Design Tutorials

In this class you will use a lot of different 3D design tools, depending on what types of objects you decide to create. Each software program is different and has its own learning curve, and if you need a specialized tool for your project then you might need to how to use that tool on your own.

The resources, tutorials, and walkthroughs below can help you get started with a wide variety of software and techniques. Sections are listed in alphabetical order by software or technique, and resources within each section are listed roughly in order of difficulty or usefulness. Some resources appear in more than one section.

2D Images

• Black Cats – With simple image-to-3D-design tutorial
  Image → SVG → Tinkercad → STL
• Easy Pendant Creator Walkthrough
  Using the Shapeways Pendant Creater to turn 2D images into 3D prints

BlockSCAD

• Learn to Code in 3D With BlocksCAD
  Visual Scratch-like code interface that can export to OpenSCAD

Cinema4D

• Modeling for 3D Printing with Cinema 4D
  Using the animation software Cinema 4D to create 3D-printable models

Customization

• Thingiverse Jumpstart
  A walkthrough of Thingiverse’s features and capabilities, including Customizer
• Easy Pendant Creator Walkthrough
  Using the Shapeways Pendant Creater to turn 2D images into 3D prints
• Making Your Designs Customizable with CustomMaker
  Allow users to add text or images to your base designs on Shapeways
• Customizable Beefy Trophy + Blender Bake Tutorial
  Thingiverse → Blender → Python → OpenSCAD → Customizer

Design Tips

• What 3D Design Software Should I Use?
  Examples of designs that were created using multiple software programs

Fusion 360

• First Steps with 3D Design Software Fusion 360
  Examples, overview, and resources for getting started with Fusion 360

GIS/Topography

• Porcelain Topographic Models with Terrain2STL
  Capturing terrain data with Terrain2STL and preparing for 3D printing

Grasshopper

• Parametric Modeling With Grasshopper
  Visual coding plugin for Rhino for parametric and organic modeling
• Wrapping a Thing Around Another Thing
  A Grasshopper script for creating wrapped objects from flat designs
• Grasshopper and Python scripting, by Danil Nagy
  Advanced video playlist for incorporating code into Grasshopper/Rhino

MakePrintable

• Rescue Your 3D Models With MakePrintable
  STL → online cloud service → printable STL or OBJ
• Repair and Prep Structure Synth Models for 3D Printing
  Messy output → MeshLab, Meshmixer, and MakePrintable → printable STL

Mathematica

• Mathematica Brings the Mathematical Bling
  An overview of Mathematica commands that produce reliable STL output

Mathematics

• Everything You Always Wanted to Know About X, But Were Afraid to Ask
  Calculating side lengths and angles of right triangles

MeshLab

• Quick Fixes With MeshLab
  STL → Decimate, fix normals, repair bad geometry → printable STL or OBJ
• Repair and Prep Structure Synth Models for 3D Printing
  Messy output → MeshLab, Meshmixer, and MakePrintable → printable STL

MeshMixer

• Painting Multicolor Models in Meshmixer
  Using stencil brush tools to add color to 3D models for multicolor printing

Mesh Repairs

• Quick Fixes With MeshLab
  STL → Decimate, fix normals, repair bad geometry → printable STL or OBJ
• Rescue Your 3D Models With MakePrintable
  STL → online cloud service → printable STL or OBJ
• Repair and Prep Structure Synth Models for 3D Printing
  Messy output → MeshLab, Meshmixer, and MakePrintable → printable STL

Minecraft

• Low-Voxel Stanford Bunny + Voxelization/Minecraft Tutorial
  Tinkercad ↔ .schematic/Printcraft↔ Minecraft with WorldEdit

Morphi

• 3D Design Made Simple With Morphi and an iPad
  Very intuitive and accessible design with the iPad or desktop app Morphi

OpenSCAD

• PolyBowls – A simple OpenSCAD code walkthrough
  Six-minute video walkthrough from zero to a basic design
• Using OpenSCAD to Design With Code
  Resources for OpenSCAD – check out the Patrick Conner playlist in particular
• OpenSCAD Jumpstart on Thingiverse
  Examples, overview, and resources
• Designing a Penny Trap with OpenSCAD
  Walkthrough and full code for creating a Penny Trap with simple code
• Customizable Beefy Trophy + Blender Bake Tutorial
  Thingiverse → Blender → Python → OpenSCAD → Customizer

Photography

• Taking Better Photographs of Your 3D Prints
  Using inexpensive lightboxes and macro lenses to improve basic photography
• Oops, Now Your Photos Are TOO Good!
  Tips on using real-world items so your photos won’t look like virtual renders

Scanning/Photogrammetry

• Full-Color Prints, Starting With Trnio Photogrammetry
  Scanning with the Trnio app and using Meshlab, Meshmixer, and Sketchfab

Sculptris

• Using Sculptris to 3D Model With “Digital Clay”
  Getting started with sculpting software Sculptris to create 3D models
• Sculptris Jumpstart on Thingiverse
  Resources, examples, and projects using the 3D clay-modeling tool Sculptris

Shapeways

• Print Cheaper By Scaling… Up?
  Leveraging machine space to make printed models less expensive on Shapeways
• Get Some Variety With Variants
  Listing multiple versions of a model in one product on Shapeways
• Making Your Designs Customizable with CustomMaker
  Allow users to add text or images to your base designs on Shapeways

Sketchup

• SketchUp for 3D Printed Buildings and Beyond
  Resources for getting started with the architectural modeling software Sketchup

Structure Synth

• Design for Complexity With Structure Synth
  Using simple Eisenscript code to create recursive and fratal objects
• Repair and Prep Structure Synth Models for 3D Printing
  Messy output → MeshLab, Meshmixer, and MakePrintable → printable STL

Thingiverse

• Thingiverse Jumpstart
  A walkthrough of Thingiverse’s features and capabilities, including Customizer

Tinkercad

• Beginner 3D Design With Tinkercad
  Very first steps for the intuitive in-browser modeling tool Tinkercad
• Tinkercad Jumpstart on Thingiverse
  Extensive resources and examples for using Tinkercad to create 3D models
• Designing a Penny Trap with Tinkercad
  A detailed walkthrough of creating a Penny Trap using drag-and-drop shapes
• 3D Design Your Own Electronics in Tinkercad
  Getting started with Tinkercad’s new Circuit features

 TopMod

• Topological Mesh Modeling with TopMod
  Video tutorials for getting started with the topological software TopMod

Wings3D

• Learn to Fly With Wings3D
  Getting started resources for the low-poly subdivision modeler Wings3D