3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing with Tinkercad & Cura

Design a 3d model for printing using Tinkercad, then export to stl, slice, and generate g-code for additive manufacturing, with automatic saving and a free online beginner-friendly workflow.

start your 3D printing journey by using tinkercad, login or create a personal account, and begin a new design to start your tinkercad learning journey.

Master the Tinkercad work plane by naming your model, using views (top, right, back, left, front) and orthographic 2D view, and adjusting snap grid and zoom.

Master essential Tinkercad tools for building 3d models by learning copy, paste, duplicate, undo and redo, and grouping and ungrouping, plus align, flip, and rulers for precise measurements.

Learn precise dimensioning of models by setting height, width, length and radius, using work plane and reference plane tools to place objects accurately, align, rotate, and color components.

Master using Tinkercad's hole command to create holes and cut sections by turning a cylinder into a hole, then grouping with the model to remove material.

Discover the range of Tinkercad shapes, from basic blocks to gears and electronics, and learn to use the scribble tool to create, edit, and cut 3D designs.

Learn to use the duplicate command to create complex models in seconds by generating repeatable patterns, such as stairs and sequences of cubes and cones.

Master the ruler tool to measure dimensions in 3d modeling, using origin and midpoints to determine distances along the x and y axes, plus cylinder diameters, heights, lengths, and widths.

Learn to model a hollow cap in Tinkercad by combining a cube and cones, using align, group, duplicate, hide, and cut with a hollow cylinder to shape the top.

Create a nut and bolt in tinkercad using shape generators and the iso metric thread, then align and group parts to assemble the finished nut and bolt.

Break large 3D models into two horizontal parts in tinkercad, print each half separately, then join or glue, and mirror to minimize supports.

Create a metric gear in tinkercad with module 1 and 15 teeth, pitch angle 20, then center a 10 mm hole and group to finalize.

Explore shape generators in Tinkercad to quickly create 3d models by dragging extrusion shapes, exploring shapes, and adjusting dimensions, rotation, inner and outer radii, and offsets for varied designs.

Import, edit, and export STL files in Tinkercad by downloading from Thingiverse, adjusting scale in millimeters, and saving as STL for 3D printing.

Export your Tinkercad model to STL, OBJ, or GLB and convert to SVG for laser cutting, then import the STL into Cura to slice and generate G-code.

Design a 3D model of a chair and desk in Tinkercad for hands-on practice, encouraging students to follow along on PC or laptop to maximize learning.

Create a 3D model of a laptop or PC mouse through a hands-on, guided session, following along with me to reproduce the model.

Create a 3D model of the Eiffel Tower through hands-on training, replicating the previous video using your PC or laptop to maximize learning.

Create a 3d model of an engine piston and cylinder using TINCARCAD and CURA, delivering hands-on training to prepare for accurate 3d printing and prototyping.

Explore how the STL file format encodes a 3D model's surface with tessellated triangles, including ASCII and binary forms, vertex coordinates, and outward normal vectors, for 3D printing with Cura.

Discover how 3d laser scanning non-destructively captures shape and texture to generate editable digital files for CAD, reverse engineering, and 3d printing.

Learn the steps of 3d scanning from data acquisition with laser scanning to building a point cloud, creating a surface mesh, and exporting an stl for printing or reverse engineering.

Compare laser triangulation, photogrammetry, structured light, laser pulse (lidar/time-of-flight), and contact-based digitizing to capture surface geometry, noting their precision and sensitivity to lighting, surface properties, and data requirements.

Leverage 3D scanning to capture precise measurements for industrial design, enable reverse engineering, and drive cad workflows, healthcare prosthetics, education, museums, art, and film production.

Cura slices 3D models into G-code for FDM printers, converting STL, OBJ, or 3MF exports into printer-ready instructions and outlining the modeling, exporting, and slicing workflow.

Download and install Ultimaker Cura, run through setup, review formats like STL, 3MF, and CMF, confirm Windows, Mac, Linux compatibility, and prepare adding your 3D printer in version 4.12.

Learn how to set up a 3d printer in cura, add your printer with custom dimensions, import an stl model, and adjust position, scale, rotation, and material to print.

Learn how Cura defines print quality by adjusting layer height, top and bottom layers, wall thickness, infill density, and fan speed, using custom settings to balance quality and print time.

Learn to customize Cura settings by configuring extruder and nozzle sizes, layer heights, wall and infill options, and infill before walls.

Learn Cura's temperature, speed, cooling, and retraction settings for PLA, along with practical guidance on supports, overhangs, and build-plate adhesion to optimize 3D prints.

Learn to configure Cura parameters, slice a model, view time and material estimates, and generate G-code for 3D printing with PLA or ABS.

Explore common 3D printer types, from FDM for plastic models to SLS, SLA, DMLS, EBM, DLP, and binder jetting, and learn how Tinkercad models become STL and G-code.

Discover fused deposition modeling and its role in affordable 3d printing. Review extruder, hot end, cool end, heated bed, g codes from Cura, and pros and cons.

Explore the four-motor fdm 3d printer, move the bed along x, y, and z to extrude pla layer by layer, generate g-code from stl, or download models from Thingiverse.

Learn to load G-code to a 3D printer via SD card, print from SD, and use prepare and control menus to move axes, preheat, and manage filament.

Explore how selective laser sintering uses preheated polymer, metal, or ceramic powder and a laser to sinter layers without supports, delivering low waste and reusable powder.

Learn how stereolithography SLA 3D printing uses a laser to harden photosensitive liquid resin, building objects layer by layer with a resin tank and build platform.

Learn electron beam melting to fuse metal powder into solid parts in vacuum, using a build platform and recoater, achieving high density with limited materials.

Explore digital light processing 3D printing (DLP), a vat polymerization method that cures liquid resin with a projector, compares it with SLA, and highlights print speed and resolution considerations.

Binder jetting builds three-dimensional parts by depositing binder on a powder bed, delivering fast, high-resolution results with metals, sand, or ceramics, then curing and sintering to control density and porosity.

Explore why supports are required for overhangs and how removal acts as the first post-processing step in FDM and metal 3D printing, leaving marks that later methods smooth.

Master sanding in post-processing of FDM prints: remove supports, smooth rough surfaces with staged grits from 150 to 600, and use wet sanding to control heat.

Break large parts into pieces, print separately, then use gluing and welding to join them into bigger products beyond your printer's build volume, depending on the material.

Prime and paint 3d-printed parts after smoothing, using primer spray as a base layer, in a well-ventilated area or outdoors with a mask to achieve the desired color.

Sand and rinse 3d printed parts to remove particles, then polish them with plastic polishers or buffing wheels on a Dremel to achieve a smooth, classy finish.

Learn how hydro dipping, a water transfer printing technique, applies graphics to 3d printed parts using water transfer paper and a PVA base, improving aesthetics without changing dimensions or tolerances.

Apply epoxy coating to strengthen and seal porosity in 3d printed parts using epoxy resin and hardener in the correct ratio. Sand with 1000–2000 grit and apply a second coat.

learn how electroplating adds a metal coating to 3D printed parts with conductive surfaces, boosting strength and visual appeal through a simple electrolysis process using a power source and electrolyte.

Learn heat treatment as a post-processing method for metal 3d printed parts, including aging and solutioning, to improve microstructures, reduce internal stresses, and enhance ductility and toughness.

Achieve a glossy finish on ABS 3D prints by exposing the exterior to acetone vapors in a closed environment, melting layer lines for a smooth surface.

Explore common FDM 3D printing materials, including PLA, ABS, PET-G, TPU, PVA, PP, nylon, composites, fiber-filled and metal filaments, plus essential post-processing.

Explore standard, clear, tough, flexible, water-washable, dental, and ceramic-filled resins for SLA printing, comparing high-resolution surface quality, strength, post-processing needs, and suitability for thin-walled parts.

Estimate the cost of a 3D printed part by calculating material cost from Cura estimates. Include printing time, electricity, labor, printer depreciation, post-processing, and profit.

Explore the main challenges hindering the adoption of 3d printing, such as equipment cost, limited materials, post processing, in-house resource gaps, and lack of standards and documentation.