What is 3D Printing?
A beginner-friendly guide to the world of 3D printing
What is a 3D Printer?
A 3D printer is a machine that creates real objects from digital 3D data. Just like a regular printer prints text and images on paper with ink, a 3D printer builds three-dimensional objects by layering material little by little. Toys, tools, accessories, machine parts, art pieces... you can make anything you can imagine!
Did you know? 3D printing is also called "Additive Manufacturing." Unlike subtractive manufacturing (cutting away material), it works by adding material layer by layer!
There Are Many Types of 3D Printers
There are many types of 3D printers, but the most common type you'll see at this event (JRRF) is the "FFF" (Fused Filament Fabrication) type.
FFF / FDM (Filament-based)
It melts plastic thread (filament) with heat and layers it like soft-serve ice cream to build shapes. This is the most popular method for home 3D printers.
Note: "FDM" is a trademark of Stratasys. The generic term for the same technology is "FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication)."
Under ISO/ASTM standards, this is classified as MEX (Material Extrusion).
Other types include
Resin (SLA/DLP)
Uses light to cure liquid resin. Great for very detailed models like figures and jewelry.
Powder Bed (SLS)
Uses a laser to sinter powder material. Mostly industrial, produces strong parts.
What is Filament?
Filament is the material used in FFF 3D printers. It's a thin plastic thread (usually 1.75mm diameter) wound on a spool. There are many colors and materials to choose from!
Best for beginners! Made from plant-based materials like corn. Easy to use with clean results.
Same material as LEGO bricks. Durable but needs ventilation due to fumes during printing.
Similar to PET bottles. Stronger than PLA and water-resistant.
Flexible like rubber. Great for phone cases and shoe insoles.
The 3D Printing Workflow
From idea to object in 3 big steps!
STEP 1: Prepare a 3D Model
First, you need 3D data of what you want to print. There are many ways to get it!
Design with CAD
Design from scratch with software like Fusion 360 or Tinkercad. The true joy of making!
Generate with AI
Recently, AI services can generate 3D models from just text or images. This field is evolving rapidly!
3D Scan
Scan real objects with a 3D scanner to digitize them. Great for replicating figures or reverse engineering.
Download
Download models made by designers worldwide. Sites like Thingiverse, Printables, and MakerWorld have tons of free and paid models!
STEP 2: Slice with Slicer Software
Once you have a 3D model, you use "slicer" software. A slicer divides the 3D model into thin layers (slices) and converts it into instructions (G-code) that the 3D printer can understand. Here you adjust print quality, speed, strength, and more.
The software is called a "slicer" because it slices the 3D model into thin layers.
Popular Slicers
PrusaSlicer
Forked from Slic3r (the pioneering open source slicer). Developed by Prusa Research. Feature-rich, popular with advanced users
OrcaSlicer
Forked from Bambu Studio (which is based on PrusaSlicer). Developed by SoftFever. Originally called 'Bambu Studio SoftFever'. Currently the fastest-growing slicer
Bambu Studio
Based on PrusaSlicer. Optimized for BambuLab printers
Cura
Developed by UltiMaker (formerly Ultimaker). Independent lineage. Beginner-friendly interface
There are many other slicers out there, but most recent ones are derivatives of these four. They're all open source (including Cura), so try them out and find the one that works best for you!
STEP 3: Print!
Send the G-code file from the slicer to the 3D printer, and let it do its thing! Small objects take minutes, large ones can take hours or even days. When done, just remove the support material if needed — most prints are ready to use as-is.
Benefits of Building Your Own Printer
There are many ready-made 3D printers available, but you also have the option of building one from scratch or assembling a kit. It might sound daunting, but it actually comes with a lot of benefits.
Hands-on Mechanical Assembly Experience
You'll gain fundamental mechanical skills — assembling aluminum extrusions at right angles, installing belts and pulleys, drilling holes, and tightening screws. It's a hands-on way to learn the basics of building machines.
Learn Electrical Wiring
By wiring motors, heaters, thermistors, fans, and other components yourself, you'll learn the fundamentals of electrical systems. You may also need to crimp connectors or solder, building valuable electronics skills.
Firmware & Software Setup
Through firmware flashing and configuration, you'll also gain software knowledge. Depending on the printer, you may need to set up networking, CAN bus communication, or work with Linux — a great introduction to embedded systems and IT.
Learn About Material Properties
During assembly, you'll encounter various material properties — aluminum for frames, steel for linear rails, and plastic for printed parts. You'll also learn filament characteristics through hands-on experience.
Fully Customizable
Because you build it yourself, you can customize it to fit your exact needs. Build volume is entirely up to you — for example, you could build a printer with a wide bed but low height if that's all you need.
Parts Sourcing Skills
If you source parts yourself instead of buying a kit, you'll develop procurement skills — finding quality components at good prices by comparing domestic and international suppliers, buying in bulk, and negotiating. These sourcing skills are valuable across all areas of making.
Repair & Maintain It Yourself
When you've built a printer yourself, you understand every part of it — so when something breaks, you can fix it yourself. Replacing parts or upgrading components is straightforward. Being able to maintain your machine without relying on manufacturer support is a huge advantage.
What is Open Source?
"Open source" is like publishing a recipe so that anyone can cook it, improve it, and share it with others. The term spread in the software world in the 1990s, and at its core it values making things available for anyone to use for any purpose, including commercial use.
This idea of sharing things openly and improving them together is also very important in the world of 3D printing. At the same time, from the standpoint of long-term sustainability, many projects today publish their information not as open source in the strict sense, but under licenses with a similar spirit, such as Creative Commons. Not everything introduced on this page is the same kind of open source, but all of these projects have played an important role in the growth of the industry.
RepRap — Where It All Began
In 2005, Professor Adrian Bowyer from the UK started a project with the concept of "a 3D printer that can print its own parts." This open source project is the origin of today's home 3D printers. The "RepRap" in JRRF's name comes from here!
VORON — Community-Driven High-Performance Printers
VORON is an open source 3D printer developed collaboratively by engineers and makers worldwide. Design data is published on GitHub, and anyone can build or modify their own. You'll see many VORON exhibits at JRRF!
Prusa i3 — A Direct Descendant of RepRap
An open source 3D printer designed by Josef Prusa, directly descended from RepRap. Its simple yet excellent design has been widely copied and improved worldwide, becoming the standard form for home FFF printers. Prusa Research continues to develop new models.
Ender-3 — The Printer That Democratized 3D Printing
Creality's Ender-3 democratized 3D printing with its low price and decent quality. One of the best-selling 3D printers in the world, it became many people's gateway into 3D printing.
Positron — The Foldable 3D Printer
Positron is a unique 3D printer that folds up compactly. Its innovative design has attracted a lot of attention.
Fraxinus — Open Source Printer from Japan
Fraxinus is an open source 3D printer project born from the Japanese maker community. It showcases the technical capabilities of Japan's maker scene.
More Public Projects
Balancing Openness and Sustainability
To be clear, "open source" does not simply mean that something is publicly visible. It has a fairly specific meaning: anyone should be able to use, modify, and redistribute it, including for commercial purposes. That is exactly why hardware projects can find it difficult to sustain a business under those terms alone. Wide sharing helps the whole industry grow, but if cheaper copies based on the same design spread quickly, the original creators may have a harder time funding future development and support. As a result, many projects think carefully about which parts to release as open source and which parts to publish under other licenses such as Creative Commons.
If this made you curious about open source, here are a few related readings that explain it in a more intuitive way.
Related Reading
An open source analogy: Open source is like sharing a recipe
Opensource.com
What is open source software? Explain Like I'm 10
ELI10
Want to Learn More? Watch "Print the Legend"
"Print the Legend" is a 2014 Netflix documentary that chronicles the early days of the 3D printing industry. It follows two startups — MakerBot and Formlabs — and portrays the real struggles of people caught between open source ideals and business realities.
- MakerBot's rapid growth and acquisition by Stratasys
- The ripple effects of switching from open to closed source
- Formlabs' Kickstarter success and patent lawsuits
- The '3D printing Macintosh Moment'
Come See Real Printers at JRRF!
You can't learn everything online. The charm of JRRF is seeing real 3D printers in action, touching them, and talking to the people who built them. Beginners are absolutely welcome! Come and have fun.
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