The usi3d blog
Tutorials, guides and news to print better in 3D: how to create models with AI, choose the right filament, save material, prepare your parts and fix your printer.
News
- Textures for your STL: wood, leather, carbon fibre or knurled relief : Add real surface relief to an STL or 3MF with 133 textures (wood, leather, carbon fibre, knurling) or your own, ready to print. New on usi3d.
- usi3d in ChatGPT, Claude or Cursor: the API and MCP server : Connect usi3d to ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Codex or Cursor through its MCP server: diagnose printer faults and create 3D models from chat.
- Animate 3D: turn your model into a game-ready animated character (GLB and FBX) : usi3d's Animate 3D rigs and animates your 3D model for free in the browser, ready as GLB and FBX for Unity, Unreal, Godot or Blender.
- usi3d opens sign-ups to everyone: what an account includes and what is free : Anyone can now create a usi3d account. What is free, what uses credits and how to get the most from your first AI creation.
- 145 free guides to fix your 3D printer, with official sources : usi3d publishes 145 free troubleshooting guides for FDM and resin 3D printers: symptom, causes, step-by-step fix and links to official documentation.
- Introducing usi3d: create in 3D with AI, prepare your part, fix your printer : usi3d is a 3D printing website: create 3D models with AI from text or a photo, prepare them for printing and fix your 3D printer's problems.
Tutorials
- How to 3D print parts bigger than your printer's bed : Split a model that won't fit your bed into parts with numbered dowels: where to cut, what clearance to use and how to glue it. Try it free with usi3d.
- usi3d's AI agent: ask for your 3D model in your own words and it does it with you : How to use usi3d's AI agent: describe the part, it prepares the 3D model with its cost, helps with printer faults and opens Colours or Split for you.
- How to paint a 3D model for multicolour printing and export it as 3MF : Paint your STL or GLB with real filaments, reduce it to a few clean colours and export a 3MF for Bambu Studio, OrcaSlicer or PrusaSlicer.
- How to repair an STL (holes, normals) and improve the finish of an AI-made model : Fix an STL with holes, flipped faces or non-manifold edges for free and smooth the noise on an AI-made model in your browser with usi3d.
- How to make a 3D figurine of your pet from a photo : Make a 3D figurine of your dog or cat from a photo with usi3d: which photo works, how to describe its features, what size to choose and how to print it.
- How to fix your 3D printer's problems with AI : How to describe a 3D printer problem so AI can diagnose it: what to say, which photos to take and how to follow the steps on usi3d.
- Text to 3D: how to describe your part so the AI models it well : How to write a good text-to-3D prompt: the formula, good and bad examples, what to avoid and how to do it step by step on usi3d.
- How to turn a photo into a printable 3D model with AI : How to turn a photo into a 3D model with AI: which photo works, how to generate it with usi3d's Image to 3D and how to check it before printing.
Guides
- Your 3D printer nozzle: when to change it and which one to choose (brass, hardened steel, sizes) : When to change your 3D printer nozzle, signs of wear, brass or hardened steel, which size to pick (0.2 to 0.8 mm) and how to swap it properly.
- 3D model licences explained: what you can print, share and sell (CC0, CC BY, BY-NC…) : CC0, CC BY, BY-SA, BY-NC and BY-ND explained: what each 3D model licence lets you do, how to credit the designer and when you can sell prints.
- STL vs OBJ vs GLB vs 3MF: differences and when to use each 3D file format : What each 3D file format (STL, OBJ, GLB, 3MF) stores, which to use for printing, painting or sharing, and how to convert them free with usi3d.
- 3D printing glossary: 78 terms explained plainly : 3D printing glossary: FDM, resin, slicer, infill, overhang, warping, PEI, hotend, Z offset and Klipper explained. 78 terms with examples and real figures.
- Your first 3D print: from the box to a clean part : A beginner's guide to your first 3D print: setup, bed levelling, first layer, cleaning the plate, slicer and filament so it works first time.
Materials
- PLA vs PETG vs ASA vs TPU (plus ABS and nylon): which filament to use for every part : PLA, PETG, ASA, TPU, ABS and nylon compared: print temperatures, heat resistance, difficulty and which filament to choose for each part, with a table.
Tips
- How to save filament in 3D printing: infill, walls, supports and vase mode, with real numbers : How much filament you save with infill, walls, tree supports, vase mode or scaling, with real numbers, and how to work it out for your part with usi3d.
- First layer not sticking: causes, fixes and how to stop warping : First layer not sticking to your 3D printer bed? How to read the lines, clean the PEI sheet, set Z offset and temperature, and stop warping.
- How much does 3D printing cost? The formula for filament, power, wear and time : How much 3D printing costs at home: a simple formula for filament, electricity, printer wear and your time, with worked examples and usi3d's calculator.
Ideas
- 25 useful things and gifts to 3D print at home (Halloween and Christmas included) : 25 ideas to 3D print at home: useful objects, personalised gifts and Halloween and Christmas pieces, with the filament and settings for each.
- From your child's drawing to a 3D-printed figure : Turn a child's drawing into a 3D figure you can print: which drawings work, how to photograph them and how usi3d models them with AI.
More on usi3d
- AI agent to create in 3D: usi3d's AI agent creates your 3D model from text or a photo, fixes printer problems and picks the filament with you; it shows you any cost first.
- 3D printer troubleshooting guides: usi3d guides to fix your 3D printer, FDM or resin and any brand: symptom, causes and a step-by-step fix, with official sources.
- What is usi3d: What usi3d is: an independent 3D printing website to create models with AI, get them ready to print, fix your printer and find spare parts.