There are a lot of free and paid 3D printing tools on the internet, but not all of them are worth your time. I scoured the web in order to find the best of the bunch, and this list of seven is what I was left with.<\/p>\n
While they\u2019re all useful in some regard, that use is somewhat limited by whatever it is you\u2019re trying to achieve.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve probably heard of Gridfinity before, but just in case you haven\u2019t: Gridfinity is a project from 3D printing YouTuber Zack Freedman that has taken on a life of its own. The project uses a two-part system of grids and bins in order to organize anything, with optional add-ons like magnets to keep everything in its place.<\/p>\n
While there are plenty of Gridfinity grids out there that you can download and print, the best way to make the project work for you is to generate your own baseplates and bins. That\u2019s where the Perplexing Labs Gridfinity Generator comes in. It\u2019s a complete tool for customizing your Gridfinity setup, but it also works with similar systems like openGrid, Honeycomb Storage Wall, and Multiboard.<\/p>\n
Everything is free to render and download, though you can contribute to the project by donating on Ko-fi if you get some use out of it. There are many customization options available, plus a whole load of ready-to-download components too.<\/p>\n
STLGears is a web tool for generating gears of all types and sizes in STL (for 3D printing), DXF (for laser cutting), and GF (for Fusion 360) formats. You can generate everything from basic spur and internal spur gears to more complex helical and double helical varieties, plus 90\u00ba bevel gears and racks too.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a neat tool that allows you to get a gear\u2019s parameters by uploading an STL file, perfect if you need a companion gear for something you\u2019re building. How durable these gears will be ultimately depends on what you print them with, but for light use, remote control projects, home robotics, and temporary usage, they should be fine.<\/p>\n
ItsLitho is a web app for generating lithophane STL files that you can 3D print at home. A lithophane is a molded image that is visible when a light shines through it from behind. The thicker an area, the less light gets through, and the darker it appears. Though porcelain was once the material of choice, 3D printing lets you create your own lithophanes at home.<\/p>\n
Choose the shape of the lithophane, the frame, how the image is interpreted, overall size, and turn your lithophanes into lamps and night lights with a toggle.<\/p>\n
I was a huge fan of map2model, a 3D printing tool that converted virtually real-world locations into printable models using OpenStreetMap data. Unfortunately, the app eventually closed down, and I\u2019ve been looking for a good alternative ever since. I think I\u2019ve found it in the form of Mini Skyline.<\/p>\n
It works much in the same way as map2model, in that it allows you to generate maps for free by specifying an area, deciding what you want to see on the map, tweaking the colors, and downloading a 3MF file to print. The service is completely free to use, though processing can take a short while for fairly dense areas.<\/p>\n
There are several modes to master, including city tile mode for urban areas (up to 50 km\u00b2) and terrain tile mode for wider areas (up to 25,000 km\u00b2). You can also split these areas into multiple print plates and connect them in interesting ways, for a much larger map. I\u2019m hooked!<\/p>\n
Topo Trail Generator is a tool that turns your favorite hiking trail into an STL file that you can download and print. It\u2019s a niche tool, but one that many keen hikers are going to love. It works natively with GPX files, and you can do things like modify where the tree line appears, scale the height for an exaggerated look, and customize the colors.<\/p>\n
I only had KML files on hand, which is what I use to follow trails whenever I go hiking, so I converted them with a free online tool, and they worked just fine.<\/p>\n
Titancraft is the only paid tool on this list (at least, at the time of writing). It offers a complete set of tools for designing your own custom miniature models, starting with a base character, like a skeleton halfling, cyclops, or mech. Most of these base miniatures are technically free to download, but you\u2019ll need to pay per item when you start customizing them.<\/p>\n