How can you learn 3D printing skills quickly?

Few tips that i think are important while deciding which printer to buy - 1. FDM Open Source (Ender 3 Pro) - For hobbyists and learners. - Affordable and customizable. - Limited commercial use due to lower quality. 2. FDM Expensive (e.g., Prusa i3 MK3S) - Improved quality and dual extruders. - Suitable for small-scale commercial use. - User-friendly but pricier. 3. SLA Printers (e.g., Formlabs Form 3) - High-quality, fast prints. - Commercial potential but needs resin handling. - Suited for pros and small businesses. 4. Advanced (Polyjet, Metal) - Industrial-grade precision. - Costly, complex, for large-scale use. - Not for beginners or hobbyists.

Choosing a 3D printer is one of the most challenging parts of getting into the additive manufacturing realm. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) suits hobbies, while commercially, Stereolithography (SLA) or Digital Light Processing (DLP) yield smoother finishes. Businesses seeking precision might favor Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) or Multi-Jet Fusion (MJF) for durable parts from powders, benefiting aerospace and automotive sectors. Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) excels for high-performance metal parts in healthcare and manufacturing. Consider factors like build volume, materials, and long-term costs. Tailoring your choice ensures you harness the potential of 3D printing, whether you're a hobbyist or a a revolutionary industry player.

While choosing a 3D printer, it's very important to also keep the applications in mind. What materials can be used and is the printer compatible with the materials, any special boundary constraints that you need to operate with ( I.e. high temperature, high pressure etc). Having a clear idea on how your printer satisfies your end goal is the important part. It can be in the prototyping stage, tooling stage or the product development itself. Staying clear in this aspect will also help the customer zero down on what they want easily without any hassles.

Although you might want to jump headfirst into 3D printing, it's often better to buy a smaller, more easily repairable model. This will help build the skills required to fix any issues that may arise as well. After your first foray into FDM or even SLA, you'll have the confidence to begin pursuing more high-tech or experimental printers. Regardless if you start small or not, remember that there's always a brimming community of other makers who can help.

There are numerous open-source resources, models, codes, and videos available that aid beginners in advancing their skills in 3D printing. It's crucial to engage in hands-on experience, make mistakes, and learn from them to truly grasp the intricacies of 3D printing. When dealing with 3D printers across various price ranges, you're likely to encounter several challenges during printing or device maintenance. Managing these aspects independently contributes to a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of 3D printing.

It is important to become a member of online communities of engineers and 3D printing enthusiasts. There are many experienced engineers who will give you assistance in every step. It is better to start with low cost printers, make mistakes, learn, and afterwards proceed to more expensive and professional devices.

In my experience, learning the basics comes from learning how a 3d printer is assembled. It will make you pass through the journey of the mechanical assembly, the electronics assembly, and the operating system setup. After you assemble your first 3D printer, I’m sure you will have passed enough info to understand how this printer works and how to maintain it. Watch tutorials to know how to assemble your first 3d printer. Afterwards you learn the slicing process, which is turning 3d models in g-code and a g-code is basically the language of the 3d printer to understand the coordinates of your model and where, with what speed and how much extrusion of filament are needed in every layer of your model.

I have been using 3D printers for about 10 years and the evolution has been significant. Nowadays dan printers are so simple that you need very little knowledge. If you run into an issue, Google is your friend. The community out there is great!

slicing for desktop fdm / sla printers will help you gain insights on different setting. - troubleshooting process can help you learn lot about how slicing can affect different parameters - learn basic setting with " starter setting. " this give you option to explore very basic setting without you being confused with other sub-settings. - explore - try following YouTube videos. how they fine tune setting and why

I've found there are very few compatibility issues between models and the printer. As long as the printer supports the format of the model (usually.stl) & you're willing to pay for decent quality models, you should be able to print anything you find. For editing exciting or creating your own 3D models, learning Blender is a must.

Start printing some test parts you can find online. This will get you to learn your printer. Designing basic 3D shapes in CAD is possible using tutorials. After that it’s learning on the “job” and you will already start think in CAD when you have an idea!

Many of the top slicing software are well-maintained, with incredible user customizability. This is especially helpful to modify for the specific use-case. For stronger prints to hold tools, increasing perimeters, infill, and the extrusion modifier can make prints much stronger. Aside from the settings required to print the actual material, almost every option can be experimented with and optimized, so don't be afraid to fiddle!

Many beginners often hold the misconception that 3D printers function like magic, requiring just a design file to effortlessly create flawless parts. This notion, however, couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that 3D printing is a continuous learning process and demands a considerable amount of trial and error on the part of the user. This process continues until one achieves a satisfactory end product, although this success isn't guaranteed each time due to changing design, material, software and/or parameter factors. Therefore, 3D printing necessitates a great deal of patience so that consistent results can be achieved. Additionally, note that post-processing too is an integral part of the entire 3D printing workflow.

Just get those files on your printer and try. Fastest way to learn is to just do it. It’s rapid prototyping, so rapid learning as well!

Use AI: As AI technology continues to advance, a host of new tools have emerged that aim to simplify, expedite, and enhance the 3D printing process. While these AI tools are still relatively new and under development, it's certainly prudent to delve into their potential benefits for refining 3D printing skills. Among these tools are Obico, designed for error detection; PrintSyst, catering to design corrections; inTinker, focused on printer calibration; and even established platforms like Autodesk Fusion 360, renowned for automated modelling and generative design. Additionally, AlphaAi and Ai Build offers a tool for print preparation. By leveraging these diverse tools, you can continually elevate your skills in the realm of 3D printing.