3D printing, free and (almost) free: it's possible!

By Yann Merseaux - imprimante3d.co

Since its beginnings in the 1980s, 3D printing has become a production method in its own right, challenging traditional manufacturing methods. Whether for one-off objects, prototypes or small production runs, 3D printing is becoming increasingly popular. It is possible to reduce its cost and make 3D printing - almost - free. But how? That's what we're going to explain.

How to print in 3D without breaking the bank?

The most expensive way to get started in 3D printing is undoubtedly to buy a printer. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid spending hundreds or thousands of euros to print what you want.

Community-based, perfect for beginners: Fablabs

A fablab (contraction of "fabrication laboratory") is a creative space dedicated to collaborative projects. It's the ideal place for beginner "makers" to meet other enthusiasts and exchange ideas about 3D printing.

You'll find fablabs in most major cities, because this type of venue meets a growing demand for sharing advice and learning about 3D printing. This means you can use the fablab's 3D printer for free or at low cost (if you own one, as is often the case), while benefiting from advice from experienced users.

For real do-it-yourselfers: RepRaps

The RepRap project was initiated in 2005 by Adrian Bowyer, PhD in tribology (resistance and friction) and professor at the University of Bath in England. The primary aim of the project was to develop a prototyping machine (in fact, a 3D printer) that would be financially and technically accessible to all. He then put the plans for his machine online for anyone to download and use.

Other people took up the project, modifying his plans to create faster, more precise variants. All these machines have the distinctive feature of being made up of parts that can be printed by another 3D printer.

A very active community is involved in the project. The official RepRap website is a wiki where anyone can edit the entire content. Thanks to this project and its community, makers can build their own low-cost 3D printer.

RepRap 3D printers are therefore "open source" printers, with all plans freely available. Everyone is free to improve or modify them to suit their needs, and to share the result with the community. In particular, you can change the design, modify parts, resize or update them, or modify the firmware.

Get free 3D printing models: 3D model libraries

To help you make your own prints, but also to give you ideas, there are a number of sites that put 3D models online free of charge. These models can be downloaded in STL format, the format used by most 3D printers.

• The most popular of these is Thingiverse.com, which has become one of today's largest databases of STL files. You'll find a wide choice of creations, and probably some inspiration too, as there are dozens of examples to choose from.
  
• Cults3D is also popular with makers. Based in France, Cuts3D is not only a very active community, but also a marketplace where people share or sell their 3D models. Cuts3D is also, and above all, 45,000 free STL files.
  
• CGTrader is a marketplace offering a wide selection of free 3D files for download. Over 740,000 3D models are available for free consultation, from beginners to more experienced makers.
  
• TurboSquid is one of the oldest. Very easy to use, this platform is appreciated by those looking for a wide selection of 3D printable STL files.
  
  
• 3D Models offers dozens of categories and thousands of 3D models that can be modified, printed, integrated or paid for.
  

Free CAD software: Create your own models from A to Z

If you can't find what you're looking for in the 3D model libraries, you can create your own model. To do so, you'll need Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. Today, there are many such programs available, but they can be expensive, even very expensive. Fortunately, there are a number of free CAD programs that enable you to create simple models with varying degrees of difficulty (see Directory of free 3D drawing applications).

• One of these is 3D Builder. This 3D modeling software is integrated into Windows. Very easy to use, it is suitable for both beginners and more experienced makers. You can choose from an extensive library of models.
  
• 3D-Crafter is a simple, intuitive freeware program. It allows you to animate 3D objects with ease, but also to create more complex 3D models.
  
• Blender is one of the best-known. Designed as open source software, it can be scary at first because it's so complex. But once you've mastered it, it's remarkably efficient: some professionals use it on a daily basis.
  
• And last but not least, we recommend Sketchup, one of the most widely used programs for getting started in CAD modeling. Sketchup includes a huge 3D stockpile, and it's easy to find free models.
  

Inexpensive 3D printing is now easier than ever. Makers are becoming more and more numerous, and as such, finding free models or affordable solutions has become quite simple. So don't hesitate to consult websites, forums and the makers' community, and get started with 3D printing!

Illustration: RepRap, self-replicating printer

Yann Merseaux - imprimante3d.co