Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD (1 ed)

Simplifying 3D Printing with OpenSCAD: Design, build, and test OpenSCAD programs to bring your ideas to life using 3D printers, 1st Edition

A guide to harnessing the power of OpenSCAD to make 3D printing easier

OpenSCAD is an open-source 3D design platform that helps you bring your designs to life. This book will show you how to make the best use of OpenSCAD to design and build objects using 3D printers.

This OpenSCAD book starts by taking you through the 3D printing technology, the software used for designing your objects, and an analysis of the G-code produced by the 3D printer slicer software. Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts and real-world examples such as designing and printing a 3D name badge, model rocket, and laptop stand, the book helps you learn about 3D printers and how to set up a printing job. You'll design your objects using the OpenSCAD program that provides a robust and free 3D compiler at your fingertips. As you set up a 3D printer for a print job, you'll gain a solid understanding of how to configure the parameters to build well-defined designs.

By the end of this 3D printing book, you'll be ready to start designing and printing your own 3D-printed products using OpenSCAD.

What you will learn

• Gain a solid understanding of 3D printers and 3D design requirements to start creating your own objects.
• Prepare a 3D printer for a job, starting from leveling the print bed and loading the filament.
• Discover various OpenSCAD commands and use them to create shapes.
• Understand how OpenSCAD compares to other CAD programs.
• Get to grips with combining text and a cube to create an object.
• Explore the common libraries in OpenSCAD.

Who This Book Is For

This book is for engineers, hobbyists, teachers, and anyone working in the field of 3D printing. Basic knowledge of setting up and running 3D printers is assumed.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started with 3D Printing
2. What Are Slicer Programs?
3. Printing Our First Object
4. Getting started with OpenSCAD
5. Using Advanced Operations of OpenSCAD
6. Exploring Common OpenSCAD Libraries
7. Creating a 3D Printed Name Badge
8. Designing and Printing a Laptop Stand
9. Designing and Printing a Model Rocket
10. The Future of 3D Printers and Design