A 3D printer builds objects layer by layer using melted plastic filament, similar to how a hot glue gun lays down material. This process is called additive manufacturing because the printer “adds” material to create the final shape, instead of cutting material away like traditional tools.

Key Steps in the Printing Process:

• Slicing – Software (like Cura) converts the 3D model into thin layers and generates the instructions (called G-code) that tell the printer exactly how to move.

• Heating – The printer’s nozzle heats up to around 200°C–220°C for PLA. At the same time, the build plate may also heat up to help with bed adhesion.

• Extrusion – Plastic filament is fed into the nozzle, where it melts and is pushed out in a thin stream.

• Layering – The printer lays down the melted filament one layer at a time. Each new layer sticks to the one below it, gradually forming the object from the bottom up.

1) Filament Spool

• The plastic material used for printing, usually PLA in the Tenzer Lab.

• Feeds into the extruder to be melted and deposited.

2) Extruder

• Pulls the filament from the spool and pushes it into the hot end.

• Often includes gears and a motor.

3) Hot End & Nozzle

• The hot end heats the filament to a high temperature until it melts.

• The nozzle is the small metal tip where the melted filament is extruded onto the build plate.

• Can reach ~200–220°C (400°F), so it’s very dangerous to touch.

4) Build Plate (Print Bed)

• The flat surface where prints are built layer by layer.

• It is heated to help the first layer stick and reduce warping.

5) Control Screen / Interface

• The control screen lets you start, pause, and monitor prints. It displays important information such as temperature, progress, and print settings.

• On the Workhorse printer, navigation is done using the knob in the lower-right corner of the screen:

  • Turn right → scroll down through options.

  • Turn left → scroll up through options.

  • Press the knob → select your option.

• Definition: The number of vertical shells around your print. More walls increase strength and reduce breakage, but use more filament and takes more time.

• Typical Setting: 2–3 walls for most prints.

• When to Increase: For functional parts needing strength, improved watertightness, or smoother vertical surfaces.

• Definition: The number of solid layers at the top and bottom of your print. More layers improve strength and surface finish, but add print time and material use.

• Typical Setting: 4–5 layers for most prints (about 0.8–1.0 mm, depending on layer height).

• When to Increase: For parts needing extra durability, smoother top surfaces, watertight prints, or when using low infill percentages.

• Definition: Sets how solid or hollow a print is by adjusting the percentage of plastic inside the model—lower values are lighter and faster, higher values are stronger and heavier.

• Typical Setting: 10–20% for decorative models, 25–40% for functional parts, 50–100% for heavy-duty or load-bearing parts.

• Definition: The internal structure of a print that influences strength, flexibility, weight, and print time.

• Common Options:

  • Grid / Lines – Fast, efficient, good all-purpose choice.

  • Triangular – Strong, distributes stress evenly.

  • Cubic / Gyroid – Strong in all directions, ideal for functional parts.

• Definition: Supports are temporary scaffolding printed beneath overhanging or floating parts of a model. Supports ensure that the print doesn’t sag or warp when the printer would otherwise be extruding into open air.

• When Needed:

  • Overhangs (Angle >45°) – An overhang is any part of a print that extends outward beyond the layers below it. The overhang angle is measured from the vertical (90° = horizontal, 0° = straight up). For example, a 30° overhang leans slightly outward, while a 60° overhang is much steeper and harder to print without support. A common rule is: if the overhang angle exceeds 45°, supports are recommended. You can calculate the angle by measuring the slope of the feature in your slicer’s preview or CAD software relative to the vertical axis.

  • Bridges – Flat sections that span horizontally between two points. Without support, long bridges can droop or break since there’s no material underneath during extrusion.

  • Complex Features – Delicate parts like arms, arches, or floating decorative details often hang above empty space, requiring support to print successfully.

• Types of Support:

  • Normal – A block-style grid that provides strong, reliable scaffolding. It’s effective for simple shapes, flat overhangs, and straightforward bridges, though it may use more material and be harder to remove.

  • Tree – A branching, organic-looking structure designed to minimize material use and improve removability. Tree supports grow upward like branches and only touch the model where needed, making them especially useful for detailed or curved geometries, figurines, and organic shapes.

• Definition: Bed adhesion is how well the first layer of your print sticks to the build plate. Strong adhesion is essential—if the first layer lifts or detaches, the entire print is likely to fail. Good adhesion ensures stability, prevents warping, and helps the model stay anchored throughout the print.

• Types of Bed Adhesion:

  • Skirt – A line (or multiple lines) printed around your model but not touching it. Skirts don’t improve adhesion directly but are useful for priming the nozzle, ensuring smooth filament flow, and checking bed leveling before the main print begins. Best for quick checks or when adhesion isn’t a concern.

  • Brim – Several thin lines attached directly to the base of your model, expanding its footprint. Brims significantly improve adhesion by increasing surface contact with the build plate, reducing the risk of warping or edge lifting. They are especially effective for tall, thin, or narrow-based models.

  • Raft – A thick, lattice-like base printed under your model. Rafts provide the strongest adhesion by creating a wide, stable foundation and compensating for minor bed-leveling issues. However, they use more material, increase print time, and require removal afterward. Rafts are best for models with very small contact points or bases prone to warping.

• Definition: The Z-seam is the vertical line on your print where each new layer starts and ends. Since the nozzle has to stop extruding and move up to the next layer, a tiny mark, bump, or shift can appear along that path—similar to a seam on clothing.

• Control in Slicers: Cura LE give you 3 options for Z-seam placement:

  • Shortest – Places the Z-seam at the location that requires the least travel time, making prints faster but seams less predictable in placement.

  • Random – Scatters seams across the surface instead of stacking them, which hides a single visible line but leaves small marks in different areas.

  • Sharpest Corner – Positions the seam along the model’s sharpest corner or edge, where it’s less noticeable and can be hidden in natural geometry.