To get started on your 3D printing journey, you’ll need some 3D designs in your AstroPrint.com account. Here are a few ways to get started:
- Upload Your Own Files - (scroll down for a Step by Step walkthrough)
- Once uploaded, your AstroPrint login credentials will allow you to access the files from any web connected computer/phone, as well as your AstroPrint Mobile app, AstroBox Gateway, AstroBox Touch, and AstroPrint Plugin for Octoprint.
- Note: If you use a 3rd party slicing engine (such as Simplify3D), you CAN upload pre-sliced GCODE directly.
- Search for designs in AstroPrint Apps.
- You can find about anything you could ever want to print via our AstroApps. Search for designs on apps like Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory, or make your own with simple CAD tools like 3D Slash. These apps are in your AstroCenter Dashboard.
- Import from AstroPrint enabled websites.
- Import or print straight from websites like 3DaGoGo, the NIH 3D Print Exchange, and more.
- Check out this video of using AstroPrint to print directly from the NIH website!
Step by Step Walkthrough: How to Upload 3D Designs, GCODEs, and X3G files to your AstroCenter
Step 1 - Go to your Design Library
Login at AstroPrint.com, you will be taken to your AstroCenter Dashboard. Once there, click on the Design Library App. This is where all of your cloud files 'live.'
Step 2 - Click the upload icon (or, Drag and Drop)
If you are uploading a 3D Design, click the Red Upload icon in the 'Designs' column.
If you are uploading a pre-sliced GCODE or X3G file, click the Green Upload icon in the 'Print Files' Column.
Alternatively, you can Drag and Drop your file anywhere on the screen and AstroPrint will start the upload process automagically.
Follow the progress of the upload in the Upload Progress Bar.
Once uploaded, the file will show up in the appropriate column (Designs, or Print Files). You can then click on the filename for additional information and options.
These options include: Starting a Print, Changing the Filename, Downloading, Notes, and more.
Note: If you are uploading GCODE or X3G files, there are few special things you can do with those files. Check out our [GCODE upload article] for more info.
This helps people that use 3rd party slicers, like Simplify3D, but also want to track analytics of their slices/prints.
That's it, we feel like uploading files should be pretty simple! Let us know if you have any issues!