3D printing was my on-ramp to engineering. I started with a used Dremel 3D40 printer, a limited tool by today’s standards, yet it unlocked a habit of prototyping that later fed directly into robotics, automation, and product design work. The journey moved from printing other people’s models to designing my own fixtures, testing materials, and refining slicer profiles until the process became dependable.
The First Prints
Like many beginners, I started by downloading existing STL files. Within a few hours, I could hold a tangible model and see the potential of additive manufacturing. The novelty quickly evolved into curiosity: what would it take to solve my own problems, not just print decorative objects?
Designing My Own Parts
The turning point came when I needed a custom headset holder. No existing model fit my desk, so I taught myself Fusion 360 through tutorials and experimentation. The initial part was functional but blocky; revisions improved the geometry, resulting in a compact, stable mount. That loop of design, print, test, and iterate became my standard workflow.
Material Experiments
I gradually expanded beyond PLA. PETG offered higher temperature resistance for outdoor mounts, while ABS enabled tougher mechanical components. Each material required fresh tuning: bed temperatures, part cooling, and enclosure considerations. Switching materials trained me to diagnose adhesion failures, stringing, and layer separation.
Designing for Additive Manufacturing
- Wall thickness and infill: Balancing strength with material efficiency by matching geometry to load direction.
- Support strategy: Orienting parts to minimise supports, then tuning support density and interface layers for easy removal.
- Tolerances: Accounting for shrinkage and clearance when creating interlocking assemblies or press-fit components.
Optimising the Process
Repeatability mattered more than one-off success. I built slicer profiles that were material-specific, standardised nozzle cleaning routines, and logged adjustments so future prints benefited from previous learning. This discipline drove the 95% print success metric and reduced wasted filament.
Applications Across Projects
- Robotics fixtures: Custom brackets for my CNC conversions and sensor mounts for automation experiments.
- Household solutions: Storage organisers, cable management helpers, and tailored furniture accessories.
- Educational aids: Demonstration parts for explaining mechanical concepts to classmates.
Recommended Starting Setup
- Printers: Bambulab A1 mini, Artillery Sidewinder X3 Pro, or a refurbished Prusa for reliability.
- Software: Fusion 360 for parametric modelling paired with PrusaSlicer for custom profiles.
- Materials: Start with PLA for ease, then branch into PETG and ABS as projects demand.
What 3D Printing Taught Me
- Rapid iteration transforms vague ideas into functional prototypes within days.
- Understanding manufacturing constraints early saves time in downstream fabrication.
- Community forums, maker spaces, and online resources accelerate learning when paired with hands-on testing.