3D Printing – Less Is Not Always Lighter

Making holes in your 3D print can make them heavier

Ultimaker 3D Printer

Its not until you have printed a couple of models with and without holes that you think about this. And how the printer, prints the models.

Like all things easy when you know how and this simple explanation will help you make your design light weight.

 

3D printers are so much fun, but i like the design of the parts just as much as seeing them being printed.
There are lots of great 3D modelling software available some of the free one are:-
  1. 123D
  2. Blender
  3. Sketchup
  4. Tinker Cad

Its not until you start designing your own parts and not just downloading somebodies else work from one of the on-line places that you really start to understand about how to design a 3D model for 3D printing.

If you need something don’t be tempted just to download an STL file from somewhere, take the time, and have the enjoyment and satisfaction of making something from nothing and ending up with something in your hand within a matter of hours / days depending how complication your design is.

If its your first print I would recommend printing in PLA as this is the easiest filament to print with.  You do not require a heated bed and the filament give off a very sweet safe smell, unlike some other filaments like ABS which can be overpowering and quite choking at times (always print ABS in a ventilated space).

PLA can be stored easily as it does not tend to absorb moisture, unlike ABS.  When you have finished printing with ABS take it off your machine and store it in an air tight box like this:-

Tag:- 3d printing, pla filament, abs filament, heated 3d printer bed, making light weight 3d printed parts.

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