TinkerCAD is a free, easy to use tool mainly for 3D modeling, but it can also be used to simulate circuits and code. TinkerCAD works by dragging and dropping shapes onto a plane, and piecing your model together with the shapes. TinkerCAD is also completely online, so all your work is saved to the cloud, and you can use it at home, no download required.

These courses will guide you through the basics of 3D Modeling, and teach you how to use TinkerCAD to create designs.

For complete beginners, level one is an introduction to the core concepts of 3D modeling, and a basic introduction to TinkerCAD.

• When you create a new design in TinkerCAD the first thing you see is an empty plane, this is your workplane. You can edit your workplane and the grid snap with a button in the bottom right corner.
• On the right side of the screen is the object library, this is where you find shapes and objects to add to your design.
• The clear objects with diagonal line are holes, they subtract from other shapes, you can also convert shapes into holes, and vice versa.
• To place an object on the plane click on it in the library, and click on the plane where you want to place it.
• The curved arrows are used to rotate an object, the small black cone at the top is used to raise and lower an object.
• If you want to connect multiple shapes together, you can shift click the shapes you want to group and press ctrl + g or click the group button near the top right.
• To complete level one, create a house or building that uses a hole and at least 2 basic shapes.
• Once you are finished with your house, name it, show an adult, and you are finished.

Now that you understand how TinkerCAD works, you may find yourself limited by the basic shapes, this lesson will teach you how to create custom shapes and how to use shape generators in your designs.

• The two tools used to make custom shapes are scibble, and text.
• Text creates custom words or letters based on the values that you input.
• You can choose the height, bevel, thickness, and font of the text you choose.
• The scribble tool is used to draw 2D outlines of shapes, which are then extruded 3D objects.
• You can also draw 2D things to revolve with one of the shape generators.
• The shape generators are used to create objects with special customizeable shapes.
• Each shape generator object will have multiple options that change the characteristics of the object.
• To complete level two, add text, a scribble, or a pattern generator to your house from before.
• Once you are finished, save it, show an adult, and you are finished.

Now that you have mastered basic shapes, and have learned custom shapes and shape generators, you will learn basic 3D printing and create your final project.

• 3D printing works by taking a model, and converting it into a mesh. The mesh is then read by a program and converted into language that the printer can read.
• To print your TinkerCAD design you need to convert it to a mesh. To do this, press export in the top right.(If you don't see export, rename your design). Then under "For 3D Print' press ".STL".
• Then put the downloaded file onto a usb drive. From there the usb drive will be put in the 3D printer computer and the file will be sent to a printer.
• For the final project, add something to your house that uses a hole, scribble or text, and a pattern generator. Then export your file to a flash drive as an stl.