3.- THE 3D PRINTING PROCESS

In the previous lesson we have made with QCAD and Sketch Up designs. QCAD does not allow the transformation of your files to STL format, on the other hand Skettch Up Yes. But it is not the only design program that allows you to save files in this format, there are many more. Among others we highlight

1 open SCAD

2 TinkerCAD

3 FreeCAD.

These programs have advantages and disadvantages among them. Tango OpenSCAD as FreeCAD are free and free. The first uses only commands to make your designs. Conversely Freecad has extrusion tools and uses more mouse and tools of transformed into their designs. 

In addition to creating our own designs, we can use other downloading them from different repositories. for example Thingverse.

Once designed our piece, and discharged into STL format should make it suitable for our printer. I.e., perform a laminate that will create a GCODE file. Therefore you can use programs such as cure and Slic3r. Finally the GCODE file is loaded on an SD card and is suitable for the printer can read and execute. The Repetier Host program has included the Slic3r, but also if connected properly controls other functions of the printer such as temperatures, densities, etc...

The future of 3D printing is in the food, in aid of all kinds and...

ACTIVITIES

Do a research on the INTERNET about the uses of 3D Printer and its future. Do a presentation of 2 minutes.