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The Builder · № 15

3D Printed It

Designed an original object in CAD, printed it yourself, and iterated through at least 3 versions to reach a working final piece.

The idea

The first print fails. The second fails differently. The fix is rarely the model. It's the orientation, the support material, the bed temperature, the wall thickness. Have your kid keep every failed print lined up on the shelf in order. Looking at version 1 next to version 5 is the milestone, more than the working final piece. The pile is the proof.

Steps
  1. Design the object in CAD yourself. Don't download someone else's.
  2. Print version 1. Note exactly where it failed.
  3. Fix one variable at a time. Don't change orientation and temperature in the same print.
  4. By version 3, you should have a working piece. Keep the failed versions.
What counts

A working 3D-printed object your kid designed, reached through 3+ iterations. The pile of versions is plenty.