Introduction
A 3D printer is a **tool that turns ideas into physical objects**. Arduino cases, drone parts, keycaps, figurines — you can make anything you can imagine. This guide covers the entire process from modeling to printing.
Types of 3D Printers
FDM vs SLA vs SLS
| Category | FDM | SLA (Resin) | SLS |
| --------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------------ | ----------------------------- |
| Principle | Melts filament & stacks | Cures resin with UV light | Sinters powder with laser |
| Resolution | 100-400um | 25-100um | 80-120um |
| Materials | PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU | UV resin | Nylon, PA12 |
| Price (Entry) | \$150-400 | \$200-500 | \$4,000+ |
| Post-processing | Support removal, sanding | Washing + post-curing required | Powder removal |
| Use Cases | Cases, parts, prototypes | Figurines, jewelry, dental | Industrial parts, small batch |
| Recommended | Bambu Lab A1 mini | Elegoo Saturn 4 | - (Industrial) |
FDM Filament Comparison
| Filament | Temp | Bed | Strength | Features |
| -------- | --------- | ----- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| PLA | 190-220°C | 60°C | Medium | Easiest, eco-friendly, low odor |
| PETG | 220-250°C | 80°C | High | Chemical resistant, transparent option, practical |
| ABS | 230-260°C | 100°C | High | Heat resistant, high shrinkage, ventilation required |
| TPU | 210-230°C | 50°C | Flexible | Rubber-like flexibility, phone cases |
| ASA | 240-260°C | 100°C | High | UV resistant, outdoor use |
Part 1: Fusion 360 Modeling
Basic Workflow
1. Sketch (2D Drawing)
├── Rectangle, Circle, Line
├── Dimension (dimensional constraints)
└── Constraint (horizontal, vertical, symmetric)
2. 3D Conversion
├── Extrude: give 2D a 3D height
├── Revolve: rotate 2D around an axis
├── Loft: connect between two profiles
└── Sweep: move profile along a path
3. Modification
├── Fillet: round edges
├── Chamfer: bevel edges
├── Shell: hollow out
├── Mirror: duplicate to opposite side
└── Pattern: circular/linear repetition
4. Export
└── STL or 3MF (for slicer)
Arduino Case Example
Fusion 360 Steps:
1. New Sketch (XY Plane)
2. Rectangle: 70mm x 55mm (Arduino Uno size + clearance)
3. Extrude: 25mm height
4. Shell: 2mm wall thickness (top open)
5. Sketch (inner wall): USB port hole (12mm x 11mm)
6. Extrude Cut: USB hole through
7. Sketch (bottom): 4 mount holes (M3, dia 3.2mm)
8. Extrude Cut: holes through
9. Fillet: exterior edges 3mm
10. Lid: New Body -> Sketch 72mm x 57mm -> Extrude 2mm
-> Internal protrusion 1.5mm (snap fit)
11. Export -> STL (High Resolution)
3D Print Design Rules
Design Rules (FDM basis):
├── Minimum wall thickness: 1.2mm (0.4mm nozzle x 3 lines)
├── Minimum hole diameter: 2mm
├── Press-fit tolerance: +0.2~0.3mm (tight fit: +0.1mm)
├── Screw hole: -0.2mm (M3 = model at dia 2.8mm)
├── Overhang: 45 degrees or less (no support needed)
├── Bridge: max 50mm (no support needed)
├── Minimum detail: 0.4mm (nozzle diameter)
├── Text protrusion: minimum 0.6mm
├── Snap fit: hook 1mm + gap 0.3mm
└── 45-degree rule: tilt over 45 degrees -> support needed
Part 2: OpenSCAD (3D Modeling with Code)
// Perfect for developers! Create 3D models with code
// Arduino case (parametric)
board_w = 68.6; // Arduino Uno dimensions
board_h = 53.3;
board_d = 15; // component height
wall = 2; // wall thickness
clearance = 0.5; // press-fit tolerance
// Body
difference() {
// Outer box
rounded_box(
board_w + wall*2 + clearance*2,
board_h + wall*2 + clearance*2,
board_d + wall,
r = 3
);
// Inner space
translate([wall, wall, wall])
cube([board_w + clearance*2, board_h + clearance*2, board_d + 1]);
// USB port hole
translate([-1, wall + 10, wall + 3])
cube([wall + 2, 12, 11]);
// Power jack hole
translate([-1, wall + 30, wall + 2])
cube([wall + 2, 10, 12]);
}
// M3 mount holes
mount_positions = [[14, 2.5], [15.3, 50.7], [66.1, 7.6], [66.1, 35.6]];
for (pos = mount_positions) {
translate([pos[0] + wall + clearance, pos[1] + wall + clearance, 0])
cylinder(d = 3.2, h = wall, $fn = 20);
}
// Module: rounded box
module rounded_box(w, h, d, r) {
hull() {
for (x = [r, w-r], y = [r, h-r])
translate([x, y, 0]) cylinder(r = r, h = d, $fn = 30);
}
}
// Generate STL from CLI:
// openscad -o case.stl case.scad
OpenSCAD Core Syntax:
├── cube([x,y,z]) — rectangular prism
├── cylinder(d, h) — cylinder
├── sphere(r) — sphere
├── translate([x,y,z]) — move
├── rotate([x,y,z]) — rotate
├── scale([x,y,z]) — scale
├── difference() — A - B (subtract)
├── union() — A + B (combine)
├── intersection() — A ∩ B (intersect)
├── hull() — convex hull
├── linear_extrude(h) — 2D -> 3D extrusion
└── rotate_extrude() — 2D -> 3D revolution
Part 3: Slicer Settings
Key Parameters
Cura / PrusaSlicer Common Settings:
Layer Height:
├── 0.12mm: High quality (slow, for figurines)
├── 0.20mm: Standard (general parts)
├── 0.28mm: Ultra fast (prototypes, testing)
└── Rule: 25-75% of nozzle diameter (0.4mm nozzle -> 0.1-0.3mm)
Walls / Top-Bottom Thickness:
├── Wall line count: 3-4 (1.2-1.6mm)
├── Top/bottom layers: 4-5 (0.8-1.0mm)
└── Increase walls for more strength
Infill:
├── 10-15%: Decorative (weak)
├── 20-30%: General parts (standard)
├── 40-60%: Mechanical parts (strong)
├── 100%: Solid (strongest, slow)
└── Patterns: Grid (standard), Gyroid (strength/flexibility), Lightning (fast)
Support:
├── Overhang angle: 45 degrees (default)
├── Support density: 10-15% (default)
├── Support Z distance: 0.2mm (easy removal)
└── Tree support: recommended for complex models
Speed:
├── Outer wall: 30-50mm/s (quality)
├── Inner wall: 60-80mm/s
├── Infill: 80-150mm/s (speed)
├── Travel: 150-250mm/s
└── Bambu Lab: 300mm/s+ (acceleration 20000mm/s²)
Temperature:
├── PLA: Nozzle 200°C, Bed 60°C
├── PETG: Nozzle 235°C, Bed 80°C
├── ABS: Nozzle 245°C, Bed 100°C (enclosure required!)
└── First layer: +5°C, speed 50% (for adhesion)
G-code Basics
; 3D printer commands = G-code
G28 ; Home position (origin)
G29 ; Auto leveling
M104 S200 ; Set nozzle temperature to 200°C
M140 S60 ; Set bed temperature to 60°C
M109 S200 ; Wait until nozzle reaches temperature
M190 S60 ; Wait until bed reaches temperature
G1 X50 Y50 F3000 ; Move to X50 Y50 (3000mm/min)
G1 Z0.2 F300 ; Z 0.2mm (first layer height)
G1 X100 E10 F1500 ; Move to X100 while extruding 10mm
G1 Y100 E20 ; Move to Y100 while extruding more
M106 S128 ; Fan 50% (0-255)
M84 ; Disable motors
M104 S0 ; Turn off nozzle heater
Troubleshooting
Problem -> Cause -> Solution:
First layer not sticking:
-> Bed leveling / nozzle too high
-> Lower Z offset, increase bed temp, use adhesive
Stringing:
-> Insufficient retraction
-> Increase retraction distance to 6mm+, speed to 40mm/s+, lower temp
Layer separation:
-> Poor layer adhesion
-> Increase temp, lower fan speed, use enclosure
Elephant foot:
-> First layer over-squished
-> Raise Z offset, first layer flow 90%
Clogging:
-> Heat creep / contaminants
-> Cold pull, replace nozzle, check PTFE tube
**Q1.** What is the key difference between FDM and SLA?
||FDM: melts filament and stacks layers (100-400um), affordable, large prints possible. SLA: cures resin with UV (25-100um), high resolution, for figurines/dental. FDM is for functional parts, SLA for precision models||
**Q2.** What is the tradeoff between 0.12mm and 0.28mm layer height?
||0.12mm: high quality, layer lines invisible, 2.3x print time. 0.28mm: fast, visible layer lines, similar strength. Within 25-75% of nozzle diameter (0.4mm)||
**Q3.** What is the 45-degree overhang rule?
||Surfaces tilted beyond 45 degrees print in mid-air without support below, causing sagging. Below 45 degrees, the previous layer provides adequate support. Beyond 45 degrees, support is needed||
**Q4.** What is the difference between OpenSCAD's difference, union, and intersection?
||difference: subtracts B from A (holes). union: combines A and B. intersection: keeps only the overlapping part of A and B. This is the CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry) approach||
**Q5.** Why is the Gyroid infill pattern good?
||Uniform strength in all directions, flexibility, allows resin/water drainage (non-solid). Superior isotropic strength compared to Grid, and less vibration during printing||
Quiz
Q1: What is the main topic covered in "Complete Guide to 3D Printer Modeling — From Fusion 360
to Slicer to Print"?
Everything about 3D printing — Fusion 360 modeling, OpenSCAD parametric design, slicer settings
(Cura/PrusaSlicer), FDM vs SLA comparison, and practical printing tips.
FDM vs SLA vs SLS FDM Filament Comparison
Basic Workflow Arduino Case Example 3D Print Design Rules
Key Parameters G-code Basics
Q1. What is the key difference between FDM and SLA? Q2. What is the tradeoff between 0.12mm and
0.28mm layer height? Q3. What is the 45-degree overhang rule? Q4. What is the difference between
OpenSCAD's difference, union, and intersection? Q5.
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A 3D printer is a **tool that turns ideas into physical objects**. Arduino cases, drone parts, keyca...