The 6 Best Places to Search for 3D Printing Models – MUO – MakeUseOf

Want to find the best 3D models to print? Here are some of the best websites to look for them.
As 3D printing patents expired, the industry exploded into the home.
An endless number of 3D models are now available on the internet, with everything from D&D characters to replacements parts for your washing machine.
With a host of design-sharing sites that exist, both paid and free, here’s what you need to know about where to look for the best models for 3D printing.
There are hundreds of thousands of 3D models online and it can get a little confusing.
Websites that cater to 3D printing models are particularly useful because the files available for download will be in the right format. Some sites will even check the designs of contributors, making sure that they are in fact printable.
As lots of these websites are community-based, you can read the comments or check out the photos of the completed project by other people.
Files need to be in the STL or OBJ format, so check this first before downloading. Once you have the files, use a ‘slicer’ software to convert your file to G-code.
Related link: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to 3D Printing
All you need to do then is copy the G-code file to your SD card and insert the card into your 3D printer. Good to go, right?
One thing to note is whether the 3D model has a creative license.
On the website Thingiverse, for example, the creative license is displayed under the heading License on the left-hand side of the model’s home page (below the tags), such as for the classic Benchy model.
Clicking on Creative Commons – Attribution – No Derivatives will open a link explaining what the condition of reproduction is, including for commercial use.
A lot of hours go into designing a 3D model. So making sure to attribute the designer, if you share your work publicly, is a good way to support them.
Depending on the site, the designer might include a link to where you can donate, or in some cases this option is built into the website. For sites that feature payment options, you can either pay directly for designs, or for a subscription to the website for further discounts.
Each site is different, so check the percentage of profits that go to the designer if you choose to support them.
Now that you have an overview of what you are looking for, delve into the websites below for some of the best 3D printing models out there.
A popular and well-established site, Thingiverse began as a companion site for a DIY 3D printer kit-making company.
What is awesome about this site is its education section. Here you can find 3D printing projects related to a class subject (think T-Rex skeleton or Lego Renaissance figures).
Under the model page, you can then find complete lesson plans, activities, and background information on the subject. If you are a classroom teacher, this could be a great way to introduce 3D printing technology to young people.
Besides manufacturing 3D printers, Prusa Printers also hosts a website for design sharing.
Under a section called Makes, people can submit photos when they have completed the project, which is very useful if you want to check the quality of the design first.
A unique feature of this site is a map that indicates where world events, workshops, or printing labs are located globally.
On YouMagine, designs can be gathered into collections, which is another way that you can search for new projects.
Collections range from 3D printing machine mods to models for medical masks.
Hitting the Download button is all you need to do to get a design. When you do, a popup will display giving you the option to donate to the designer if you choose.
Related link: Useful 3D Printing Ideas and Projects for Your Home
For something a little bit different, on Thangs you can search for models based on similar geometric shapes. To do this, upload a previous STL file you have to the search box, or simply type a shape into the search engine; e.g., cube.
On each model page, neat viewing options can be changed to display the model from different angles, and with render modes and colors, before downloading the files.
Interestingly, this website also allows you to limit your search for models only to the Thangs website, or else open the search to other sites on the internet.
Alongside a free STL file library, MyMiniFactory guarantees that each file is printable by checking it with software and making sure that it has been test-printed by its community.
In MyMiniFactory’s store, you can purchase designs to support artists, or opt for a paid subscription to the website to get discounts on designs, among other things like its in-house printing materials.
Another site that allows you to pay for designs is Cults. It has both free and paid designs with added functions for donating to designers.
When browsing through the community designs, you will notice a lot of people using GIFs to display the 3D object in the library, which will help you to get a quick overview of the 3D model.
Cults also claims that the files available on its site are guaranteed to print, so you can at the least expect the correct file format.
Did you know that NASA has a resource page dedicated to 3D printable models of space-related artifacts?
You can find models for famous robots like the Curiosity Rover and Perseverance, or detailed models of supernova remnants.
If you have a child who loves space, or you yourself want to combine two of your favorite hobbies, check out what’s in this NASA resource.
Every design-sharing website is a little different from the next, but you are guaranteed to find a design you like on one of them.
Whether you find a model for free or paid, checking the creative license and uploading an image of your printed model will help to support the growing community of 3D printing enthusiasts.
And who knows, maybe one day you will be designing and uploading your own models? Competitions are becoming popular, so check your favorite website to see what you could win by building your own 3D model.
If you’re 3D printing for the first time, simple mistakes can result in poor prints. Here’s how to avoid those mistakes.
Garling loves exploring creative uses for technology. With a background in music, she spent many years hacking computers to make weird and wonderful sounds. When not making music, she writes about the best DIY electronic projects.
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