Tinkercad basics
Tinkercad is a free web app from Autodesk for 3D design. You make a free account at tinkercad.com and work in your browser. There is nothing to install.
The five moves
These five moves let you build almost anything:
1. Shapes
Drag a shape from the library onto the workplane.
2. Size
Type the exact size in millimetres.
3. Align
Line shapes up exactly.
4. Hole
Turn a shape into a cutter.
5. Group
Combine shapes and cut the holes.
Design for printing
A design that looks good on screen can still fail on a 3D printer. Follow these rules:
- Work in millimetres.
- Make walls at least 1.2 mm thick.
- Leave 0.3 to 0.5 mm clearance where parts must fit together.
- Do not leave parts floating, and avoid big overhangs.
- Use bold text. Thin letters fail.
Next step
Pick a challenge: a test-tube rack for HLO or a battery holder for ELECTRO.