GregValiant 1,342
1 hour ago, geert_2 said:Do *not* use SketchUp: this is going to be a nightmare, as it produces defective STL-files which are very hard to repair.
Probably a slicer will be provided with your printer,
Amen to the comment about SketchUp.
Since you have decided on a Creality machine (I have an Ender 3 Pro) it will come with the Creality Slicer. It's Cura under the hood but it has a different interface and is a simplified version (not as many options). It's not a bad place to start.
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gr5 2,224
I recommend tinkercad. It's free, powerful and super easy to use. There's thousands of youtube videos to help learn it. It's designed for young people. It runs on any platform with a browser including ipads.
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GregValiant 1,342
And you'll need a slicer of course. Cura is full featured with a lot of options, which means there will be a learning curve. That will be true for Tinkercad as well. There are a lot of downloadable models on Thingiverse. They come as STL model files and would need to be sliced.
As far as a laptop goes, you can get a mid-level HP or something from a big box store. Something in the range of $800 to $1000 should work quite well. You can get by for less but Cura (and probably the CAD software) are demanding of the video system. In particular the graphics system needs to support OpenGL 4.1. You can check that before you purchase.
TinkerCad and Cura are both free. If your prospective makers want, they can load the software into their home computer and practice there. They only need to bring in an SD card with the Gcode file on it in order to print. They are going to want to stare at it working though. You might need some sort of time limit so you can all go home. I have a feeling that you're going to be spending some time scheduling the printer. FDM is not a fast process.
I have to ask though...since you are a VERY small library, do you have to close when someone borrows the book?
Good luck with your project.
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geert_2 558
For CAD, also consider DesignSpark Mechanical: this is freeware too, and only requires registration. It is easy to learn, and there are lots of tutorials on Youtube. This is for technical models and geometric shapes, but not suitable for organic shapes. For export to STL, set it to "fine": I never had any problems with that.
Do *not* use SketchUp: this is going to be a nightmare, as it produces defective STL-files which are very hard to repair.
Probably a slicer will be provided with your printer, or they will direct you to one on the internet. You could also consider multiple slicers: a simple one or old one for beginners, with just the basic features. And a more advanced one for more experienced users.
Multiple software packages will give the users multiple viewpoints on the same subject. So they will get a better understanding of the concept, and are less likely to get mentally stuck in a specific application or user-interface.
But users will need to invest a few weeks to get the basics anyway, and a few months to get to a more comfortable level. They have to be willing to invest that time and effort. It's not like baking cupcakes which you can learn in an afternoon. You may need to select your students on that too.
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