Book Image

Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD

By : Colin Dow
5 (1)
Book Image

Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD

5 (1)
By: Colin Dow

Overview of this book

Want to bring your 3D designs to life with OpenSCAD, but don’t know where to start? Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD will teach you the key skills so that you can focus on your ideas, not troubleshooting your 3D printer. With the help of this book, you’ll build a solid foundation in 3D printing technology, the software used for designing your objects, and an analysis of the G-code produced by the 3D printer slicer software. You’ll also get to know your 3D printer and find out how to set up a printing job effortlessly — from configuring the parameters to build well-defined designs. Consider yourself a practical learner? Use real-world examples such as designing and printing a 3D name badge, model rocket, and laptop stand, to dive into the world of 3D printers build your skillset. By the end of this 3D printing book, you'll be ready to start designing and printing your own 3D printed products using OpenSCAD and being your ideas into reality.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
1
Part 1: Exploring 3D Printing
5
Part 2: Learning OpenSCAD
9
Part 3: Projects
13
Part 4: The Future

Exploring other CAD programs

Choosing the right CAD software for a project can be a difficult task. The learning curve for any CAD environment is a steep one. To maximize the return on our time, we must take care to choose the right CAD software for our intended application.

Let's look at some of the alternatives we may use.

Fusion 360

Fusion 360, by the American company AutoDesk, combines CAD, CAM, and PCB design in one package. Usage is based on a subscription model, although a free version is available for personal use. Designs in Fusion 360 generally start from a sketch. Constraints and dimensions applied to a sketch may be modified later in the design as Fusion 360 maintains a design history.

In Figure 4.5, we can see a table for a vacuum form machine that was designed in Fusion 360:

Figure 4.5 – Table for a vacuum forming machine

This design was built from extruded sketches. The filet functionality used in this design gives it...