3DPrint: How to print using Cura or Repetier
1. How does 3D printing works?
The starting point of 3d printing is a 3D model. You can build one of them on your own or import it from a 3D repository. There are a number of software available e.g. 3D scanner, app, haptic unit, or 3D modeling software for building a 3d model. There are various software options available for 3D modeling. Industrial sized software can easily cost thousands per license per year and you can also get free software.
When you've a 3D model, the next step is to set up your 3D printer file for that. That is known as slicing. Slicing divides a 3D model into hundreds or even thousands of horizontal layers, and is done with software. Some 3D printers have an integrated slicer that allows the feeding of raw.stl, .obj or even CAD files. After slicing your file become ready for your 3D printer to be fed in. This can be accomplished via USB, SD or web. Your sliced 3D model is now ready for 3D printing.
The key aspect of this technique is that even complex models can be formed with ease, utilizing fewer materials than older techniques of manufacture. There is a reduction in transport needs, as products can be printed on site. And one-off products can be created cheaply and inexpensively, without having to worry about economy of scale – which could be a game-changer for quick prototyping, custom manufacturing and highly customized products. The materials used during 3D printing, moreover, can be almost anything: plastic, certainly, but also metal, powder, concrete, liquid, even chocolate.