Quote Originally Posted by OG56 View Post
The 3d printing part is relatively easy once you have the speed and temp for the filament you are using given its specification needs. PLA and TPU are super easy to print. If you want to print with minimal fuss you really need to learn how to model really well with either CAD, box modeling, or 3d sculpting software. Also, understand mechanical tolerances for functional pieces that have to work together. The saying "garbage in, garbage out" is really true with 3d print quality.
Hi and thank you OG56 and in particular for your positivity. I have done some 3D drawing before and found it not so difficult to do. I also trained as a mechanical engineer once, so I have at least a tiny grasp of that discipline. I am interested in people's opinions of which software is ranked as easier to use but also effective. Any suggestions as to which 3D software could be best for someone that needs to use it as a functional tool to design 3D printed parts?I see PLA mentioned all the time, so I assumed there was some reason it was so very popular. I don't know if it, or TOU, are suitable for my needs? Is it even possible to print soft gasket type material with a 3D printer? What material would that be? In particular, can it be printed within the same print as harder engineering-type materials which are dimensionally quite stable? In which case what material would work for the more dimensionally stable part in that combination?