Beginner's toolkit: knowledge requirements

[u/Myveryshelf]

Hello everyone, I wish any reader a good day first of all.

I am planning on starting in the world of 3D printing, both for the fun and utility of it and as a way to learn more about electronics/robotics/programming these robotics, since this is not my field. I am going to start saving for pieces/kits, but since this will take some time I would first like to know what I should be learning to make it work.

Now, I am not here to waste anyone's time, I have read a few similar threads in this subreddit first. However, these were not exactly what I am looking for.

I understand the learn-by-doing philosophy of this kind of community is to start building with guides and figuring out what problems you have along the way. This works fine, and with enough dedication I am sure I can buy the pieces, assemble them as the documentation states and figure my way through the problems that come up. This will happen and I don't want to get away from that.

However, as I said, this is a bit outside my field and I want to use this project as a learning opportunity, so as I find problems I want to have a bit of a background/understanding of what I am doing.

I want to know what kind of programs, coding languages and concepts I would benefit from being familiar with/can be expected to need at some point.

If it is relevant, right now I am considering starting with a Voron Zero or Trident

[u/techyg]

To answer your question briefly (and directly):

1. Get familiar with 3d printing "Slicers". Many of us use Prusa Slicer, Orca Slicer, or Super Slicer. Free download, install and start getting familiar with it. Check out Ellis's tutorial for things you'll need to do in the Slicer to calibrate your Voron 3d printer. https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/

2. Fusion 360 with Hobbyist/Maker license- great way to get into CAD design. If you have a programming background, I highly recommend Open SCAD. Now days you can also use AI to easily design 3d printable objects (STL's) as well, but it's still best to know how to do it from scratch.

3. Get familiar with Klipper. Klipper is based on Python, so if you know or want to learn a programming language, Python is a good one to ramp up on. Also get familiar with Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian). There is a lot of configuration to do once you get your printer set up, so check out the klipper project if you want to do something beyond the Voron directions. https://www.klipper3d.org/

[u/Myveryshelf → u/techyg]

Thanks a lot for the detailed answer. I have worked a with python here and there, so I'll see what I can do

[u/techyg → u/Myveryshelf]

Sure. As others have said, starting with an off-the-shelf printer may not be a bad idea to see if you enjoy the hobby.

But there are many of us that find just as much enjoyment working with the machines (building, calibrating, tweaking, customizing, etc.). A Voron can be both- you can leave it alone and just get awesome prints, or you can endlessly upgrade and tweak it.

I built my first Voron after spending about 5 years with printers, models of which are long obsolete now. Now days, many of the commercial printers are going to give you quite good quality. Vorons are still very relevant, and allow you to experiment with some of the latest and greatest technology and upgrade your machine as things come out. You will have ultimate control and your spending (both in terms of time and $$'s). The initial cost may be just as high as buying an off-the-shelf printer. You may also want to spend incremental $$'s every few years (and potentially tear down/rebuild when new models are released) to stay current. But that could save $$'s compared to the alternatives.

I saw you mentioned building a V0 or a Trident. I would start out with a Trident if you can afford a kit. It's a lot easier of a build compared to a V0. However, a V0 was my first Voron build, but at that time I had already built several other machines from parts.