3D PRINTING BASICS

SOFTWARE

 

Introduction

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In the 3D Printing industry, there are several categories of software tools that are available in the market. We will try to categorise the tools according to their use. Essentially, the software tools are categorised into the following types:

 

• 3D Modelling Tools (otherwise known as CAD tools)

• Mesh Editing Tools

• Slicing Tools

• Host Software

 

Mesh software - Mesh software sometimes are being used to edit or repair 3D meshes.  This may not seem important to users until you find out that your model is orientated in a bad position for printing. Mesh software is also used when the mesh information is defective and the slicing software is unable to prepare the neccessary gcode for printing. 

 

Slicing software - Slicing software prepares the 3D models that you have prepared into a language that the 3D printer understands. The slicing software does this by slicing the model into horizontal layers and generating the neccessary code and sent to the printer before it prints. 

 

 

Host Software  - Host software interfaces with your printer directly and allows you to load the .gcode files and operate components of your 3D printer manually. 

 

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