Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents at a Glance -- Table of Contents -- About the Author -- About the Technical Reviewer -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Why Own a 3D Printer? -- It's a Big World of 3D Printers -- About This Book -- Learning by Making -- Sharing Things -- Chapter 1 A World of 3D Printers -- Tea. Earl Grey. Hot. -- How a 3D Printer Works -- Cartesian Robot -- Thermoplastic Extruder -- Printbed -- Linear Motion -- Endstops -- Frame -- A Survey of 3D Printers -- RepRaps -- RepRap Mendel -- RepRap Huxley -- Box Bots -- MakerBot -- MakerGear Mosaic M1 -- Ultimaker -- RepStraps -- whiteAnt CNC -- Upstarts -- MendelMax and AO-100 -- RepRap Wallace and Printrbot -- Choosing the Right 3D Printer -- 3D Printer Summary -- Print Volume Comparison -- Buying a Kit or Building Your Own -- Buying a Kit -- Building Your Own -- The Choice Is Yours -- Choosing the Right Material -- Filament Materials -- Filament Diameter -- Buying Filament -- Basic Tools and Supplies -- Hand Tools -- Electronics Toolkit -- Printing Supplies -- Summary -- Chapter 2 3D Printer Toolchain -- From a 3D Model to a 3D Object -- 3D Models -- Slicing and Toolpath -- Printer Control -- So, What's a Toolchain? -- Electronics -- RepRap Arduino Mega Pololu Shield -- Sanguinololu -- Printrboard -- Firmware -- Sprinter -- Marlin -- SJFW -- MakerBot -- Slicers -- Skeinforge -- SFACT -- Slic3r -- Printer Control -- ReplicatorG -- Pronterface -- RepSnapper -- Repetier-Host -- netfabb Engine -- Summary -- Chapter 3 Calibrating Your Printer -- The First Steps -- Talking to the Machine -- Making Things Move -- Going Home -- Heating Things Up -- Printing Overview -- Downloading a Model -- Slice the Model -- Print the Model -- Print Settings -- Perimeters -- Solid Layers -- Infill -- Layer Height -- Transform -- Printer and Filament -- Print Speed -- Print the Bunny.

Calibration Prints -- Starting on the Right Foot -- Circle, Circle, Circle -- Pyramid of Power -- Firmware Settings -- Initial Settings -- Calibrating Axis Movement -- X and Y Steps -- Z Steps -- Extruder Steps -- Mechanical Settings -- Uploading Firmware -- Summary -- Chapter 4 3D Models from the Cloud -- Places to Find and Share 3D Models -- Thingiverse -- I Made One -- I Made a Derivative -- Upload a Thing -- Open Licensing -- Google 3D Warehouse -- Downloading a Model -- Exporting an STL in SketchUp -- Using netfabb to Repair STLs -- Introducing Web-based Solid Modeling -- 3DTin -- Tinkercad -- Project: Alien Invaders -- Drawing with Cubes -- Extruding Shapes -- Saving and Exporting an STL for Printing -- Wrapping It Up -- Summary -- Chapter 5 3D Haiku -- Making a Vector Image -- Working with Inkscape -- Drawing Shapes with Inkscape -- Inkscape Path Operations -- Working with Text -- Designing the 3D Haiku -- Preparing the Vector Image -- Converting to Paths and Working with Nodes -- Converting Curves to Lines -- Preparing the File -- Setting Up Layers -- Saving the File -- Extruding a Vector Image -- Working with OpenSCAD -- Making Objects in OpenSCAD -- Add and Subtract Objects -- Move and Rotate Objects -- 2D to 3D -- Making Things Interesting -- Moving and Rotating the Haiku -- Adding to Our Design -- Make Ready for Printing -- Wrapping It Up -- Summary -- Chapter 6 Steampunk Warship -- Intermediate OpenSCAD Techniques -- Variables -- Special Variables -- fn -- fa -- fs -- Strings -- echo() -- str() -- Modifiers -- Background Modifier -- Debug Modifier -- Root Modifier -- Disable Modifier -- Modules -- Designing the Steampunk Warship -- File Setup -- Setting Print Area -- Creating Modules -- Ship's Hull -- Hull Sides -- Main Deck -- Midship -- Sponsons -- Midship Cabin -- Designing the Details -- Smokestacks -- Vents -- Main Turrets.

Finishing Up the Model -- Make Ready for Printing -- Wrapping It Up -- Summary -- Chapter 7 Action Hero Mashups -- A Mashup? -- Basic OpenSCAD Mashups -- Importing STLs -- Operations on STLs -- Putting Together a Simple Mashup -- Complex OpenSCAD Mashups -- Starting the Mashup in OpenSCAD -- Using MeshLab -- Removing Parts of the Model -- Reducing Faces -- Bringing It Back to OpenSCAD -- Finishing the Mashup in OpenSCAD -- Adding Support -- Mashups in MeshMixer -- Creating Parts -- Mixing Meshes -- Mashup Bonus Round -- Making a Part in MeshMixer -- Finishing the Part in OpenSCAD -- Wrapping It Up -- Assembling the Minions -- Summary -- Chapter 8 Mini Sumo Robot -- What Is Mini Sumo? -- Working with SketchUp -- SketchUp Workspace and Templates -- Drawing Basic Shapes -- Drawing Complex Shapes -- Navigation -- Designing a Mini Sumo Robot -- Getting Started -- Battery Compartment -- Motor Mounts -- Front End -- Wheels and Supports -- Motor Supports -- Axle Mounts -- Battery Clips -- Cleaning and Detailing -- Cleaning Up the Model -- Mounting Points -- Dozer Blade -- Wrapping Things Up -- Make Ready for Printing -- Putting It Together -- Adding Electronics -- Summary -- Chapter 9 Bonus Round: More Projects -- Project: Windup Walkers -- Measuring the Mechanism -- Designing the Windup Model -- The Basic Shape -- Adding the Winder -- A Little off the Top -- Finishing It Up -- Gargoyle Walker -- Gnome Walker -- Robot Walker -- Wrapping Things Up -- Project: Squiggle Vases -- Drawing Some Lines -- Completing the Profiles -- Making Straight-Line Segments -- Creating Layers -- Extruding the Profile -- Remeshing in MeshLab -- Cleaning Up the Vase -- One Last Thing -- Wrapping Things Up -- Summary -- Chapter 10 Bonus Round: Upgrades -- Mechanical Upgrades -- Timing Belts and Pulleys -- Tooth Profiles -- Timing Belts -- Timing Pulleys -- Linear Bearings.

Leadscrews and Shaft Couplers -- Electronics Upgrades -- Mechanical Endstops -- Heated Printbed -- Cooling Fan -- SD Card -- Setting Up RAMPS -- Enabling SD Support -- Formatting the SD Card -- Printing from SD -- Even More Upgrades -- Filament Spool Holder -- Replacement Extruder -- Summary -- Appendix A: Printing Tips -- Maintenance -- Lubrication -- Printbed Surfacing -- Cleaning -- Other Maintenance -- Troubleshooting -- Print Curling -- Thin Layers and Layer Splits -- Poor Infill -- More Tips -- ABS Cement -- Changing Filament -- Appendix B: Resources -- Additional Resources -- Forums and Groups -- Wikis -- Blogs to Follow -- Other Information -- Sources for 3D Models -- 3D Modeling Software -- Selected Suppliers -- Printer Suppliers -- Parts and Filament Suppliers -- Hardware Suppliers -- Models Used in This Book -- Cool Things to Print -- Index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2025. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.

Licensed e-book