In 20212, the 3D printing industry was over $10 billion. While it’s still a small percentage of the printing market, many people are now getting 3D printers at home.
If you’re interested in making cool designs, then you might be wondering how to use a 3D printer at home.
Thankfully, we’re here to help you out. Keep reading to learn all you need to know about how to 3D print at home.
Set Up Software
There are two different types of 3D software printing: CAD and slicing software.
You can use CAD software to create a model that can be functional. You can create your own objects or models. If you have an STL file from a different application, you can import your designs to this software as well.
You’ll also need the slicing software. Once you’ve exported the file from your CAD, you will upload it to this software and break it down into layers that the printer will be able to interpret.
There is Gcode in the slicing software, and the Gcode contains information to tell the printer where to move the axis. It’ll also tell it how much material to spit out of the nozzle.
The Gcode can be sent to the printer through the Wi-Fi and SD card.
Prepare Your Design
You’ll need to use a computer-aided design to create something that you can prepare. You could get one that you took from a 3D scan, you can pull from an inventory, or you can design something in the software.
You’ll need to translate your design into certain coordinates that the 3D printer will be able to understand. You’ll also be able to use this design to tell the printer what to do with your specific material.
Sometimes, people refer to this as slicing as well. You’ll slice your 3D design into different layers that the printer will be able to understand and utilize.
You can use different slicing software to make sure that you take control of this design and customize the settings to make sure your design is printed properly.
After you finish the slicing and designing, you can send your file to print.
Set Up Printer
Next, you set up your printer. There are different types of 3D printing, but there are different ways to set up your printer as well.
You may not need to depend on how often you’re printing similar designs. But it doesn’t hurt to check. But before you start printing, you should always check to ensure that you selected the right material.
Some printers will let you choose different nozzle sizes, so you’ll be able to select more detail in your prints. It could also effect a faster print time as well.
However, you need the right software as well, and then you should check the configuration and the prompt before you start printing.
Find Materials
Next, you’ll need to get your materials. You’ll need to have an idea of what you want to print before you start getting materials.
There are many different 3D printing materials that you can get, and you can get them based on which properties your design has.
Some printers use spools of filament. The filament is a thermoplastic that was designed to be melted and cooled in order to hold its structure. It comes in different diameters.
You can choose between a 1.75 mm and a 3mm filament. They also have different spool sizes, like 500g, 750g, 1kg, 2kg, and 3kg.
The filament is one of the cheapest materials that you can use for 3D printing. However, you’ll need to research to see which option and size would be the best for your design.
Heat Your Printer
Next, start heating up your printer. When it’s heated, you can load it in your material and filament. If this is your first time using a printer, you may want to use PLA instead.
You’ll need to study your material first. Different materials require different heat requirements in order to stick together and be a good model.
Start Printing
Whether you’re creating a custom extrusion aluminum or designing a paperweight, this is the easiest part of the entire process.
Once you’ve sent the design through to the printer, you’ll just have to sit back and let the printer do its job. The print times can vary depending on what design you’re printing, how big your design is, what material you want, and what detail you wanted in your object.
The printer could also make a difference in how long it takes to print. A small object or a prototype could take a few hours. You could let it run overnight and then have it ready the next day.
But if you’re going to be printing a very large object that’s very detailed, you’ll have to wait a few days for it to finish.
Some platforms will even let you monitor your job and see how much longer you have to wait.
Get Your Design
The final stage is removing the design from the printer. Sometimes the printer might need to do a few post-processing steps before you’re ready to use.
Consult your printer to see if you have to wait a little bit more time for it.
Learn More About How to Use a 3D Printer at Home
These are only a few steps to keep in mind when you’re wondering how to use a 3D printer at home, but there are many other factors to consider.
We know that 3D printing is fairly new, and you still may have a lot of questions about the printing.
If you’re interested in learning more about 3D printing, explore our website for more information!
