📋 Day 3 — Designing for 3D Printing
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GCI 3D Printing Lab · 90-Minute Block

Day 3

Designing for 3D Printing — File Types and Tinkercad

File Types · Design Tools · Export & Preview

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⏱ 2 min

Today's Agenda

  • Part 1 — File Types (10 min)
  • Part 2 — Workflow (5 min)
  • Part 3 — Intro to Tinkercad (15 min)
  • Part 4 — Design Activity (40 min)
  • Part 5 — Export & Bambu Studio (10 min)
  • Part 6 — Exit Ticket (5 min)
  • Part 7 — Submit (5 min)

🎯 Goal: By the end of class you'll have created an original 3D design in Tinkercad and previewed it in Bambu Studio.

🧠 Brain break built into the middle of Part 4
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⏱ 2 min

I Can…

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⏱ 4 min
🤔 Warm-Up

File Types Review

Quick — can you match them from memory?

.STL
G-code — printer movement instructions
.3MF
3D model geometry only (no settings)
.gcode
3D model + settings + color info
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⏱ 5 min

File Types: STL · 3MF · G-code

📄

STL

Standard format. Stores only the 3D shape as a mesh of triangles. No color, no settings, no print info.

Created in: Tinkercad
Opened by: Bambu Studio

📦

3MF

Newer format. Stores shape + materials + color + print settings in one file. The preferred format for Bambu.

Created by: Bambu Studio (sliced)
Sent to: Printer

🖨️

G-code

Machine language. Exact movement + temperature instructions for every second of the print. Created by slicing.

Created by: Slicer
Read by: Printer firmware

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⏱ 3 min
📚 Vocabulary

Key Terms — TinkerCAD & Design

Workplane The flat surface in TinkerCAD where you place shapes. All objects are built relative to this surface.
Shape A basic 3D building block in TinkerCAD (cube, cylinder, sphere, etc.) that you combine or subtract to create your design.
Hole A TinkerCAD shape set to "Hole" mode. When grouped with a solid, it cuts that shape out — creating a void or cutout.
Group Combining two or more shapes into one object. Grouping a hole shape with a solid cuts the void out of the solid.
Export Saving your design as STL or 3MF. Required to move your model from TinkerCAD into Bambu Studio.
Design Iteration The process of making, reviewing, and improving a design multiple times to get a better result.
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⏱ 3 min

The 3D Design Workflow

1

Design

TinkerCAD — shapes, holes, groups (or Keychain Generator on Day 4)

→
2

Export

Save as STL from TinkerCAD

→
3

Import

Open STL in Bambu Studio

→
4

Slice

Generate G-code / 3MF

→
5

Print

Send to printer

📌 Today covers Steps 1–3. Steps 4–5 are Day 5 (print day).
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⏱ 3 min

What is TinkerCAD?

  • Free, browser-based 3D design tool made by Autodesk
  • No download required — works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari
  • Designed for beginners — uses simple shapes as building blocks
  • You add shapes or subtract them (using holes)
  • Used by students, hobbyists, engineers, and professionals
🏗️

TinkerCAD is like digital LEGOs. You snap shapes together (and punch holes out of them) to build anything you can imagine.

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⏱ 1 min
🏠 Independent

TinkerCAD Intro Video — Part 3 on Your Student Page

Open Part 3 on your student page and watch the embedded TinkerCAD intro video:

▶ Getting Started in TinkerCAD — YouTube

After the video, answer the quiz on the student page, then join your class using your session's link.

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⏱ 3 min
🎯 Student Action

Join Your Class in TinkerCAD

1st Session

tinkercad.com/joinclass/SN6MGPSUA

Click the link or type it in your browser

2nd Session

tinkercad.com/joinclass/EFLEVJC68

Click the link or type it in your browser

After joining, click + New Project in your TinkerCAD dashboard to start your design.
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⏱ 4 min
🎓 Interface Tour

TinkerCAD — Key Areas

🖱️ Viewport

  • Center of the screen
  • Right-click + drag = rotate view
  • Scroll = zoom in/out
  • Middle-click + drag = pan

📐 Top Toolbar

  • Group button (Ctrl+G)
  • Ungroup button (Ctrl+Shift+G)
  • Hole / Solid toggle
  • Align and Mirror tools

➡️ Right Panel

  • Shape library — drag onto workplane
  • Basic Shapes: Box, Cylinder, Sphere
  • Scroll down for more categories
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⏱ 4 min
🎓 Key Tools

TinkerCAD — Essential Operations

Building

  • Drag a shape from the right panel onto the workplane
  • Click white handles to resize
  • Click the shape and drag to move it
  • Right-click → Duplicate (or Ctrl+D)

Holes & Grouping

  • Select a shape → click Hole in top toolbar
  • Position the hole shape over your solid shape
  • Select BOTH shapes → click Group (Ctrl+G)
  • The hole is now cut out — permanent until ungrouped
⚠️ You MUST Group a hole with its solid shape — otherwise the hole has no effect!
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⏱ 3 min
🎨 Student Choice

Advanced Project — Your First Original Design

🔗 Browse & Choose a Project

Visit tinkercad.com/learn/designs and select a project based on your TinkerCAD experience:

tinkercad.com/learn/designs

  • 🟢 New to TinkerCAD? Choose a Starter or Easy project
  • 🟡 Some experience? Try a Medium difficulty project
  • 🔴 Comfortable with basics? Challenge yourself with a Hard project

📋 Requirements

  • Browse and pick a project that excites you
  • Follow the steps for your chosen project in TinkerCAD
  • Name your design: Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName
  • TinkerCAD auto-saves — confirm it's saved before moving on
🎯 This is your first original 3D design — pick something that sparks your curiosity and go for it.
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🧠
Brain Break!
Stand up · Shake it out · Reset
10:00
🕺 Freestyle stretch
💬 Tell someone what TinkerCAD is in one sentence
🚶 Walk to the printer and name 3 parts
🧘 5 deep breaths
↺ Restart timer
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⏱ 15 min
🎯 Student Work

Build Your Advanced Project

In TinkerCAD — work through your chosen project:

  • Follow the steps for your project from the Advanced Project Collection
  • Use shapes, holes, and groups to build your design
  • Name your design: Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName
  • Check the five-item checklist on Part 4 of your student page before moving on
  • TinkerCAD auto-saves — confirm your design is visible in your dashboard
✋ Don't export yet — make sure your design looks right first. Export is Part 5.
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⏱ 4 min
🎓 Walkthrough

Export Your Design

How to export from TinkerCAD

  • Click Export button (top right)
  • Choose .STL format
  • File downloads to your Downloads folder
  • Rename it: Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName.stl

Then open in Bambu Studio

  • Drag the STL file into Bambu Studio
  • Verify the model looks correct on the print bed
  • Check the size indicator — confirm it looks reasonable
  • You don't need to slice yet — just check it looks right
📌 Naming convention matters — Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName.stl prevents lost files on print day
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⏱ 5 min
✅ Check for Understanding — 5 Questions

Quick Check

  1. Where are shapes located in TinkerCAD? (Be specific.)
  2. How do you delete a shape in TinkerCAD? (Two methods.)
  3. What does setting a shape to Hole do when you Group it with a solid?
  4. What is the correct order? Export → Design → Group or Design → Group → Export?
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⏱ 3 min

Exit Ticket & Submit

Before you leave:

  • TinkerCAD design is saved and named: Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName
  • STL exported and named: Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName.stl
  • Opened in Bambu Studio — model looks correct
  • Part 6 on student page — answer all 3 exit ticket questions
  • Part 7 — click Generate My Responses and submit to Google Classroom

Exit Ticket Questions

  1. What is the difference between STL and G-code? Use your own words.
  2. Which advanced project did you choose, and why did you pick it?
  3. What part of the process still feels confusing or unclear?
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⏱ 2 min
✅ Design Checkpoint

Before You Submit — Ask Yourself

  • Is my design saved in TinkerCAD and named Day3_AdvancedProject_YourName?
  • Did I export my design as an STL from Tinkercad?
  • Did I import my STL into Bambu Studio?
  • Does my model look right on the Bambu Studio print bed?
  • Can I picture how this design would actually print?
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Day 3 Complete

You just designed a 3D object. 🎉

That design exists because you built it. That's real CAD work.

Day 4: SVG Conversion · Logo Import · Keychain Finalization

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📋 Speaker Notes — Day 3