Tinkering with Tinkercad

Peter Penguin for Sharkweek Designed by Maker Advocate

In the 1980s, when Apple introduced the first laser printers and launched the desktop publishing era, we all needed to learn a few basic principles of graphic design. Will 3D printers turns us all into mechanical designers?

If so, Tinkercad is a great place to start. Tinkercad was created by Kai Backman and Mikko Mononen in 2011 to be an easy-to-use online tool for creating 3D designs that are ready to be 3D printed into physical objects. In June of 2013, it became part of Autodesk's 123D family of design products.

Not only is Tinkercad easy to use, it also includes step-by-step lessons which teach the basics of 3D modeling then move on to more complex modeling techniques. A basic account is free and will have you learning to design in 3D within minutes of your first visit.

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Tinkercad Tutorial Video