MakerBot - How to Print an Object from Thingiverse.com

In this article, we'll review the steps to print a Thingiverse Thing on your MakerBot 3D printer. Step 1 – Find Your Thing. Thingiverse.com has a user-friendly ... Skiptocontent MakerBot HowtoPrintanObjectfromThingiverse.com MakerBotThingiverse(www.thingiverse.com)isanonlinedatabaseofthousandsofThingsthatusershavedesignedanduploadedforeveryonetoenjoy.Hereyouwillfindthefilestoeverythingfromcitrusjuicerstosmartphonecoverstotoyrockets-andthey’reallfree.Thisisafunwebsitetobrowsefor3Dprintablefilesandyou’reboundtocomeawaywithsomedesignideastocreateyourownprojects.Inthisarticle,we’llreviewthestepstoprintaThingiverseThingonyourMakerBot3Dprinter.Step1–FindYourThingThingiverse.comhasauser-friendlyinterfaceallowingyoutobrowseandfindThings.UndertheExplorebutton,thingsarecategorizedbyThings,CustomizableThings,Collections,Categories,andApps.Eachlinkhasanassortmentofdifferentthings.It’sworthtakingjustaminutetobrowsearoundandbecomefamiliarwiththecategories.Youcanalsosearchforaspecificitemusingthesearchbox.AfewtipsasyoubrowseThings:YoucanrotateandzoomaThingbyclickingthe3DdrawingoftheThingandthenclicking Thingiview.ThereareoftencommentsundertheimageoftheThing.Thesecanhelpyoudecideifit’ssomethingyoureallywanttoprintornot,basedonothers’experiences.IfyoucreateaThingiverseaccount,youcansaveyourowncollection,followusers,andmore.Step2–DownloadYourThingDownloadingafileisassimpleasclickingthe DownloadthisThing! button.Awindowwillappearshowingsomebasicinformationaboutthefileincludingnumberofdownloads,filesize,filetype,etc.We’vecomeacrosssomedifferenttypesoffilesonThingiverse.com;ensurethefileisa.stlfilesoitwillworkontheMakerBot3Dprinter.Ifeverythinglooksgood,clickthe DownloadAllFiles button.Thefilewilldownloadasazippedfile.Onceyousaveittoyourcomputer,youwillneedtounzipit.Step3–OpentheThinginMakerWareNOTE:Ifyouhaven’talready,youwillneedtoinstallMakerWarebeforecompletingthisstep.MakerWareisavailableforfreeat: http://www.makerbot.com/makerware/.MakerBot’sdrivingsoftwareiscalledMakerWare.ThisisthesoftwarethatslicesthemodelintolayersandtellstheMakerBot3Dprinterhowtobuildit.Wewon’tgetintoallthefeaturesofMakerWareinthisarticle,justthosefeaturesyou’llneedtoprintyourThing.AfteropeningMakerWare,clickthe Add button.NavigatetothefileyoudownloadedfromThingiverseandclick Open.ThePutonPlatform?dialogwindowwillopen.Click Yes.Atthispoint,youcanrotate,move,andscaleyourobject.Step4–MakeItClickthe MakeIt button.Adialogwindowwillappearwithsomeoptions.Youcan MakeItNow or ExporttoaFile.Choose MakeItNow ifyourMakerBotisconnectedtoyourcomputerandyouwanttomakeitnow.Choose ExporttoaFile toprintusingtheSDcardortosavethefiletoprintatalatertime.We’regoingtoExportotaFileandusetheSDcard.Youcanalsochoosetheversionofprinteryouhave,qualityoftheprint,andwhetherornotyouwanttheprintonaraft.WechoseMakerBotReplicator2,highestqualityofprintandnottousearaftorsupports.Afterchoosingyoursettings,click Export!.Choosewhereyouwouldlikethefiletosaveandclick Save.MakerWarewillsavethefileasan.x3gfile.MakerWarewillnowsliceyourfile.Thiscantakesometimedependingonthespeedofyourcomputer.Youcanseetheprogressinthebottom,rightcorner.Afterslicing,aPrint-to-filewindowappears.Thiswillalsotakejustamomenttocomplete.Inourexperience,thereisaperiodoftimebetweenthePrint-to-filebeingdoneandwhenthefileappearsandisreadytouse.MakerWaredoesn’tgiveyouanindicationofwhereit’satintheprocess.However,bepatient;we’veneverhadafilenotappear.Step5–PrintOnceyouhavethe.x3gfile,you’rereadytoprint.CopyittotheSDcardandinsertthecardintoyourMakerBot.Click BuildfromSD,andthenselectyourfilefromthelist.YourMakerBotwilldotherest.Nowthatyou’vesuccessfullyprintedanobjectcreatedbysomeoneelse,youmightbeinterestedindesigningyourownobjecttoprint.YoucandothisthroughSketchUp,Tinkercad,oranothermodelingsoftware. ScrolltoTop GetaFreeQuote