Getting Started with 3D Printing: A Hands-on Guide to the Hardware, Software, and Services Behind the New Manufacturing Revolution Paperback – June 21, 2016

I purchased this since I am very new to 3D printing, and having purchased my first 3D printer (Anycubic Chiron). This text is very easy reading, is well illustrated, and provides an excellent introduction to 3D printing. Sections include an Introduction to 3D Printing; Applications of 3D Printing; Hardware and Printing Choices; and CAD tutorials.After reading this text, the reader will have a very good understanding of 3D printing, types of printers & filaments with the pros and cons for each, how to set up a 3D printer and how to use the necessary software. This book does NOT cover 3D scanning - a much more complicated & expensive pursuit - but does cover resources for getting 3D scans of object from vendors.Because the field of 3D printing is changing at lightning speed, this text - released in 2016 and last revised in 2019 - is a tiny bit behind the times. I found one or two online references outdated, but for the greatest majority of the text, it is current and very well written.The CAD tutorials cover Tinkercad, Meshmixer and Fusion 360. From my perspective, it seems that Cura is a very popular slicer and it would have been nice to have a tutorial on the use of Cura as the only reference for Cura is a series of online bits that are not available as a single PDF and the content is very lean.The back cover states that the reader will learn:* What to look for when shopping for a 3D printer* Whether to buy your own 3D printer or outsource 3D printing services* How to set up, operate & maintain a 3D printer* What supplies you'll need and how to choose them* Step-by-step procedures for using free 3D modeling software* Troubleshooting tips for fixing your 3D models and prints* Tips for laying out your 3D printing workspaceIn my opinion, the text meets those goals!

Very quick and easy read suitable for beginners or those that have done some preliminary research into 3D printing. I was able to read through the book in a couple hours, and then spent a short time working on the TinkerCAD and MeshMixer tutorials later. Will help kickstart your venture into 3D printing, but you'll still have lots to learn.One minor gripe is that the layout of the book is odd in that it frequently references photos/diagrams that are a page flip after the text that is describing it, so you are constantly having to flip to the next page to see the visual of the text you are reading. Seems like something that could be fixed to make it flow a little better.

Well written and organized, this book will definitely help you get started. The early chapters give you a good feel for the current state of 3D printing, especially the hardware for the tinkerer. I frankly thought that maybe I should wait a couple of years until it evolves to plug and play. But then I'm at that age that I don't buy green bananas. So I kept reading, joined the Tinkercad community cited in the book and already have a couple of files ready to print. Bottom line, this book tells you how to get started safely and effectively, pointing out all the pitfalls for the beginner. Of course, now I'll have to come up with bucks to get the printer!

What a help! Before I read this I was really intimidated by the whole thing - I've never considered myself especially tech-savvy. But by the end I was trying my hand at CAD, which I never imagined I'd even consider. Written in plain English, this book gives clear, practical advice, and it includes great illustrations. Also gives great advice on which equipment is right for your needs, which was very helpful.

As the title implies, this is little more than an extended introduction to 3D printing. If you are hoping for any technical content at all, this is not the book for you. You'd be better off getting a copy of this from the public library, since once you read it, it's going to go back on your bookshelf and you probably won't look at it again. It might be good for your non-technical parents to read, but if you're looking for help, this probably is not the book you want.

This but book gives a really good overall view of 3D printing yourself or through outside services. Seems a bit dated as Dremel off the shelf printers were not even a mention. Dwells a bit to much on printer kits which more and more seem to be above most people's ability and disastrous if you not super computer savvy.Overall a good read. Helpful high level view.

Good explanations of 3d printing, what to look for in a printer and it’s implications for the future. Easy to read and finish.

This is by far my favorite 3D printing book I have read in the past 4 years! I decided to try this book because it had useful info on 3D printing and 3 different types of modeling software. The trouble shooting section was a real life savor. This book covers everything and helped me a lot when I couldn't figure out how to fix my prints. I'm not very tech savvy and found other books harder to follow. I found this book the easiest to understand. I highly recommend it.