The first and prerequisite for 3D printing is the availability of a digital 3D models STL format. There are many programs for 3D-modeling, including free ones, but you need to deal with them, learn to model, and think over the optimal design for the selected printing technology. If you need to print some running model on a 3D printer, for example, a case for the Raspberry Pi or a frame for a quadrocopter, then on specialized resources you can find ready-made models, often free. We have compiled a selection of sites with ready-made 3D models for 3D printing.
- Let’s start with the most popular resource Thingiverse.com — there are a lot of free 3D models here, most of the models are optimized for printing using the most budget FDM technology. In order to find the desired model, enter the name in English in the search bar on the right at the top of the site. For example, we need to find a boat model, enter on the Thingiverse in the search for “boat”, here are the results:
Ready-made 3D models for 3D printing on Thingiverse
Scroll through the proposed results, open the selected model and download. Download is available without registration. If you nevertheless registered, then you can rate the models you like on the site, the authors will be pleased. Files are downloaded, usually in .STL format, they can be easily downloaded to our website, online calculate the cost of 3D printing and place an order.
And you can do it even easier and do not even download models to your PC, but immediately import from Thingiverse to our website for online calculation. To do this, open the 3D model import page with Thingiverse, in the field “Model number on thingiverse.com” enter the number of the selected model with Thingiverse. For example, we chose just such a boat model, model number — the last digits in the address bar.
Download the finished 3D model for 3D printing
We enter this number in the corresponding field on our website and click «find.» The model is located on Thingiverse and is displayed on our website like this.
Import models from Thingiverse to CubicPrints
Click “Import”, the model is automatically uploaded to the site, it is checked for errors and becomes available for online pricing and placing an order for 3D printing. All imported models are saved in the «My Models» section of your personal account.
If the model is an assembly, such as a quadrocopter frame, then several files are offered for one model number for import.
Download 3D models from Thingiverse to CubicPrints
If you want to print all the files, you must select each one and import them one by one. Typically, models are presented in units of measurement «mm», if the models are presented in inches, then before uploading to our website in the appropriate field, you need to change the units of measurement. You can check the dimensions on the pages of the loaded model.
3D printing cost calculation online
How to conveniently view 3D models, check thicknesses, scale dimensions and quickly correct errors — read at the end of the article.
2. The next popular resource with ready-made free 3D models is English MyMiniFactory. This is a community of 3D designers and 3D printing enthusiasts. As a rule, the site hosts proven models adapted for printing on FDM printers. Dimensional models with complex geometry are often competently divided into parts so that they can be well printed from budget ABS plastic. The site works by analogy with Thingiverse: there is also a search bar, you can also download files without registration. Here, for example, search results for the same query “boat”.
Website with free 3D models for 3D printing
As you can see, on MyMiniFactory the number of results matching the query is almost 10 times less than on Thingiverse.
Models are also downloaded in .STL format, they can be easily downloaded to our website to calculate prices and place orders online.
3. Another catalog of ready-made 3D models YouMagine works by analogy with previous resources. Basically, models for FDM printing on household 3D printers are presented. There is an extensive collection of models for parts of a 3D printer, so you can print and assemble your own 3D printer.
4. A convenient resource from the world’s largest Autodesk engineering software provider is the Thinkercad web application. Using the application, you can create 3D models online, there are a lot of training materials, tips on the site, there is a forum where you can submit a question for discussion by the community. And besides all this, there is a gallery of ready-made 3D models where, by analogy with previous resources, you can use the search bar to find the necessary models, download them for 3D printing in .STL format, as well as in .SVG format, which is suitable for laser cutting . The peculiarity of this resource is that few models are optimized for low-cost ABS plastic, but there is more room for choosing models with more complex geometry and detail that can be printed in better quality on industrial 3D printers. Some models are presented with a color texture for printing with multicolor plaster.
5. Here are some more foreign resources with ready-made 3D models — some models can be downloaded here for free, some can be bought. Also on these sites you can place your own 3D-models for sale:
• Cublts3d
• Pinshape
• 3Dshook
6. Make-3d — A Russian resource with news about 3D printing, where there is also a library with free STL models, many “household” purpose models, for example, a stand for dishes or various hooks and holders.
Free 3D model of hooks for 3D printing
7. But search sites that find 3D models for a given query all over the Internet — basically browse and offer models from the libraries listed above. The convenience of such search sites is that you can see all available models from various resources in one place.
• STLfinder — Locates and offers models in the appropriate STL format for 3D printing.
• Yobi3d — next to the search line there are filters where you can set the desired file format. Also on this site there is a tool for online conversion of 3D models of various formats to .STL.
3D Models Search Site
And the last life hack to help you independently prepare the model for 3D printing. Often, 3D models that can be downloaded for free on stocks contain minor errors that can prevent the printer software from correctly building a print job. Also, models with errors will not pass the test on our website during online download. Most minor errors can easily be fixed by automated tools in the free netfabb Basic program. Also, using netfabb, you can open and view 3D models, measure thicknesses, and if necessary change the dimensions of the models. Read how to download and use the program in our training course on working with netfabb Basic.