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3D Printing

A reference for desktop FDM 3D printing — how it works, the filaments and their settings, slicer tuning, and fixing prints when they go wrong. Written as a general reference rather than a build log; settings are compiled from manufacturer and community sources and linked at the bottom of each page.

  • Basics

    How FDM works, the parts of a printer, the model-to-print workflow, and the core vocabulary.

  • Filaments

    Every common filament — settings, notes, pros/cons, and use cases. PLA, PETG, ABS/ASA, TPU, nylon, PC, composites, and supports.

  • Print Settings

    Slicer settings that matter — layers, walls, infill, temperature, speed, retraction, cooling, supports, and adhesion.

  • Troubleshooting

    Common print defects — warping, stringing, under-extrusion, delamination — with causes and fixes.

  • Material Selection

    Property matrix, heat-deflection temperatures, "which material for…", drying and storage, and honest notes on PLA+/Matte/High-Speed, PETG vs PCTG, ABS vs ASA and nylons.

  • Design for Printing

    Tolerances and fits, holes, overhangs and bridges, orientation vs strength, threads and heat-set inserts, snap-fits, living hinges, print-in-place, splitting big parts.

  • CAD & Tools

    FreeCAD, Fusion, Onshape, OpenSCAD, build123d/CadQuery, Blender — which to use for what — plus mesh repair and STL vs 3MF vs STEP.

  • Slicers & Firmware

    Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer, PrusaSlicer and Cura compared; Klipper vs stock firmware; the full calibration sequence; managing profiles.

  • Modular Systems

    Gridfinity, openGrid/openConnect and Multiboard — what each is, key dimensions, and where to find generators.

  • Multi-material & Colour

    AMS-style switchers vs tool changers, purge and waste, colour-change strategies, and support-interface materials.

  • Post-processing

    Sanding, priming and painting, vapour smoothing, annealing, epoxy coating, heat-set inserts and gluing.

  • Safety

    Fumes and particles by material, enclosures and filtration, fire safety, and resin vs FDM.

  • Resources

    Curated links: model sites, calibration guides, data sheets, communities, channels, CAD learning, and generators.

New to it?

Start with Basics, print in PLA while you learn, then reach for Filaments when you need a part that's strong, flexible, or weatherproof.

When you start designing your own parts, Design for Printing and Material Selection are the two pages to keep open.