3D Printing for Us Common Folk

Taking advantage of my wonderful local library, I attended a class titled “Intro to 3D Printing.”  This is how it was described on the library website: “Learn to create a small object using ready-to-print files or custom Tinkercad files and the library’s 3D printers.”  (Yes, my area libraries now have 3D printers–very cool!)  This was a fun introduction to 3D printing.

Most of the class involved working on the website Tinkercad.  This is a free and easy-to-use website for making 3D printable items.  Whether or not you have access to a 3D printer, it is still something entertaining to check out. The site is www.tinkercad.com.  You can create your account, and there are tutorials available.  In the class I attended, we did not formally go through the tutorial, but we did have the opportunity to “play with guidance.”  An activity sheet was provided, and the class was lead through various activities which would allow us to eventually create a file that could be used with a 3D printer.  These different steps/activities included adding a shape and viewing options, manipulating shapes, adding shapes, grouping objects, using the workplane tool, and saving and exporting.  Our practice activities involved designing what looks like a Monopoly house. It was a great introduction to a site I never knew existed. If you go to the actual site, you can find starter lessons plus additional tutorials to help teach you additional skills.  I plan to play around with this site and see what I can create. If I choose to do so, I can send a file to my library with a request to print out the item I created. Currently, there is a limit of 2 hours/item. I can download free Cura software which will allow me to know how long it will take to print a specific item.  I have not yet tested it out. It will be fun to see what I can create! I will update you as I try it out.

Another useful website is www.thingiverse.com.  On this site, you can find a multitude of files that others have created and made available for use.  If you just type in the search box, it is quite impressive to see what others have developed! Have fun just looking around this site.  

At the end of the class, I submitted a file for a bookmark/clip that I found on Thingiverse.  I should receive it in 1-2 weeks. Every time I use it, I will remember that I was introduced to something brand new (and very cool)!  Just having a greater awareness of the technology out there and its capabilities is awe inspiring. Although I will not be able to create any major projects utilizing the library resources, I am gaining a greater understanding of this technology and its potential.  If you think about it, it is pretty amazing to realize the technology to which the average person has access nowadays. The uses for 3D printers are varied, and more and more uses for 3D printing are being discovered all of the time. I may not design anything that will change the world, but I will gain a better understanding of what can be done. I also believe that when you understand something better, it is much easier to analyze and evaluate any discussions on the topic. 3D printing will have such a large impact on so many aspects of our lives in areas such as medicine and industry, that when it comes to lawmakers and others making decisions related to it, being informed is extremely important. To read about some additional, amazing uses of 3D printing, here is an article from several years ago which you might enjoy.