3D print job?

Yarome · Mar 22, 2023

I know there are those among us who do 3D printing, but forget exactly who they are.

I really have no idea how it all works, but I have a txt file that I guess I want to have converted to an stl file? I may need some dimension variables changed from the original.

In the end, I'm looking to have it printed and shipped, but not sure exactly how to proceed or how common the printer required is. The file notes nozzle sizes, greek, greek, greek! I tried putting the file in openscad but all that did was throw up a blank preview with 30 lines of error messages.

This is the file I'm looking at.

UL canister stand - Pastebin.com

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pastebin.com

Anyone willing to chime in would be appreciated.

RTFM · Mar 22, 2023

I'm new-ish to it also -

Step 1 is the design the print with is an .STL file in some sort of 3d modeler software "Tinker cad"
Step 2 create G code (3 dimensional coordinators with a slicer program (more below) "Cura"

The .STL file is placed in another program that is called a slicer, which literally slices the print in to thin layers.

There are other particulars, like print speed, depth per layer, if the print needs support you or it will create how and where the support will be (think top heavy things that need well... support to keep standing...)

Once created, this is the file the printer uses to create the 3d print. "G code" Like a CNC machine would use, X, Y, Z coordinates with layer depth and speed.
Depending on the part there are other considerations for the material used for the job - does it need to be flexible, impact resistant, metal infused, just general 'thing' with no special requirements... etc

I picked up my printer for $350 and am in the process of learning it have had the typical trials and tribulations fails and successes with my prints.
I am no where near "good" yet but I like the process and understand it well enough to see my issues in my prints and can work them out.

CHEP has a good first contact video

Yarome · Mar 22, 2023

It's all Greek to me. I just want to get that text into a file that can be used by a printer. It seems like most services are asking for the .stl file so I'm stuck at figuring out how to get from point "A" to point "B".

Yarome · Mar 22, 2023

Are there online resources that you can plug text like that into that will generate an stl file? Or it's only done within a cad type program? Specific to 3D printers or all cad programs save in a common format?