Posted by 3D printing is growing old, and its accessibility is reaching homes. People have started using printers for accomplishing long loved hobbies. Because what’s not possible by any other means can be done with this technology. One can easily 3D print Lego at home. However, this will not be easy for starters. Nothing is easier in the beginning. But as you start exploring the right path with the right tips, you can soon begin printing your own Lego 3D models. You will be creative and make your own Lego figures from scratch. However, to start with, there is plenty of them. You can start by looking for digital files online because there are plenty of them.
For those who love working with Lego, if there has ever been a time you’ve felt stuck while making the best Lego projects because of a few bricks, if you own a 3D printer, you can fill those gaps of despair by allowing the 3D machine to do its parts. The best part of having a 3D printer is that not only can users print Lego parts for replacement, but you can also make new ones. In addition, users can create a completely new Lego game that has never been thought about before.
How to print 3D Lego parts
Before you start to print your model, the first thing you need is the digital file to 3D print Lego. And there are a few ways to do that.
Firstly, download the STL Files from online repositories. It is the fastest way to start printing, and there are hundreds of models available online. People love to download printable files directly without needing to invest a lot of time thinking. You can get the file saved to your personal device with just a few clicks. Either select multiple parts or download the zip file containing the design for the whole set of Lego parts. Whatever you decide, it’s all about choosing the design and downloading the STL file afterwards.
Related article: Ways to free up space on Your Android Phone and still keep your treasured apps and files.
Secondly, you can be creative, design and explore. Various individuals feel excited when starting or wanting to create something independently. The makers and enthusiasts are always eager to do something on their own. You can use the CAD package to make your own Lego figure alongside other packages like 3DBuilder or TinkerCAD. If you like sharing, online repositories are always open. And, why not? Others would be able to use your creation for making these fantastic figures that, when fit together, can turn small bricks or pieces into something marvelous.
Lastly, scan and edit. Few 3D Printers come along with an inbuilt 3D scanner. If that is what you own, you can scan the pieces and print the parts. There are also separate 3D scanners you can get for yourself; this is best for preparing replacement. However, if you like to come up with a unique design, you can also make edits to the scanned file. You can make your own Lego pieces the way you like these.
Buy Ender 3 Pro 3D Printer with Removable Build Surface Plate on Amazon here.
Examples of 3D Lego printing sets
Different examples of 3D Print Lego sets are scattered all over the internet. You can find some significant Lego figures and creative designs that would fascinate you. Hence, here are what people are already doing by combining Legos with 3D printing.
- Duplo to Brick Track Adapter: This is the favorite innovation of many. It involves combining different games with the help of customized Lego designs. The project is aimed at connecting the wooden toy tracks using Duplo brick. Hence, allowing users to do wonderful things at home. Change the tracks and make it look different for your kids by introducing the Lego parts.
- Gear Sets: If you are building a completely fully functional project, it is possible to do so with Lego and the gears. Though a few projects can take up a few gears, and others would require you to print different gears in large quantities.
- Lego Mini Figures: By joining the different sets of body parts together, you can create a diverse set of characters. Hence, retaining the basic meaning of Legos. The design is available on MyMiniFactory. And you can also download the STL file to make room for some exciting 3D printing projects.
Benefits of Printing 3D Print Lego
Here are some benefits of printing 3D Print Lego.
- Creativity: 3D printing allows you to be free. The technology has brought itself a long trail of creativity that is difficult to surpass by any other technology. You can design your creations using 3D printing. You can also create pieces that never existed before. Something that could make you famous in a day. Even not, it would be fun to turn your imagination into real objects.
- Print Missing Lego Parts: If you are in between your build and realize that you may fall short of a few Lego bricks at the end. Don’t let the dilemma get the best of you. Think harder. If you have a 3D printer sitting next to you, you can make use of it to quickly find the online STL files and download the file to print yourself a replacement brick.
- Bringing Your Childhood Days Alive: There are times when we try to search for those old school Lego sets that happened to exist when we were little children. Sometimes, it’s harder to get rid of the annoying feeling of separation. But with 3D printing, it is simple to build, and if you already have a few pieces left from your vintage collection, you can complete the entire set with 3D printers. This might feel unbelievable, but you can check the dimensions, and if you are good at printing models, it won’t be that difficult for you.
- 3D Print Adapters: Lego does make a world in itself. However, introducing new meaning to the fun is much more exciting than we can realize. An example is the Duplo adapter that can make tracks more fun when upgraded with Lego hacks. The same can be done with other games. You can make things compatible using Lego blocks, and it’s amazing to watch them succeed.
- Ready Whenever you Are: Another benefit of 3D print Lego is that you can create your missed parts in hours. Or, even the entire set would not take much longer.
- It is Actually Cheaper: Printing 3D Lego is very cheap after subtracting the printer cost. This is because the operational price and the material aren’t very high. Especially when you are working with an FDM 3D printer, PLA is the cheapest material and can certainly work for Lego designs. Because each Lego brick would cost not more than a few cents, printing replacement parts are much more affordable than ordering the complete set for just a few missing pieces.
See affordable MakerBot Replicator + 3D Printer on Amazon here.
Materials needed for 3D printing Lego
There are a few materials that could help when printing 3D print Lego.
ABS
ABS is the closest match to the material used for real Lego bricks. The real parts are created using injection-molded ABS. Hence, FDM ABS is the best material for printing these pieces. Using ABS can achieve the similar toughness and resilience found in the store collected Lego parts.
PLA
PLA is the cheapest one you can choose. And it is also bio-degradable. Being the most popular filament in 3D printing, it is impossible to ignore the fact that these can also print Lego parts. However, these won’t be as tough as ABS printed pieces. The Lego parts will have low tensile strength. And, if you accidentally step on these pieces, they would snap.
PETG
This is an intermediate option. It’s easier to print with PETG than ABS and has higher strength than PLA. However, these won’t look anything similar to the ABS printed parts. And, you would come to know about the difference right after you try to connect the ABS printed parts with PETG ones.
You may also like to read our latest article, How to find MAC address on your iPhone.
