Table Of ContentSynthesis Lectures on
Digital Circuits & Systems
Tyler Kerr
3D Printing
Introduction to Accessible,
Affordable Desktop 3D Printing
Synthesis Lectures on Digital Circuits
& Systems
Series Editor
Mitchell A. Thornton, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA
This series includes titles of interest to students, professionals, and researchers in the
area of design and analysis of digital circuits and systems. Each Lecture is self-contained
and focuses on the background information required to understand the subject matter and
practical case studies that illustrate applications. The format of a Lecture is structured
such that each will be devoted to a specific topic in digital circuits and systems rather
than a larger overview of several topics such as that found in a comprehensive handbook.
The Lectures cover both well-established areas as well as newly developed or emerging
material in digital circuits and systems design and analysis.
Tyler Kerr
3D Printing
Introduction to Accessible, Affordable
Desktop 3D Printing
Tyler Kerr
Innovation Wyrkshop
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY, USA
ISSN 1932-3166 ISSN 1932-3174 (electronic)
Synthesis Lectures on Digital Circuits & Systems
ISBN 978-3-031-19349-1 ISBN 978-3-031-19350-7 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19350-7
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Preface
This book, “3D Printing: Introduction to Accessible, Affordable Desktop 3D Printing,”
focuses on the foundational concepts of desktop 3D printing and guides readers on a
journey to learn to use and even master desktop 3D printers at home. The book starts
with an overview of 3D printing, including the general history of the subject, the most
common categories of 3D printing, and a number of fascinating current applications across
a wide range of industries. Next, we discuss some of the strengths and weaknesses of
the most common type of desktop 3D printing—fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D
printing—and review how FDM 3D printers typically work. We explore several popular
FDM 3D printer brands and highlight the core features and applications of some of the
most common 3D printing materials. We then dive straight into using and mastering
3D printing software, preparing to 3D print, and—perhaps most exciting—finally hitting
Print. The book culminates with a variety of “STEAM-building” exercises that aim to
ignite that innovative spark and get readers thinking about ways in which they might
apply 3D printing to their own interests, hobbies, and work.
Approach of the Book
This book is the first in what I hope is a long line of instructional 3D printing books
to teach novice readers the ins and outs of many different popular types of 3D printing
technology. It should be accessible and applicable to readers with any size budget and
any level of preexisting knowledge of 3D printing and emergent technology. Ultimately,
the book aims to be approachable enough that anyone—from students, educators, hobby-
ists, and entrepreneurs—might learn valuable information in each chapter. After all, 3D
printers are not just for tech-savvy users or engineers. 3D printing is an innovative and
rapidly evolving technology that anyone can master.
This book is divided into ten chapters that aim to give you all the tools and confidence
necessary to start 3D printing on your own at home. Though we focus specifically on the
popular Prusa i3 MK3S+ desktop FDM 3D printer in many of our examples and lessons,
v
vi Preface
the concepts we’ll cover together can be applied to countless other brands of desktop
FDM 3D printers.
Chapter 1 covers the basics of 3D printing itself, including broadly how it works and
how it has evolved since the 1970s and 1980s. We then explore several different categories
of 3D printing technology, including the popular FDM 3D printing, as well as other types
of 3D printing you might bump into in your journey, such as stereolithography (SLA),
selective laser sintering (SLS), and material jetting (MJ).
There’s a common misconception that 3D printers are only for hobbyists, but this is
far from the truth! Today, 3D printing can be used in vast and varied ways across almost
every industry. Chapter 2 reviews innovative and exciting ways that 3D printing is used
today in manufacturing, education, research, art, fashion, food and nutrition, healthcare,
housing, automotive work, and the aerospace industry.
For the rest of the book, we hunker down with FDM 3D printers, as these are the
most common and thus the most likely 3D printers you’ll have access to as you start 3D
printing.
Before diving into the specifics of how FDM 3D printing works, we run through a
top-down overview of some of FDM 3D printing’s strengths and weaknesses. Chapter 3
reviews some of the key features that make FDM 3D printing so popular, and wraps up
with a discussion of some of the challenges and limitations of the technology.
Chapter 4 explores FDM 3D printing in greater depth and reviews the typical workflow
for getting started, including very basic FDM 3D printer anatomy.
Chapter 5 then reviews a number of popular FDM 3D printer brands, focusing on their
strengths and limitations compared to others on the list. Some readers may find Prusa
i3 MK3S+ 3D printers, which we discuss throughout the book, an ideal choice. Other
readers may have projects that call for an Ultimaker, Creality, LulzBot, Flashforge, or
Monoprice 3D printer. Finally, we wrap up the chapter with detailed information on the
parts and components specific to the Prusa i3 MK3S+ 3D printer. The concepts learned
in Chap. 5, however, should apply to most 3D printer makes and models.
Then, Chap. 6 covers typical filament thermoplastic that you’re likely to use as you
launch into 3D printing. We’ll discuss the benefits and considerations of each type of
material, as well as what each material may be well suited for.
Chapters 7 and 8 take a detailed look at how to operate slicing software. Chapter 7
covers the core concepts and four primary features to consider when starting to 3D print.
Chapter 8 expands on that knowledge and explores a majority of the more advanced
settings you might consider adjusting as you refine and improve your 3D printed project.
We then wrap up Chap. 8 with a review of many common problems you’re likely to run
into, as well as how to start troubleshooting them.
In Chap. 9, it’s finally time to print! First, we run through the final steps necessary
to prepare a sliced project to print on a Prusa i3 MK3S+. We discuss best practices and
final checklists to review before you officially hit Print. Then, we hit Print and start our
project!
Preface vii
Finally, we end the book with Chap. 10, where we cover a wide variety of fun and
engaging “STEAM-building” exercises. These projects are intentionally varied and open-
ended in nature, and designed to get you thinking about how you might apply what you’ve
learned about 3D printing to your own interests, hobbies, and work.
Laramie, WY, USA Tyler Kerr
August 2022
Acknowledgements
I want to thank Dr. Steve Barrett, who fostered and encouraged me early in my mak-
erspace career and, more recently, in my first foray into book writing. Despite the best
efforts from my mother and father—both editors and authors—writing books was never
on my radar. Without Steve, this wonderful opportunity would not have been possible. I
also want to thank Joel Claypool of Morgan and Claypool Publishers for taking a chance
on this topic and on a new author. I hope ours will be a long and productive partnership. I
would also like to thank Dharaneeswaran Sundaramurthy and Vidyalakshmi Velmurugan
from Springer Nature for their help and patient guidance in turning this draft into a pol-
ished, finished book. I must also thank Prusa Research and Ultimaker for making the 3D
printing process approachable and accessible, and for their permission to use hardware
and software imagery throughout this book. I would also like to thank AI SpaceFac-
tory, Alquist 3D, the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum at the University of Dundee,
Dani Clode, e-NABLE, the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History at the College of
Charleston, the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, PolyMaker, and Tel Aviv University for
their consent to use images of their products, projects, research, and copyrighted material
in this book.
Finally, I would be remiss not to mention my family, Mary, John, Cam, and Natasha,
and my ever-supportive partner Kate—all of whom patiently endured many long, overly
excited stream-of-consciousness rants about 3D printing over the years. Last, I should
thank Addi and Murphy, our loveable but attention-starved dogs. Without you two, this
book might have been submitted ahead of schedule, and with far fewer squeaky toy
interruptions.
ix
Contents
1 3D Printing 101 ..................................................... 1
1.1 Objectives ..................................................... 1
1.2 Overview ..................................................... 1
1.3 What is 3D Printing? ........................................... 2
1.4 History of 3D Printing .......................................... 3
1.5 Common Categories of 3D Printing .............................. 4
1.5.1 Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM/FFF) ................... 5
1.5.2 Stereolithography (SLA) ................................. 6
1.5.3 Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) .......................... 7
1.5.4 Material Jetting (MJ) .................................... 8
1.6 Summary ..................................................... 9
1.7 Chapter Problems .............................................. 9
References .......................................................... 10
2 3D Printing Applications Across Industry ............................. 11
2.1 Objectives ..................................................... 11
2.2 Overview ..................................................... 11
2.3 Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing ............................ 12
2.4 Education and Academic Research ............................... 13
2.5 Art, Fashion, and Jewelry ....................................... 14
2.6 Food and Nutrition ............................................. 15
2.7 Healthcare .................................................... 16
2.8 Housing ...................................................... 17
2.9 Automotive ................................................... 18
2.10 Aerospace ..................................................... 19
2.11 Summary ..................................................... 19
2.12 Chapter Problems .............................................. 20
References .......................................................... 21
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