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3D Printing Service: Printing Request & Resources

 

How to Submit Your Print

There are two ways to submit your print. 

1. Offline

Get help from library staff by going to FabLab during opening hours, or make an appointment with us at fablab@cuhk.edu.cn. 

2. Online

Step 1 - Find/Create a Model

You can either find an existing model that  is designed by others from the Internet or create one on your own.

Step 2 - Slice a Model

After you determine a model, you need to configure its print settings and slice it with a slicing software. It is recommended to use the following tools that work with our current printers. They are all FREE.

Step 3 - Submit a Model

Save your file as STL and ufp/FORM and submit the files below.

Relevant Resources

You can get free existing 3D models on the Internet. Some of the websites are from other countries so they might be slow. You can choose the ones with "Domestic" .

You can also create a model on your own. Here are some recommended software for different levels of users.

Beginner

  • Tinkercad - A free web-based design tool for beginner. The site can be switch to Chinese version.

Intermediate

  • Fusion 360 - It is free for students, teachers, and educators.
  • Blender - Blender is a powerful, free, open source tool for creating 3D animation and models for 3D printing. 
  • SketchUp Make - SketchUp Free is the simplest free 3D modeling software on the web — no strings attached. 

Advanced

  • ​OpenSCAD -It is software for creating solid 3D CAD models, especially for models of machine parts. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X. 

 

  • Ultimaker Cura - It works with the printer Ultimaker S5. Cura is an open-source software tool that provides relevant recomme to new users with its recommended mode, making it an excellent proposition for new users. It is compatible with both Mac OS and Windows.
  • PreForm - It works with the printer Form 3. PreForm is the free print preparation and slicer software for Formlabs SLA 3D printers with automatic algorithms to set up your print’s layout, orientation, and supports. It is compatible with both Mac OS and Windows.

Check out the following official tutorials of these tools and get your print started!

Other Resources

Here is a mix of  recommended modeling tools and slicers from other websites.