The recently introduced BCN3D Academy offers a free online certification course to learn the ins and outs of 3D printing.
As 3D printing continues to become more visibly useful in areas like automotive manufacture, more frequent questions are arising: how can I get in on this? Where do I start? How do I learn?
As much as we talk about rising adoption of 3D printing and the importance of design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) in industry, we can’t pretend there isn’t a steep learning curve when getting started with the technology. Even desktop 3D printers, which are often an entry into the wider suite of additive manufacturing, pose difficulties to a newbie.
Training efforts are picking up, and many of those come from 3D printer manufacturers themselves. Barcelona-based BCN3D is the latest to get in on this with the launch of BCN3D Academy.
“The BCN3D support team understands that this process can be a bit tedious and tiresome. It is for this reason we have decided to create a completely new batch of articles, specifically designed in order to reduce your learning curve and make the process as seamless as possible,” the company explains of the new effort.
They further add, “Following the steps that every user will have to pass through, we have organized the course into four lessons full to the brim with information on all stages, taking you from CAD modeling to the print job itself.”
The four-lesson course moves through these “essential pillars of 3D printing”, which they describe as:
- Modeling for 3D printing
- The biggest advantage of additive manufacturing is the creation of parts and geometries that would be almost impossible to do with traditional manufacturing methods. In this lesson, you will learn how to use CAD design specifically for 3D printing.
- 3D printing mate
- For one application, you may find many different material solutions that meet its requirements. Each filament has its own characteristics that need to be taken into account to print the model correctly.
- Slicing software
- BCN3D Cura is a free and easy-to-use 3D printing software that prepares your model for 3D printing. It provides an intuitive user interface and an improved workflow, both for newcomers and expert users. You will learn how to use our slicer to get the best results for your print.
- Getting to know your printer
- To improve your experience and obtain the best results while using the 3D printer, it is necessary to maintain your printer at its top condition. Calibrating and maintaining are key factors for extracting the maximum value from your printer.
Each of these four areas has several topics included to walk through the necessary knowledge, and rounds it out with a quiz to ensure understanding.
The courses are available in English and Spanish. Full expert support is available from BCN3D, with a forum offering community involvement.
BCN3D Academy is available now — and the price can’t be beat. The online courses are offered free of charge.
Course completion will see participants awarded a certificate “that proves your experience and knowledge of the BCN3D products.” While the learning is geared toward BCN3D’s technology and 3D printers, like with focus on their IDEX (independent dual extruder) offerings, certainly the lessons are applicable to other forms of FFF 3D printing and CAD modeling.
Via BCN3D Academy
