How to get started with 3D-printing: Entry-level printers, starter courses and community platforms

SINGAPORE – For just a few hundred dollars, you, too, can start 3D-printing bespoke items that solve design problems in your life.

Entry-level models such as the A1 mini ($299) from Chinese company Bambu Lab can easily fit on a desk or be tucked away on a shelf.

Such entry-level 3D printers are generally compatible for use with polylactic acid (PLA) filaments, which is the go-to “ink” for home-based/desktop 3D-printing.

PLA filaments can be purchased from e-commerce platforms such as Shopee. Prices and colours differ between merchants, but checks by The Straits Times show at least one selling a 1kg spool in various hues for $15.89, excluding shipping. 

One drawback of using PLA filaments is that they must be kept dry – a challenge in Singapore’s humid climate.

“I keep my filaments in an airtight plastic crate, along with a dehumidifier,” says Wu Linhan, who worked for German 3D-printing software company Hyperganic from 2021 to 2024, and has since picked up 3D-printing as a personal interest. 

“But overall, I find it to be a very fuss-free activity. You download or design a model, import it into the printer software, set your parameters and the machine takes over. It runs quietly, there are no inks, no spills, no mess. Solid plastic goes in and solid plastic comes out,” adds the 29-year-old. 

For those who want to try before they buy, selected branches of The National Library Board (NLB) offer 3D-printing resources under the MakeIt Initiative. Their 3D printers are free to use, but patrons must first sign up and complete Starter Sessions before using them.

The free, 2½-hour sessions are open to participants above the age of 13 and available at libraries such as Woodlands, Punggol, Tampines and Jurong.

“They teach you the basics of 3D-printing and how to use the printers within the space,” says Ling Ying Xuan, 24, who took part in a Starter Session in February.

The freelance creative learnt about the library’s free 3D-printing resources through social media and decided to sign up.

She adds: “It always seemed really cool that people could design their own desktop organisers or wearable fashion pieces such as jewellery and 3D-print them.”

For anyone else looking to tap the library’s free resources, she says: “Once you have completed the starter workshop and booked a printing slot, you have to come up with a concrete plan of what you want to print or have files ready beforehand to make the most out of your slot.”

Inevitably, given that it is a free resource, there are limitations, she notes.

“There’s only one of each colour filament for printing, and it’s always on a first-come, first-served basis, so sometimes I may not be able to print in the colour I want.”

Due to time slot constraints, it can also be difficult to print something larger or more complex.

She has printed mostly small trinkets, such as name tags, a star-shaped keychain with a mirror insert, hair clips and a keyboard stand.  

But her adventures with NLB’s 3D printers have given her the confidence to consider buying a printer of her own. 

“I love how the library makes 3D-printing accessible. You don’t need your own printer or a workshop at home. You just sign up, learn and, suddenly, you’re holding something you designed. That’s pretty amazing,” she says.

For those who do buy their own 3D printers, community platforms such as MakerWorld and Thingiverse are useful resources for existing designs and models.

Wu says: “People upload models of practical things – tissue box holders, candle holders, drawer organisers – and anyone can download and print them. It’s a very helpful resource, and there’s a lot of inspiration to be found there as well.”