Tinkercad is an online tool for creating designs for your 3D printer. It’s simplicity, with only three basic tools, allows you to create a wide range of objects. Just design, download and begin your print. It’s also FREE. Go to the WEBSITE to find out more.
This browser based software is good for those working with a chromebook or limited memory.
A TC East Middle School student has been teaching and developing tutorials on how to use Tinkercad. The tutorials can be found at: East Middle School 3D Printing STEAM or you can use Angelo Vozza’s Tinkercad presentation.
Tinkercad was recently purchased by Autodesk, so if you had an account prior to this event you will need to migrate your Tinkercad account over to Autodesk. Go here for a step-by-step migration instruction.
- Solid modeling:Designing physical models either for manufacturing or visualization requires solid modeling. All operations in Tinkercad are guaranteed to generate proper solids.
- Cloud storage: The 3D designs created with Tinkercad are stored in the cloud for easy access from anywhere. We always use SSL encryption (same as online banks).
- Laser Cutting: The SVG export in Tinkercad is specifically tailored for laser cutters. The standard workplane will cut a slice through your model which can then be laser cut.
- Shapes: Shapes are the basic building block of Tinkercad. Any shape can add or remove material and in addition to pre-existing shapes you can also import your own.
- Share models: As Tinkercad is a web app you can easily share your models just by copying the link. Tinkercad also lets you fork someone elses model and develop it further.
- Import 2D: With 2D import you can create vector shapes in your favorite vector editing tool and import them into Tinkercad and extrude them into solids. Great for adding logos or images.
- Grouping: By grouping together a set of shapes you can create a new shape to work with. By building more and more intricate shapes you can create extremely detailed models.
- 3D printing: Tinkercad supports all 3D printers on the market that accept the industry standard STL file format. You can also download VRML files for color printing.
- Import 3D: Tinkercad features revolutionary 3D import that lets you turn an external file into a editable Tinkercad shape. There is a growing number of supported formats.
- Web based: Tinkercad runs in any web browser that supports HTML5/WebGL be it on Windows, Mac or Linux. Suggested browsers are Google Chrome and Mozilla FireFox.
- 3D printing services: With direct integration with 3rd party printing services you can print a design from Tinkercad with just a few clicks of the mouse.
- Fast: The Gen6 geometry kernel that performs all your editing operations runs in a large computing cluster with dozens of machines. This means everything is very fast in Tinkercad.
- Export: There is a growing number of export formats to let you take your Tinkercad design and work on it further with some external package or device.
- Resolution: The Gen6 geometry kernel supports a modeling objects the size of a car with a maximum resolution of 1µm. The editor constrains this to slightly smaller objects.