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==	3D Printing
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Process:

CAD Model - > Slicer -> Printer

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CAD Model
-Computer Aided Design

Using a program like Sketchup or TinkerCad etc.  You can build a virtual model of object you intend to print.

Make sure your model has:

Good bed adhesion
-- Lots of contact with the ground

Not so many overhangs
-- Try to avoid parts that have nothing underneath them, its tricky to print stuff like that

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Slicer
Using a program like Slic3r, Curaengine etc to build the model you designed is interpreted and the program generates the GCODE need to command the 3D printer to build your object.

GCODE is a series of commands like motor movements, setting temperatures etc designed to build a physical object using the plastic filament used by the 3D printer.

Example:

X20 Y40   
Moves 20mm in the x direction, 40mm in the y direction

E15    
Feeds in 15mm of filament into the extruder to make the plastic come out

Z0.2 Moves up 0.2mm 

There are many settings you can use to make your print come out better.

Infill: density of the print
Feedrate: Speed of print
Temperature: PLA: 200 degrees, PETG or ABS 230 - 240

Raft: Printed base for your model to stick to 
Supports: to deal with nasty overhangs
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PRINTER

Its the actual achine that does the physical work.  There are FDM printers, like what we have in the lab that use plastic filament as the work material.

Others we dont have yet, are resin bases SLS printers that use projected light to harden a liquid resin / glue to build the object.

Terms:

Extruder: where the plastic comes out
Filament: FDM print plastic
heated bed: To help the print stick
FDM: Fused Deposition Modeling
SLS: Selective laser sintering