Desktop 3D printers are inexpensive machines that can be either put together or purchased preassembled and allow anyone to participate in personal fabrication and rapid prototyping. Using a digital design, it prints objects by melting layers of plastic, one on top of the other, to form three-dimensional objects.
The Choices
There is no shortage of free or commercially available software at your disposal. Your choice of software tool(s) for use with your students will depend on a variety of factors:
- The content/theme of your class or program
- Ability level of students
- Student interest
- Budget constraints
Free and/or open source options that are available:
Autodesk for Education
- AutoCAD Desktop
- 3ds Max Desktop
- Fusion 360 Cloud-based
- Inventor Desktop
- Maya Desktop
- MeshMixer Desktop
- Shapeshifter.io Cloud-Based
- Tinkercad Cloud-Based
Other Companies
- 3DSlash Desktop, Cloud-Based
- Art of Illusion Desktop
- Blender Desktop
- Blockscad Cloud-based
- BRL CAD Desktop
- Burr Tools Desktop
- Clara.io Cloud-Based
- Cookie Caster Cloud-Based
- FreeCAD Desktop
- ImplicitCAD Cloud-Based
- Leopoly Desktop, iPad
- MathMod Desktop
- MeshLab Desktop
- OnShape Cloud-Based
- OpenSCAD Desktop
- Printcraft Cloud-based
- SculptGL Cloud-Based
- Seamless 3D Windows Only
- SeifertView Windows Only
- Shapesmith Cloud-Based
- Sketchup Desktop
- Terrain2STL Web-Based
- TopMod Desktop
- Wings 3D Desktop
- Womp Desktop