Chapter 1: Getting Started with 3D Printing

One of the best-value 3D printers on the market today is the Creality Ender 3 V2 3D printer, offering a decently sized print bed with a sturdy aluminum frame. So popular is the Ender 3 V2 and other Ender 3 series printers that you can also find many upgrades and modifications to add; many of these may be 3D printed using the printer itself.

The history of 3D printers can be traced back to the 1980s. Early printers involved the use of lasers making patterns in liquids and powders. In 2005, the open source RepRap project was started and the era of 3D printers with spools of hard plastic filament was realized. Today, 3D printing is available for the general public, and is relatively affordable with machines such as the Ender 3 V2.

We are going to start our journey by having an overview of this printer before we level the bed – by far the most important step to get a good 3D print.

We will finish the chapter off with a discussion of the types of materials that we may print with the Ender 3 V2.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• Understanding the Creality Ender 3
• Leveling the print bed
• Materials available for 3D printing