Upload 3D models to printables
Printables.com are doing everything right when it comes to attracting users and creators.
Effective reward system, “gamification” and actively adding new features.
Here’s why you should upload all your free 3D models to printables now.
Printables.com is a 3D Model database created by Prusa Research with focus on 3D Printing. It houses thousands and thousands of user-created 3D models.
The models for 3D Printing is obviously the main focus of the site and it does that very well, way better than the competition like Thingiverse, Pinshape or MyMiniFactory based on user experience finding models.
What Printables.com have done so much better than anyone else is it’s motivation through community rewards. More about that further down.
A working interface
Models are displayed in a fast, responsive grid with quick details like number of likes and downloads. You can even see what rank (how “committed”) the creator is through the little symbol on their logo.
Categories and excellent filtration are available directly in the side menu and you can of course change sorting with a several options such as most popular or most downloaded, all during a select period.
Since printables.com is a quite Prusa-oriented community, you have options to sort models that are pre-sliced, and you can even sort those based on nozzle size or print time.
So if you have a Prusa 3D printer, and want to print something within the next 55 minutes, you can find a file for that!
3D Model information
Each 3D model is fast to load and have tons of information visible directly.
You can directly see images of the model that the user has taken, as well as 3D renders of the actual 3D files. This is great to verify that there is actually a correct file to download.
Models that have Gcodes attached to them also have this fantastic graphics showing all the specs for that print.
3D Model Tabs
The first tab open is the Details tab that includes whatever description the user has uploaded. Some users are fantastic and includes tons of helpful information for you to get the best possible print. Those people are heroes while other don’t really fill out much information.
You also see what tags this model is related to and most important what License this model is uploaded with. Make sure you respect those licenses.
In the Files tab you see each STL/3D File or Gcode and can choose to download individual files or zip all of them.
A small icon shows the 3D rendered image of that individual file (generated by printables.com) which is super handy if you didn’t download everything at once!
The Makes & Comments tab really helps see what other users have done with the design or what feedback they have given. You can often find great questions and answers from the creator here. This is also where you should add a picture (A Make) if you print the design.
The User Print Files Tab is a great way to haveusers add their own Gcodes if they found out a better way of doing things. For example adding a Prusa 0.6mm nozzle optimized gcode for other to enjoy.
Remixes and Collections tabs are quite simply what they say. Remixes are when users modifiy or add to your design and upload a new file. Collections is groups of 3D-models other users have created. For example “office prints collection” where the stapler-holder you’re looking at have been collected into
Why you really should upload your free models at printables.com
What Prusa research has done is quite brilliant. They have introduced something called “prusameters” which is a digital currency, representing meters of prusa filament.
You can earn meters (or prusameters) that add up and when you have enough for a spool of filament, you actually get a spool of filament!
Exactly how you earn Prusameters is explained here, but you have several ways to earn it by contributing to the site.
Badges and awards
What I find most interesting is the “gamified” contribution system with badges. You earn badges, and levels of badges that adds up on your profile.
Now I’m a new user to Printables.com, but have already gained lvl 7, which I’m personally pretty proud of!
There are badges for downloading models, uploading makes of others models and even visiting a physical Prusa3D Exhibition stand!
Although these badges don’t give prusameters, they are still a really fun way to see your own status in the printables.com community grow! Not to mention to easily spot a true 3D designer hero or crazy printer maniac with a bazillion downloads.
All three parties (Prusa research, 3D Designers and Printables users) have to gain on this system!
Users are motivated to share more makes, uploads and like models. (you can get up to 10 prusameters a month just by uploading makes! Users also get a better selection of models since 3D designers are motivated. Not to mention users themselves get more motivated create their own models and upload.
3D Designers obviously have the most incentive as they get prusameters by model download and likes milestones, as well as meters per model uploaded. A popular model can quickly reach 400 downloads and 20 likes, that gives you 200 prusameters, more than half a spool of filament.
Lastly, Pusa Research obviously gains a ton of value by creating interaction between users, which they can “monetize” with marketing for the Prusa 3D Printers, and filament. I mean, if you give a designer a spool of Prusa filament and they enjoy it, you know they will buy more of it (or upload even better models!)
Fantastic Rewards
I mentioned you can exchange your prusameters to filament, but there is actually much more!
You can get Resin, Prusa Merch, E-Learnings and books.
Thanks to @Flowalistik, a fantastic Designer, we can now exchange prusameters into a Original Prusa Mini+ 3D Printer!
Upload your designs!
I will personally never upload any free models to other sites any longer. The rewards for a creator is so much better at printables.com compared to thingiverse for example, where nothing really works anymore (or has since a few years back), ads and spam is annoying and I can never get notification or stay logged in.
Other platforms die off, and some are heavily oriented towards paid models (which isn’t bad, but makes it harder to find free ones).
So if you have designs on other platforms that are free, I can’t understand why you won’t spend a few minutes importing them into printables.com to start being part of this awesome community! There is even a thingiverse importer tool!
Start interacting!
Now I hope you will go visit printables.com, preferable via the button below so you can see my profile, follow and check out my models, download and like any that you will actually print. Like the ones below.
Manfrotto 200PL - Quickplate - Printable Replacement
Ferrari Enzo OpenRC F1 Mod
OpenRC Formula 1 Rain Tire
DSLR Camera System
