In many ways, 3D printing is the fulfillment of the future we were all promised. We may not have flying cars or robot housemaids, but we do have access to an almost magical device that can make our imaginations a reality. It wasn’t long ago that such a device was considered far-fetched, even by science fiction standards.
I’ve been a lifelong geek myself. As long as I can remember, I’ve been building things, taking things apart, and putting them back together (sometimes successfully). When I was very young, this mostly meant building things like spaceships with Legos. When I got a little bit older, I gained access to hammers and nails, and suddenly I could build things at a life-size scale (though this mostly resulted in lopsided tree houses).
Like many geeks my age, I found computers in my teenage years. This opened up a whole new world for me. No longer was I constrained by the cost of wood and nails, because I could create programs on old computers I found at garage sales. Into adulthood, computers were my life. I built them, programmed them, and repaired them.
But the desire to create something tangible never left me. I knew I wanted to make things. So I went to school for drafting and mechanical design. After graduating, I got a job in the engineering team at a biomedical company. While working there, our engineering department got a professional 3D printer for making prototypes of our products.
I was, of course, instantly smitten. Here was a machine that could produce a physical part from my designs in just a few hours. As you might expect, everyone on the engineering team felt the same way. In between prototyping parts, we took turns printing designs for our own personal projects.
But I wasn’t satisfied to just print things at work when the printer was available, so I purchased an inexpensive consumer 3D printer. Suddenly, I could print anything I wanted at any time. If some idea struck me, I could design it and print it in just a few hours. It brought back that feeling of building spaceships out of the Legos that I hadn’t felt since I was a kid. That feeling of being able to create anything I could imagine.
It’s a feeling that most people never find again after childhood. But, if you’re reading this, I suspect you might be searching for that feeling yourself. Even if you’ve just picked this book up at the bookstore out of curiosity, I think that means you’re yearning to flex those creative muscles once again.
And that’s what 3D printing can do for you. Yes, it’s challenging. No, it’s not a particularly cheap hobby. But it’s a very rewarding one. The feeling of pride you get when your first print is completed will be undeniable. The smile that crosses your face the first time you see one of your own designs made real will be one of the brightest you’ve had in years. If you’re looking for a way to express your creativity, 3D printing is the answer. This book will help you through the complicated task of learning how to do that.
How This Book Is Organized
This book has been written to help you really understand 3D printing, not just to teach you the basics. To that end, the book has been split up into five parts:
Part 1, What Is 3D Printing?, gives you useful information on the background of 3D printing and how it actually works. This includes the history of 3D printing, how 3D printers developed into a consumer product, and how different kinds of 3D printing processes work.
Part 2, All About the Hardware, teaches you everything you need to know about the different parts of consumer 3D printers. Learning how the hardware of a 3D printer actually works is valuable knowledge that can help you a lot throughout your journey. (And, because you’re reading this book, I suspect you’re the type of person who likes to learn anyway.)
Part 3, Setting Up and Printing, is where you start getting into the nitty-gritty of 3D printing. This is where you learn how to actually set up and operate a 3D printer. 3D printers aren’t like the old inkjet printer you have on your desk; they’re complicated machines that are chock full of confusing settings. This part gives you the information you need to really get started. I also walk you through four projects designed to teach you how to get started with 3D printing.
Part 4, 3D Modeling, goes beyond just 3D printing models you find online, because 3D printing is about so much more than just replicating other people’s designs. Can you imagine if, as a kid, you were only allowed to build official designs with your Legos? It would have been awful! For that reason, this is where you learn how to design your own 3D models that you create with a 3D printer. In this part, I also show you how to start 3D modeling with four more projects for you to model and print.
Part 5, Advanced Usage and Techniques, is what you want to read once you’ve gained proficiency in basic 3D printing. Here, you learn how to print with exotic materials, how to print with multiple extruders at once, and some popular modifications you can make to your 3D printer. You also learn about some unexpected uses for your 3D printer that you may not have even realized were possible.
Throughout this book, you’ll find some handy bits of information and advice beyond the main text in sidebars. They’re broken up into a handful of types for your convenience.
DEFINITION
The 3D printing industry is full of technical terms and words that may have a meaning specific to 3D printing. These sidebars include words you’re not familiar with, or that have a different meaning in the context of 3D printing.
WATCH OUT!
While 3D printers are now consumer products that are safe for the home, they’re still machines that can hurt you. Therefore, keep an eye out for these warning sidebars, which give you safety information and help you avoid accidentally damaging your 3D printer.
HOT TIP
Sometimes, there are multiple ways of doing something. These tips help you avoid hassles and headaches. Learn from my mistakes, and take these into account!
FASCINATING FACT
I can’t always fit the good stuff into the main body of the text. Check these out for interesting facts, history, and other information related to 3D printing.
But Wait! There’s More!
Have you logged on to idiotsguides.com lately? If you haven’t, go there now! As a bonus to the book, we’ve included the 3D printing model files you’ll need for the Part 3 projects, all online. Point your browser to idiotsguides.com/3dprinting, and enjoy!
I could never have written this book without the support of my friends and family, who have always encouraged me. My beautiful wife Sarah, who put up with me working late into the night. My friends Daniel, Sean, Sam, Zach, Amanda, and Jonathan, who were always happy to start new hobbies with me. My in-laws Bonnie and Javad, who somehow believed in me when no one should have. My parents Sharon and David and siblings Danielle, Lynnze, and Nathin, who had to live with me for so long. Tom, Beth, and Mike, who nurtured my inner geek when I was young. And my dog Calaveras, who kept me company while I wrote this book, and because she’s just so darn cute.
I’d also like to give a special thanks to the fine folks at Aleph Objects (especially Harris Kenny and Jeff Moe), who were kind enough to lend me a LulzBot TAZ to use for this book. The RepRap project also deserves a huge amount of credit for making 3D printing possible for hobbyists and consumers.
Special Thanks to the Technical Reviewer
Idiot’s Guides: 3D Printing was reviewed by an expert who double-checked the accuracy of what you’ll learn here, to help us ensure this book gives you everything you need to know about 3D printing. Special thanks are extended to Aaron Trocola.
Trademarks
All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be or are suspected of being trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Alpha Books and Penguin Group (USA) Inc. cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.