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3D Printer Information

Common 3D Printing Terms and Abbreviations

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

As you learn about 3D printing you will no doubt come across terms and initialisms that you haven’t heard before. On this page you will find a list of definitions for common and not so common 3D Printing terms. The page is divided into sections that are then alphabetized. Filament and resin types are included …

Common 3D Printing Terms and Abbreviations Read More »

Cost Benefits Buttons

Buying a 3D Printer: What You Need to Know

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

3D Printing has become a standard term that most people have heard. You may be aware of 3D printing and have seen some pictures of incredible 3D printed objects on the Internet. If you are wondering about purchasing a 3D printer but are on the fence, this guide is for you. 3D printers are a …

Buying a 3D Printer: What You Need to Know Read More »

3D resin prints post cure

How to 3D Print with Resin: A Step by Step Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

In this article I am going to walk you through resin printing a 3D model step by step. I will show you and discuss all the important steps in detail. In order to 3D print a resin model follow the steps below: Create or Download a Model to Print Use a Slicer to Prepare your …

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Calibration Cube on Build Plate

How to 3D Print in FDM: A Step by Step Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

In this article I am going to walk you through printing a 3D model step by step. I will show you and discuss all the important steps in detail. In order to 3D print a model on an FDM printer follow the steps below: Create or download a model to print Use a slicer to …

How to 3D Print in FDM: A Step by Step Guide Read More »

Computer Displaying Start Here

How To Get Started With Resin 3D Printing

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email I often get asked how someone can get started with resin 3D printing. They want to know how to get into the hobby without wasting a lot of time or money. In this guide we will talk about how you can get started …

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Start Key

How to Get Started with FDM 3D Printing – A Quick Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email I often get asked how someone can get started with Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. They want to know how to get into the hobby without wasting a lot of time or money. In this guide we will talk about how you …

How to Get Started with FDM 3D Printing – A Quick Guide Read More »

Raspberry Pi

How to Set Up and Use OctoPrint for 3D Printing

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email OctoPrint is a great tool for managing your 3D printer(s). Using OctoPrint you can control your 3D printer from the network and allows you to monitor your printer’s current status and print progress. In this guide we will cover how to install and …

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3D Printed Benchy Calibration Test

How to Calibrate your FDM 3D Printer: The Ultimate Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email You finally have your shiny new 3D printer and started printing! But your prints aren’t coming out as nice as those pictures you see posted online. Why are there prints so much better than yours?  Because you need to tune and calibrate your …

How to Calibrate your FDM 3D Printer: The Ultimate Guide Read More »

How Resin 3D Printers Work: A Quick Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email You may have heard of resin printers or have seen the amazing prints they are able to create. If you’re new to 3D printing you may be wondering how resin 3D printers work. A resin printer uses a photocuring UV resin as the …

How Resin 3D Printers Work: A Quick Guide Read More »

How FDM 3D Printers Work: A Quick Guide for Beginners

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you are new to 3D printing you may wonder how exactly 3D printers work. How does a machine take a digital file and turn it into a physical object? In this article we will discuss how 3D printers work in detail. Fused …

How FDM 3D Printers Work: A Quick Guide for Beginners Read More »

3D Resin Printed Dwarf Tabletop Miniature Model

How to 3D Print Miniatures With a Resin Printer

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email When I first started 3D printing it was because I wanted to print terrain and miniatures for my tabletop games. You may be wondering how to print miniatures for your games or simply to paint for display. In this article we will examine …

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knowledge

What You Need to Know Before Buying a 3D Printer

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Many people looking to get into the 3D printing hobby have ideas of how they plan to use a 3D printer. What a lot of people don’t realize is that 3D printing still has a learning curve. Lots of people purchase a 3D …

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Lots of Dollar Bills Worth about $25

Is Buying a 3D Printer worth it? What You Need to Know

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

If you’re new to the idea of 3D printing you may be wondering if it’s worth it to buy a 3D printer. You might have ideas for things to use a 3D printer for and want to find out more about 3D printing. If you enjoy DIY projects or have specific ideas like printing miniatures …

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Boat Model Sliced in Simplify3D

What 3D Slicer Software Does and Why You Need it

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

If you are new to 3D printing you may have heard that you will need a slicing program or slicer for short. In this article we will review what a slicer is and why you need it for 3D printing. 3D printers need specific machine instructions telling them how to print your model. The models …

What 3D Slicer Software Does and Why You Need it Read More »

Hundred Dollar Bills

How Expensive are 3D Printers? A Quick Look

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

When it comes to 3D printing a big factor in someone’s decision to start the hobby is the cost. People want to know how much it costs to get started 3D printing. They don’t realize there are ongoing costs with this hobby. 3D printers cost from under $200 for a budget home printer to over …

How Expensive are 3D Printers? A Quick Look Read More »

Failed 3D print that didn't stick to the bed.

What to do When Your 3D Prints Won’t Stick to the Plate

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Bed adhesion is a critical component of both FDM and resin printing. When a print doesn’t adhere to the build surface it will cause warping and failed prints. In this article we will examine the causes of and solutions to this problem. For …

What to do When Your 3D Prints Won’t Stick to the Plate Read More »

Sand Timer

How Long Will a 3D Print Take? A Quick Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email Unlike Laser and Inkjet printers that can spit out dozens of pages per minute 3D printers take much longer to print. There are several factors that can affect the length of time that a 3D print will take. A 3D print can take …

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Students in Classroom

Using 3D Printers in the Classroom: Things to Know

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

As educators we often are told of new teaching methods and instructional supplies for use in the classroom. In the past several years the concept of using 3D printing in the classroom has been gaining traction. In this article we will look at ways that you can use a 3D printer in your classroom. 3D …

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Laptop with Code

Computers and 3D Printing: What You Need to Know.

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

When discussing 3D printers, the question of do you need a computer often comes up. An alternative question I often get is “do I need a good computer for 3D printing?” In this article I plan to answer both of those questions in detail. You do need a computer for 3D printing; however, it does …

Computers and 3D Printing: What You Need to Know. Read More »

Pile of money

Are Resin 3D Prints More Expensive Than Filament?

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

People new to 3D printing often ask if resin printers are more expensive to print with than FDM. Usually they want to know if getting a resin printer will cost more per print than using an FDM printer. Because there are more consumables involved with resin printing the cost per print of resin is higher …

Are Resin 3D Prints More Expensive Than Filament? Read More »

Decorative Molecular Background

How 3D Printer Resin Works – A quick Overview

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

A common question I am asked is how exactly does 3D resin go from liquid to a solid? The answer involves a little chemistry and physics and is easy to understand. The liquid resin used in photocuring resin printers is a mix of chemical monomers and oligomers. When exposed to UV light, the energy from …

How 3D Printer Resin Works – A quick Overview Read More »

Man in a lab coat mixing chemicals

Can You Mix 3D Printer Resin? A Quick Guide

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you have a few different bottles of printer resin sitting around with only a small bit left in each you may wonder about mixing them. Is it possible or safe to mix different types of 3D printer resin? You can mix different …

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Troubled Learner

Is it Hard to Learn 3D Printing? A Quick Overview

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

3D printers are not as simple as their 2d counter parts. You will need to spend a good amount of time researching for your printer. 3D printing does have a larger learning curve than using an inkjet or laser printer. The good news is, with dedication you can learn this process too! 3D Printing is …

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Picture of a resin printed 3d miniature elf after curing.

How to Effectively Remove Supports from a Resin 3D print

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

If you are new to resin 3D printing you may be wondering the best method for removing supports from a print. In this article I will share the best method I have found for removing supports. The best method for removing supports from an SLA print is to remove the supports before curing. Run the …

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Variety of 3D Printed Terrain

The Best 3D Printers for Tabletop Gaming Terrain

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin Share on email If you enjoy tabletop gaming, you might be thinking about buying a 3D printer for terrain. With a multitude of terrain models available to download printing 3D terrain is a great addition to your hobby! Currently, the best printer for gaming terrain under …

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Elegoo Mars 3D Printer

What Do I Need for Resin Printing? More Than You Think!

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Resin printing is great for producing parts with high levels of detail. Unlike FDM printing a resin part isn’t ready as soon as the printer finishes. To get started with resin printing you will need; a resin printer, resin, a way to wash your prints, a way to cure your prints, extra printer consumables, and …

What Do I Need for Resin Printing? More Than You Think! Read More »

3D Printer Filament

How Long Will 3D Printer Filament Last? A Quick Look

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

If you’re new to 3D printing you may be wondering how much printing you will get from a roll of filament. There are no exact answers because filament rolls are sold by weight not by length. In this article we will estimate how long or how much you can print from a roll of filament. …

How Long Will 3D Printer Filament Last? A Quick Look Read More »

How Loud Are 3D Printers and Making Them Quiet.

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

When someone asks me for advice about getting into 3D printing the question of noise often comes up. Some people worry that the noise from a 3D printer will disturb their family or neighbors. The amount of noise produced by a 3D printer depends upon the style of printer. In general home use 3D printers …

How Loud Are 3D Printers and Making Them Quiet. Read More »

What Does 3D printing Smell Like? Things You Should Know

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

Sometimes my students will ask me if 3D printers smell while they are printing. Other people ask me because they want to get into 3D printing and worry it will smell up their house. In this article we will examine the smells behind 3D printing. All 3D printers will have some amount of smell when …

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Can I 3D Print Anything? What You Need to Know

By Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.

As an educator and 3d printing enthusiast my students often ask if we can 3D print anything. While it is true that you can print many things with a 3D printer, we can’t print everything. What you can print depends on the type of 3D printer and the material. 3D Printers can print many things, …

Can I 3D Print Anything? What You Need to Know Read More »

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This site is owned and operated by Curtis Satterfield.  3dprintknowledge.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

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