Build Your Own 3D Printer — Slicer 101: Reliable Prints Every Time
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Build Your Own 3D Printer — Slicer 101: Reliable Prints Every Time
(session 2)
This course demystifies slicing so students can turn models into high-quality prints on any FDM machine. We focus on the settings that matter and a practical workflow that reduces failures and improves consistency.
Through interactive lessons and hands-on activities, students will:
- Understand how layer height, walls, infill, temperatures, and speeds affect strength, quality, and time.
- Master first-layer success: bed adhesion choices, Z-offset checks, skirt/brim/raft trade-offs.
- Place supports intelligently and orient parts for strength, surface finish, and easy removal.
- Compare materials (PLA vs. PETG) and tune profiles for predictable results.
- Use a fast start-of-print checklist and a short calibration routine to catch problems early.
- Run a demo print and save reliable starter profiles they can refine over time.
Grounded in cross-platform slicer principles (Bambu Studio, PrusaSlicer, Cura), this class teaches concepts that transfer regardless of software.