6 Best Apps To Master 3D Printing With Your Smartphone

3D printing is quite a buzzword from the last few years. However, this simple word is set to revolutionize the world in the near future. The tech industry is gradually realizing the immense potential 3D printing technology holds, and soon we would be watching 3D printers stepping into the mainstream. Once this happens, the world would see a dramatic change in the way things are done – we can 3D print custom cases for our phones, doctors can create prosthetic limbs through 3D printing, and so on…. The list of applications of the 3D printing technology is simply too long.

Perceiving that 3D printing would soon reign the world of technology, the app builders have created some outstanding mobile apps to help people build 3D printed objects on their own, using their smartphone. With these apps in your smartphone, you can create simple objects for entertainment to complex ones that have more significant applications.

Below appear some apps for 3D printing that you can install in your smartphone and start building innovative things:

1. Tinkerplay:

Tinkerplay comes for Android as well as iOS and makes a great app for 3D printing toys and entertainment objects for children. You can create models by following the instructions given, or can choose and mix parts out of a big library containing designs. For example, you can choose wings, scorpion tail, human body etc. for creating your characters. Prior to 3D printing out a design, you can opt to test out the design, by twisting and bending each joint in it through life-like simulation.

Compatibility: iOS and Android

2. MakerBot Mobile:

The MakerBot Mobile has been designed to be used by engineers. MakerBot offers mobile apps meant for various skill levels, which have been created to work with MakerBot Replicator 3D printers. Using MakerBot Mobile, files can be prepared by engineers using their smartphones, from MakerBot Cloud Library to create 3D print outs. With the option to access Thingiverse, engineers can access various 3D digital designs that can be downloaded. Prints can be monitored, paused and canceled using the mobile device itself. Users who are newbies in 3D printing prototyping can avail several helpful apps from MakerBot. For instance, Zotebook lets users without much experience in 3D design, prototype concepts quickly, and Leopoly provides users many modeling tools for working with 3D designs.

Compatibility: iOS and Android

3. Blokify:

Love 3D printing as well as Minecraft? If yes, Blokify is the app for you. With this app, you can build free-form cubist objects or assemble spaceships, castles and other objects block by block by following blueprints. You can print the end result and share it with the community.

Compatibility: iOS

4. Thingiverse:

Another app by MakerBot, Thingiverse is a flourishing design community to discover, build and share 3D printable objects. You can find all sorts of stuff here – clothes, jewelery, statues, lampshades, phone covers and much more. Like something? Simply tap for downloading it to the Replicator and go for printing it out. Made something great? Share the design and the photos with the group.

Compatibility: iOS and Android

5. Autodesk 123D:

This is a group of 3D apps connected with each other in the cloud. 123D Design lets engineers design parts or products as well as view projects built by other users of 123D Design, within the app itself. Whether it’s a machine or a building, photos can be converted to realistic 3D models with the help of 123D Catch, by shooting a series of images from various angles using an iPad or iPhone. The images are then uploaded to the Autodesk Cloud, where they are converted to a 3D model. Engineers can then edit this model using the web app 123D Catch, or send it for 3D printing.

Compatibility: Windows and iOS

6. Morphi:

Morphi, an iOS app, lets engineers create printable 3D models with the help of a touchscreen. You can find libraries of 3D shapes in the app, ranging from platonic solids to the basic shapes. Morphi simplifies the modeling tools, which let users rotate, add and subtract objects to create 3D models. 3D printable models can be created employing these tools and libraries, and users can export these models in the .STL format to upload to 3D printers with the help of a third party slicing software application or by printing using 3D printing services. The developer of the app envisions various applications of Morphi, such as building prototypes and creating models for teaching STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) subjects.

Compatibility: iOS

These apps are intelligent enough to help you give shape to your ideas, through 3D printing. One of these apps is what you need to kickstart your 3D printing projects. Whether you are a newbie in 3D printing or a more experienced professional, you are sure to find the app to suit your needs in the list appearing above.

Read more: 3D Printed Toys: A New Trend Offering Entertaining Playing Experience