{"id":165622,"date":"2022-08-15T17:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T09:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=165622"},"modified":"2022-08-25T15:54:29","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T07:54:29","slug":"is-blender-good-for-3d-printing","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/is-blender-good-for-3d-printing","title":{"rendered":"Is Blender Good for 3D Printing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Blender is a popular CAD software that people use to create unique and detailed designs, but people wonder whether Blender is good for 3D printing. I decided to write an article answering this question, as well as giving more useful information that you can use.<\/p>\n

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Keep reading to find out more about Blender and 3D printing, as well as some useful tips to get a great start.<\/p>\n

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Can You Use Blender to Make 3D Prints & STL Files?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes,\u00a0Blender<\/a>\u00a0can be used for 3D printing. More specifically, it can be used to design models meant to be 3D printed, as you can\u2019t 3D print directly from Blender.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The key to creating printable models is making sure they contain no errors which could impede the printing process and being able to export them as STL (*.stl) files. Both conditions can be fulfilled using Blender.<\/p>\n

Once you have your STL file, you can import it into a slicing software (such as\u00a0Ultimaker Cura<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0PrusaSlicer<\/a>), input the printer settings and 3D print your model.<\/p>\n

Is Blender Good for 3D Printing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Blender is good for 3D printing since you can create highly detailed models and sculptures for free, as long as you have some experience. I\u2019d recommend following a tutorial to get good at using Blender for 3D printing. Some beginners love this software, but it does have a bit of a learning curve.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fortunately, as it is such a popular program, there are many resources that can help you get the hang of the basic workflow and delve deeper into 3D printing and its particularities.<\/p>\n

Blender has a flexible and intuitive modelling process that can help you create organic and complex shapes, although it might not be the best choice when it comes to more rigid models, such as mechanical parts for engineering products.<\/p>\n

This type of modelling can also result in some issues, as some users have experienced, such as non-watertight meshes, non-manifold geometry (geometry that cannot exist in the real world) or models that don\u2019t have a proper thickness.<\/p>\n

These will all prevent your model for printing properly, however Blender includes features that help you check and fix your design before exporting it into and STL file.<\/p>\n

Lastly, let us talk about STL files. Blender can import, modify and export STL files. After changing the \u201cObject\u201d mode to \u201cEdit\u201d mode, you can use the 3D Print Toolkit to check for overhangs, inappropriate wall thickness or non-manifold geometry and fix these issues to ensure smooth printing.<\/p>\n

Overall, if you are interested in modelling organic, complex or sculptural models, Blender is one of the best choices on the market, not to mention that it is free.<\/p>\n

These models can also be 3D printed successfully as long as you keep in mind to always analyze your model and make sure that it displays no errors.<\/p>\n

Are there Blender Courses for 3D Printing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

As Blender is such a popular program among creatives, there are many courses available online, and they cover numerous topics, including 3D printing. Chances are, if you were facing an issue related to 3D printing in Blender, someone has had it before and found a solution for it.<\/p>\n

Blender to Printer<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

There are also more complex courses tailored to more specific interests, for example this paid course called\u00a0Blender to Printer<\/a>\u00a0that has a general Blender learning version and a 3D printing for character costumes version.<\/p>\n

Some other platforms that offer Blender courses are:<\/p>\n

Udemy<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

This course walks you through modelling, checking for and fixing issues using the Blender 3D Print Toolbox, exporting in an STL format and printing using a Prusa 3D printer or a printing service.<\/p>\n

It also includes 3D reconstruction, photo scanning and printing, which is an interesting bonus. It is taught on an example-based approach, which some people might find more helpful than a more general overview.<\/p>\n

Skillshare<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

This focuses more on the steps you need to take to ensure an existing model is suitable for printing. The teacher is using a previously created model and analyzes it to see if it is watertight or if it is strong enough to be printed.<\/p>\n

If you know how to model and want a course to guide you through the preparation for exporting, then this one might be more useful<\/p>\n

Blender Studio<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

This course provides a complete overview of Blender modelling and printing. According to its description, it is suitable for both beginners and more advanced users course including both introduction to 3D modelling and awareness of 3D printing issues.<\/p>\n

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It also includes coloring of the models and assets that you can download to follow along.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How to Use Blender to Prepare\/Create STL Files & 3D Printing (Sculpting)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Blender<\/a>\u00a0can be downloaded for free from the official software website. You don\u2019t need an account to download and install it. Once you have it, launch the software and we\u2019re good to start modelling.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s have a look at the process of designing and printing your own model using Blender.<\/p>\n

1. Open Blender and Do the Quick Setup<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Once you open Blender, a pop-up window will appear, allowing you to choose some general selection settings. Once you set these, a new pop-up will appear, allowing you to choose to create a new file or open an existing one.<\/p>\n

There are several workspace options (General, 2D Animation, Sculpting, VFX and Video Editing). You will want to choose General for modelling, or else just click outside the window.<\/p>\n

You can also select Sculpting if you prefer, and this will allow you to have a more organic, although less precise, workflow.<\/p>\n

2. Prepare the Workspace for Modelling for 3D Printing<\/span><\/h3>\n

This basically means setting the units and scale so that they match the ones in the STL file and enabling the 3D Print Toolbox. To adjust the scale, you have to go to \u201cScene Properties\u201d on the right, select the \u201cMetric\u201d system under \u201cUnits\u201d and set the \u201cUnit Scale\u201d to 0.001.<\/p>\n

When you have your Length in Meters as default, this will make one \u201cBlender Unit\u201d equal to 1mm.<\/p>\n

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To enable the 3D Print Toolbox, go to \u201cEdit\u201d at the top, click on \u201cPreferences\u201d, select \u201cAdd-ons\u201d and tick the box next to \u201cMesh: 3D Print Toolkit\u201d. You can now view the toolbox by hitting \u201cN\u201d on your keyboard.<\/p>\n

3. Find a Picture or Similar Object for Reference<\/span><\/h3>\n

Depending on what you would like to model, it\u2019s a good idea to find a reference image or object for it, to help you stick to proportions.<\/p>\n

To add a reference to your workspace, simply go into Object Mode (default mode), then click \u201cAdd\u201d > \u201cImage\u201d > \u201cReference\u201d. This will open up your file explorer so you can import your reference image.<\/p>\n

You can also simply find your file and drag it into blender to insert it as a reference image.<\/p>\n

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Scale the reference using the \u201cS\u201d key, rotate it using the \u201cR\u201d key, and move it using the \u201cG\u201d key.<\/p>\n

Check out the video below for a visual tutorial.<\/p>\n