The 3D printing books you should read this year!

Today is World Book Day and so we thought there was no better occasion to present to you some of the must-read books about 3D printing, updated for 2021. From a fictional children’s story to designing your first 3D printable model, everyone should be able to find some insightful knowledge about a 3D printing topic of interest. We made sure to cover books for all levels (and ages!) so take a look and see what takes your fancy!

Children’s Books

Peter And Pablo The Printer: Adventures In Making The Future

Together with Peter, who received a 3D printer as a gift from his father, children can playfully discover the value and potential impact of the technology. Pablo the Printer can print Peter not only all the toys he wants, but also his new best friend, the blue dog Rocky. However, Peter also learns that although Pablo can print anything, he shouldn’t print everything. Even though technology has brought us amazing things, it will not be able to replace social interaction and communication in the modern world.

‘Build a Better Book’ Project

Build a Better Book from the University of Colorado Boulder is a project about the collaboration between schools and library maker spaces to develop and produce integrative media for children and young people, such as picture books, games and graphics. Using tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and handicraft materials, children create books, games, and STEM graphics (STEM includes, similar to MINT, the subjects of science, engineering, and mathematics) with tactile and acoustic functions. These products have been developed by and for young people with visual impairments and other physical and mental disabilities. Through the project, middle and high school students develop technological skills while simultaneously making books and other products for the blind.

3D Printing Projects

3D Printing Projects is a step-by-step guide to 3D printing that was created for both children and adult beginners who want to learn how to design and 3D print. The book not only covers  topics such as how a 3D printer works and the different types of 3D printers but will give readers instructions to walk them through the 3D design process, digital modeling and sculpting, slicing, printing and even painting the final objects. Additionally, it is cheap to use as all the projects in the book were selected because they could be made using free online modeling and CAD software. With the beautiful and simple instructions, it is ideal for a child just learning 3D printing or an adult who wants inspiration for easy-to-follow projects or to learn more about 3D printing in general. 

3D Printing Books for Adults

3D Printing for Dummies, 2nd Edition

3D Printing for Dummies by Kalani K. Hausman and Richard Horne has been revised and a second edition published! It provides you with all the information you need to immerse yourself in the world of 3D printing. You will learn what are the different types of 3D printers and which methods of modeling you can use, depending on the software. You will learn more about 3D scanners and photogrammetry, but also materials such as plastic, concrete, wax, glass, metal or even chocolate. Get to know the many applications of 3D printing, whether in the medical field for artificial organs or prostheses, in the manufacture of things such as clothing, toys and furniture or even in the food industry. Print prototypes of your product to perfection before production and build your own self-printing 3D printer are all things you can learn in 3D Printing for Dummies!

3D Hubs’ 3D Printing Handbook

3D Hubs is a recognised player in the 3D printing industry and has made it its mission to network various local 3D printing services with users looking to develop their project. This way, they can offer a multitude of additive manufacturing technologies at a better price and with better accessibility. To get closer to users in 2018, after months of work and research, the 3D Printing Handbook offers a comprehensive guide for students, engineers, architects, designers, etc. and helps anyone who wants to enter the additive manufacturing world. It contains more than 300 pages of photos, real-world examples, industry data, and more to make you an expert in 3D printing.

3D Printing Failures, 2020 Edition

The incredibly popular book on how to diagnose and repair all desktop 3D printing issues has been updated for 2020! The new version has been fully revamped and rewritten to ensure that it is up-to-date with a rapidly changing sector. The 2020 version is nearly 50% longer than the previous (2019) edition with 7 new chapters and new photographs. As can be expected from the title, the book contains practical advice from writers Sean Aranda and David Feeney who both have tremendous experience of successful 3D printing.  It is designed for people with no experience or a good degree of experience in 3D printing to continuously achieve consistent clean prints!

Make: Getting Started with 3D Printing

One of Make Community’s various guides on everything from drones to robots to any DIY project you can imagine, Getting Started with 3D Printing: A Hands-on Guide to the Hardware, Software, and Services Behind the New Manufacturing Revolution is a practical book introducing 3D printing to the average person. The book contains everything you would need to understand the fundamentals of 3D printing including a short history of the topic, the best hardware and software choices, hands-on exercises for readers to practice at home and how 3D printing can be applied in someone’s life or profession. Liza Wallach Kloski and Nick Kloski, the authors, wanted to create a book that would allow the general population to understand what 3D printing is as they believe it will affect our lives much more in the years to come. Note that a new edition of the book will be coming out in May with even more information. You can also check out Make’s other books such as their guides to Fusion 360, design for 3D printing and more.

How to Make Money with 3D printing

Many people know what 3D printing is, however not many people know how to create 3D models or use a 3D printer. Just like many growing and innovative technologies, as the quality, speed and costs are optimised, the adoption and potential uses start to spread and flourish. In his book “How to make money with 3D printing”, Jeffrey Ito develops on the idea of ‘hacking the 3D printing ecosystem and becoming a world-class 3D designer’. He goes into detail about all you need to know to become an expert in 3D printing technologies and monetise from this expertise. Jeffrey is a graduate of the University of Southern California in Industrial & Systems Engineering and young entrepreneur who has a passion for 3D printing and is keen to share the keys to making it successfully in this growing industry.

3D Printing Design

The 3D Printing Design book has been written to give both designers and industry leaders access to the conceptual and practical knowledge needed to participate in the cultural and social transformation of the fashion industry. It is organised around three key topics: materials/production technologies; computational geometry/simulation; and design methodologies. 3D Printing for Fashion will provide both design students and industry professionals with the know-how, skills and confidence needed to critically engage with a rapidly evolving design landscape of tools, materials and software applications. The book is full of project-driven step-by-step tutorials and aims to explain in simple terms complex design and manufacturing processes through interviews with leaders in the design and 3D printing industries

The Zombie Apocalypse Guide to 3D printing: Designing and printing practical objects

Did you watch The Walking Dead and wonder whether you yourself would be able to survive a zombie apocalypse? If you did (and you own a 3D printer!), this might be the book for you. According to the author, the book was written for someone who wants to make practical, durable items for everyday use, the first chapter is even titled “Designing and Printing stuff that won’t break when you need it to work.” The easy-to-read book has been created as a one-stop place for everything you might need to do for 3D printing. The tongue in cheek nod to zombies also makes for a more entertaining read, combining practical advice and technical subjects with levity.

Did one of these books spark your interest? Let us know in a comment below or on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox!