Design for 3D Printing in Shapr3D: Rough Concept to 3D Print

In this three-part series, industrial designer Daniel Brunsteiner walks you through the complete process of designing a product specifically for 3D printing, from the first rough sketch to a finished, assembled print.

Using a 3D-printed wall clock as the project, Daniel covers the full workflow: ideating and blocking out a concept in Shapr3D, measuring and integrating real-world hardware, designing snap-fit mechanisms and custom molds, and preparing files for the slicer. Along the way, he shares practical tips on designing around the constraints and advantages of additive manufacturing so you can apply the same thinking to your own projects.

What you’ll learn:

• Concept Design: How to quickly sketch, ideate, and iterate geometric shapes in Shapr3D to establish your initial aesthetic concepts before defining exact dimensions or constraint parameters.
• Hardware Integration: How to design custom enclosures accurately around existing physical hardware components using precise real-world caliper measurements and digital reference models.
• Mechanical Tolerances: How to model functional snap-fits, interference press-fits, and targeted flexibility slots optimized specifically to account for 3D printing material expansion.
• Print Preparation: How to properly orient, slice, and prepare your finished digital models within the slicing software to achieve the best possible surface finish quality and structural part strength.