TinkerCad

Introduction

Tinkercad is an easy-to-use tool for creating 3D models for 3D printing. It is part of the Autodesk family of products, which are not only free, but exist to enable students, makers, and individuals from all walks of life to design and make the things they imagine.
  1. Navigate in a web-gl enabled browser (Chrome or Firefox) to tinkercad.com
    tinkercad_march_2014.png
  2. If you have not already signed up for a free account, do so now
    sign_up.png
    sign_up_form
  3. To exit the tutorial and start experimenting, exploring and modeling click on the Tinkercad logo:
    exit_tutorial.png
  4. To start a new model click on Create new design
    create_new_design.png
  5. For greater precision I toggle the Snap grid value between 0.1 and 1.0
  6. To add shapes, letters and numbers you drag your selection from the palette on the right over to the workplane:
  7. You can get the dimensions of an object by moving the cursor over the nodes or handles:
     
  8. You can also get and/or modify the dimensions by laying down the ruler:


  9. Drag the ruler to the corner of an object and click on the circle to select a quadrant to measure. This is helpful when you want to measure distances between objects:
  10. You can resize your form by dragging the corner points (nodes) or using the ruler and editing the field:

  11. Dragging the corner node while holding shift will increase the X,Y and Z axis proportionally:
  12. You can copy and paste your forms using the standard keyboard commands. When you paste, Tinkercad will move your new form to the right:
  13. You can raise the height of your form by dragging the node below the cone
  14. You can subtract shapes from each other by placing the shape you want to remove, selecting it and then clicking on the the hole icon
  15. You can still adjust the location of the hole by dragging the form
  16. When you want to remove the shape, drag your cursor over or Shift+Left Click on both objects (what you want to keep and what you want to remove)

  17. When both are selected, click on Group
  18. To view the hole, rotate with the mouse:
  19. Tinkercad's rotate tool allows you to change the angle of your model or part of your model along the x, y or z axis.

    Tinkercad allows you to choose your resolution by providing three rings. Once you start the rotation you can move your mouse over the appropriate band. The center band allow you to adjust the rotation by full degrees. The inner band adjusts the angle in increments of 22.5° (half of 45°) and the outer band allows you the most precision.

    You can easily rotate your objects by clicking on the rotation icons and then selecting the band:
    rotation demo




  20. You can move the workplane by placing it on a side of any of your forms. This allows you to add more forms on an angle:
  21. To reset the workplane, just drag the workplane from the palette to the work area:
  22. Tinkercad's Align tool allows you to align multiple objects.

    To use the Align tool. Select at least two objects by Shift left-clicking on them or by dragging a box around them. Once selected click on the Adjust Option at the top. Then select Align and move your mouse over a node to preview the move. Click the node to align the objects.

    • Select objects and click Adjust:
      adjust_icon.png
    • Now select Align
      select_align.png
    • Click on the node you would like the forms to align with:
      click_node1.png    click_node2.png
  23. To save the STL file, click on Design and select Download for 3D Printing:


    Then select on the STL button:
    download_stl.png
  24. Experiment, have fun, print
  25. When you are ready to print your object, click on the Design menu and select Properties.
    select_properties
  26. Rename your file and save the changes
    rename_save
  27. From the Design menu select Download for 3D Printing:
  28. Select on the STL button:
    download_stl.png
A few Tinkercad skill builder challenges


To get Tinkercad to run on Mac with Firefox you'll have to do the following:
  1. Type about:config in the Firefox 4 URL bar
  2. Type webgl in the search box
  3. webgl.force-enabled = true
  4. Go to https://tinkercad.com and refresh the page
Background: Driver support on older OS/Graphics card combinations is bad so the browser vendors have blacklisted a number of devices. All of Mac OS X 10.5 is blacklisted in Firefox, what you did above is circumvent this blacklisting.

Windows

on Windows XP, WebGL and acceleration is blacklisted.

To enable it, in command line:
	chrome.exe   --enable-webgl
or
  1. Close any open Chrome windows
  2. Find the Chrome shortcut you use (normally on the desktop or in the start menu) and right click on it.
  3. Select 'Properties'
  4. Add the '--ignore-gpu-blacklist' flag without the quotes at the end of the 'Target' box
or
  1. type "about:flags" on address bar of google chrome
  2. under "Override software rendering list" click "enable"
  3. scroll down and "relaunch google chrome"

Linux

In command line:
./chrome --enable-webgl
or
google-chrome --ignore-gpu-blacklist



Mouse shortcuts:

Right Click is the same as CTRL+click.

  • right drag/CTRL+drag rotate the camera
  • middle mouse drag pan the camera
  • mouse wheel zoom in and out

Small Box

  1. Open Google chrome, a webGL enabled browser.
  2. Navigate to Tinkercad.com.
  3. Sign in using username:larum@saintannsny.org and password:5aintann5 or sign up
  4. Click on the Create a New Thing button.
  5. The first part to design is the cap. Make a cylinder 30 x 30 x 20.

    There are 2 ways to do this:

    Option 1

    1. Drag a cylinder from the left on to the workplane:
      _01drag_cylinder.png
    2. Drag the node out to adjust the x and y dimensions:
      _02_pull_out_node_to_adjust_dimensions.png

    Option 2

    1. Drag the ruler on to the workplane and adjust the x value first. Press tab to make the next adjustment _02a_alternatively_drag_out_ruler.png
    2. Press tab to make the next adjustment:
      _02a2_alternatively_drag_out_ruler.png
    3. Press tab to make the next adjustment:
      cyl_1_z
  6. Drag another cylinder on to the work plane. This will become the hole:
    drag-cyl_2
  7. You want a wall thickness of 1.5mm. Set the x to 27:
    cyl_x
  8. Set the y to 27:
    cyl_y
  9. Leave the z at 20:
    cyl_z
  10. Click and drag the black cone so that the cylinder raises 2mm off the workplane:
    seelct_second_cyl
  11. Click on hole icon to turn the cylinder into a hole:
    convert_cyl_to_hole
  12. Select both cylinders:
    select_both
  13. Click on Adjust and select Align:
    select_align
  14. Click on the center nodes to align the objects:
    bottom_align
  15. Make sure both cylinders are selected:
    bottom_aligned
  16. Click on group to actually make the hole:
    bottom_group
    bottom_grouped
  17. Drag another cylinder on to the workplane:
    drag_new_cyl
  18. Set the x to 30
    inner_base_x
  19. Set the y to 30:
    inner_base_y
  20. Set the z to 2:
    inner_base_z
  21. Drag another cylinder and set the x to 26:
  22. Set the y to 26:
  23. Set the z to 16:
  24. Drag another cylinder on to the workplane. This will become a hole. Set the x to 23:
    hole_x
  25. Set the y to 23:
    hole_y
  26. Set the z to 18:
    hole_z
  27. You need to create a rim for friction. Drag another cylinder out and set the x to 27:
    inner_cyl_27x
  28. Set the y to 27:
    inner_cyl_27y
  29. Set the z to 2:
    inner_cyl_2z
  30. Click on the black cone and drag up until this disc is 14mm off the workplane:
    inner_cyl_up14
  31. Select the last three cylinders by Shift left clicking each of them:
    select_cap+parts
  32. Align them:
    align_parts_of_cap
  33. Drag a cube on to the workplane and set the x to 28:
    wall_x
  34. Set the y to 2:
    wall_y
  35. Set the z to 14:
    wall_height
  36. Make a duplicate of the cube by pressing Command+D
    rotate_dupe
  37. Rotate the duplicate 90 degrees (hold the SHIFT key while you rotate)
    rotated
  38. Turn the two cubes into a hole and raise them both 2mm up:
    make_hole
  39. Align:
    align_base
  40. Group to make holes:
    group
    grouped

  41. Raise the grouped cylinders up 2mm and align with the cap:
    align_inner
    finished

  42. Select Design>Properties:
    properties
  43. Rename the model:
    name
  44. Select Design>Download for 3D Printing
    download
  45. Select STL
    stl
  46. Print!