Overview

A Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing is the perfect resource for those who would like to experiment with 3D design and manufacturing, but have little or no technical experience with the standard software. Author Mike Rigsby leads readers step-by-step through 15 simple toy projects, each illustrated with screen caps of Autodesk 123D Design, the most common free 3D software available. The projects are later described using Sketchup, another free popular software package. Beginning with basics projects that will take longer to print than design, readers are then given instruction on more advanced toys, including a baking-powder submarine, a train with expandable track, a multipiece airplane, a rubber band-powered car, and a noise-making push toy with froggy eyes. Once trained in the basics of computer-aided design, readers will be able to embark on even more elaborate projects of their own creation.

Author Biography

Mike Rigsby is a professional electrical engineer and author of Amazing Rubber Band Cars, Doable Renewables, and Haywired. He has written for Byte, Circuit Cellar, Modern Electronics, Popular Science, Robotics Age, and other magazines. He lives in Gainesville, Florida.