3D Printing

[Page start date : Aug. 26, 2020]

These pages are for my experiments, ideas, and just thoughts in general with regard to 3D Printing. Many of my 3D print designs are published on PrusaPrinters at this location : https://www.printables.com/social/38957-kaje/models . However, the sub-pages here may include additional prints which are not generally useful (but may be of interest for other reasons such as design or print methods).

For information on my particular 3D printer see this page : https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/machining---lathes-mills-etc/my-3d-printer---prusa-pri-mk3s

This page in particular will also include references to 3D print sources which I find particularly useful.


References


  • Types of filament : Wikipedia has a good list of filament types (30+ last time I looked) : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing_filament

Sources

This is a list a sources for 3D print files (or in some cases, for methods to generate interesting print files). Some of the sources are for digital 3D scans which require further work to turn into a usable print file.


  • Cults : "Cults is a marketplace that connects designers and people who want to 3D print some objects. Cults is dedicated to all owners of 3D printers who wish to make premium and original creations. Because everyone doesn't have an artistic soul or the ability to use CAO 3D software, Cults highlights the work of these designers who will make 3D printing accessible to all."

  • GrabCAD : You will need a (free) account to use this. It is a good source of 3D models for use in CAD design, as opposed to models intended to be used more or less direclty for 3D printing.

  • MyMiniFactory : "Upload your 3D printable designs for free or for a price, and share a link with your friends and fans"

  • MyMiniFactory - Scan The World : "Scan The World is an initiative that is creating a digital archive of sculptures, landmarks and monuments from around the world using 3D Scanning and Printing technology."

  • NASA 3D Resources : "We have converted some of our models to .stl format for 3D printing and we are working on more. Check out the current set of printable models."

  • NIH 3D Print Exchange : "3D printing technology is advancing at a rapid pace, but it is difficult to find or create 3D-printable models that are scientifically accurate or medically applicable. The NIH 3D Print Exchange provides models in formats that are readily compatible with 3D printers, and offers a unique set of tools to create and share 3D-printable models related to biomedical science."

  • Pinshape (free account required) : "At Pinshape, our mission is to make 3D printing simple and fun! We strive to provide our users an easy-to-use platform that lets them explore, share and download high-quality 3D printable designs. We aim to build an engaging community of innovative makers and designers of all experience levels, who ultimately helps shape the future of 3D printing."

  • Printables [Formerly Prusa Prints] : "Download perfectly tweaked and pre-sliced print files for your 3D printer and start printing immediately. Or get the 3D model and slice it with your own settings."

  • Smithsonian 3D Digitization : "The 3D Program is a small group of technologists working within the Smithsonian Institution's Digitization Program Office. We focus on developing solutions to further the Smithsonian's mission of “the increase and diffusion of knowledge” through the use of three-dimensional scanning technology, analysis tools, and our distribution platform."

  • STLfInder : "Search free 3d models from the major repositories in Internet. 3d models for 3d printing available for download. Get professional 3d models for your 3d design projects."

  • Thangs : "Search over 1 million models to find the perfect 3D model for your project. Upload your own model and do a geometric search to find similar models."

  • Thingiverse : "MakerBot's Thingiverse is a thriving design community for discovering, making, and sharing 3D printable things. As the world's largest 3D printing community, we believe that everyone should be encouraged to create and remix 3D things, no matter their technical expertise or previous experience. In the spirit of maintaining an open platform, all designs are encouraged to be licensed under a Creative Commons license, meaning that anyone can use or alter any design."

  • TouchTerrain : "TouchTerrain is a simple-to-use web application that makes creating 3D printable terrain models from anywhere on the globe accessible to a wide range of users, from people with no GIS expertise to power users. For coders, a Python-based standalone version is available from the open-source project’s GitHub repository."