diameter of your filament.
Measure your filament diameter in three places across one meter and average the results. Enter
this average diameter.

Flow Percentage
Flow percentage is used to adjust how much plastic will come out. This will be 100 percent by
default, but you can increase or decrease this as required to reduce over extrusion, or fix under
extrusion.

Nozzle Size
Most machines come with a 0.4mm nozzle size. A smaller nozzle will increase print quality, but
at the expense of speed. 0.3mm nozzles are becoming more common. It does not really matter
what size nozzle you are using, just be sure to enter the correct size here.

If you are not sure what you should start with, many slicers come with default templates for
common machines. If you own a popular model, a quick Google search for Printer model slicer
settings may yield many results. This is where your machine research may have paid off. A
printer with very good support, or a large community may mean you can download someone
elses settings, or maybe your manufacturer even supplied the settings some of them do!

This video shows off a very high quality print. Similar to having a smaller layer height, a smaller
nozzle can help to improve quality (but its not the only way).

Watch on YouTube: Ultra High Resolution 3D Print - The Beast 3D Printer

G-code
Your slicer will generate G-code. This is a set of instructions for your machine to print the
model. This is often specific to you, and contains your settings at the time. The final step is to
print your model. You need to upload the G-code to your printer. This is often done directly over
USB, although many printers will run G-code from an SD card.

I like to keep my SD cards neat and tidy. I create folders for different projects, and prefix my G-
Code files with an estimated print time, along with any specific print notes. Make sure you
delete any G-code that produces undesirable results. Most slicers will provide an estimated
print time, along with filament usage and rough cost.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Warping
Hopefully by this point, you will have a working 3D printer, and a good knowledge of how it
operates. One of the most challenging issues is that of warping. Even on perfect machines it
still happens. The main cause of warping is bed adhesion. Sometimes a corner comes unstuck
from the bed, and curls, ruining an otherwise perfect print. ABS can be particularly
troublesome for warping.

Some common fixes:

Reduce the first layer height. How far away is the nozzle from the bed?

Turn on the heated bed. The part may be cooling at the bottom too rapidly.

Add a brim to your model.

Try adding mouse ears to your model.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

!

Sometimes, warping happens even when you do everything right. Some of the most difficult
parts to print are those that are large and flat. These can warp even with perfect adhesion and
settings. What happens here is a result of contraction. The top of the print cools at a different
rate to the bottom. This is enough to be a problem on certain prints. A heated bed helps a lot
with this, or you can use a hair dryer to heat and then slightly bend your part after the fact.

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .

Finding Help
It can be very frustrating when you dont know why a print is failing. Here are some useful
resources to help you:

SIMPLIFY3D Pictorial Troubleshooting Guide

Reddit Fix My Print Community

RepRap Forums

Why not consider a DIY project for your new printer? Checkout our DIY shortcut buttons or an
electronic D20 Die two projects that use 3D printed parts!

You should now know (nearly) everything you need to get started 3D printing! What printer are
you using? What common problems do you encounter? Let us know in the comments!
Image Credits: FabrikaSimf/Shutterstock

Read more stories like this at

Copyright 2017 MakeUseOf. All Rights Reserved .