Prepare Your 3D Model For 3D Printing With FreeCAD

This tutorial has been realized for FreeCAD users interested in 3D printing. With that FreeCAD tutorial they will learn some tips to realize a printable model with that software.

Thus in this 3D modeling software tutorial, you will learn best practices to model, correct and export a part for 3D printing. You will be able to :

• Model for 3D printing with FreeCAD
• To analyse and export in an optimal way your 3D file
• To resolve common modelization issues

Freecad is a 3D modeling software oriented to industrial design. It’s based on geometric shapes manipulation (entirely sized) or constraints sketches. (eg : each point of the drawing has a specific coordinate). In that way, this 3D design program is an excellent tool for modeling a functional part which you have already in mind.

Written in Python, Freecad has a parametric functioning. The operations sequence is accessible in the arborescence, which permits to modify at any time, the sizing of the manipulated parts.

With FreeCAD, it’s possible to directly export to .STL (format), with a good accuracy. As .STL format is the reading format for 3D printers, Freecad is adapted for designing for 3D printing.

You don’t need to be an expert in Freecad to follow and understand that 3D design tutorial. Nevertheless, it’s important to manage the main functionalities as we will here be focused on good design practices to create 3D models for 3D printing. We won’t have the opportunity to present in details the Freecad design features step by step. To get more information on the basics of this 3D modeling software, you can look for a video tutorial for FreeCAD on YouTube, for instance.

FreeCAD is an Open Source software, completely free. Adapted to do-it-yourself projects or to light corporate modeling, FreeCAD allows to make a layout, has functionalities (modules) for robotic, architecture, and has also a finite elements calculations module. Being an Open Source software, this 3D CAD software presents the advantage to be entirely modular, thus you can add your own Python functionalities if needed, either download it and add it as a macro.

When you will be done with reading this FreeCAD tutorial, you will be ready to use our 3D printers! Simply send us your FreeCAD file, choose one of our 3D printing materials, and you will get your 3D objects!