THE PRINTING WORKBENCH
3D printing resources.
Choose your next tool.
From a model file to a finished part: a practical directory of slicers, calculators, model libraries, printer projects, material guides and print services, with a useful role and a limitation for each.
Last reviewed:
How to use this page
Start with the decision you need to make: find a model, prepare a job, choose a material or commission a print. Open the resource's own documentation to check current compatibility and requirements; external links below are marked ↗ External site.
No listing here is paid for; we link to resources we think are useful and describe them from their own public pages.
Slicers and print tools
Start with a profile that matches your printer, nozzle and material. Preview the toolpaths before sending a job; slicing is not a dimensional or mechanical validation of the part.
PrusaSlicer↗ External site
Open-source slicing software for preparing model files and reviewing supports and toolpaths. Start with the appropriate printer profile; a successful slice alone does not establish fit or strength.
OrcaSlicer↗ External site
A slicer with calibration tools for temperature, flow and retraction, plus profiles for multiple printer families. Calibration still needs test prints on your own machine and material.
UltiMaker Cura↗ External site
Slicing software for preparing print jobs with configurable print settings. Check that the selected printer and material settings suit your hardware rather than treating a downloaded profile as universal.
Bambu Studio↗ External site
Desktop slicing software from Bambu Lab with a project-based workflow for print preparation. Use its supported printer profiles and review the generated job; it is not a replacement for editing the original CAD design.
Spoolman↗ External site
A self-hosted service for tracking filament spools and remaining material, with integrations for printer software. Usage tracking depends on the integrations and inventory records you configure; it does not slice models.
Cost and filament calculators
For your own machine, use the slicer's estimated filament mass, including supports and purge material, and multiply it by your spool cost per unit mass. That estimates material only; account separately for electricity, machine time, failed prints and finishing.
3D Druck Life price calculator↗ External site
Instant online quote calculator from 3D Druck Life, a German 3D printing service. Drop in an STL, OBJ, 3MF or STEP/IGES file, choose a process (FDM, SLS, MJF, SLM metal, SLA resin, PolyJet colour or CNC), material, colour and infill, and it prices the part including shipping. The calculation runs in your browser and the file is only sent to the provider when you place an order. It quotes parts made by 3D Druck Life – it is not a calculator for the cost of printing on your own printer – and the interface is German with an English view.
Where to find models
Our source comparison explains coverage and access methods; this section is a navigation shortlist. Follow the original model listing for downloads, license terms, scale and printer notes.
PrintWhat model source comparison
Compare the model sources covered by PrintWhat and their access methods. Use that page for the detailed source comparison; this directory only helps you navigate to resources.
Printables↗ External site
A model library with printable designs and creator listings. Read the individual listing's files, license and print notes before deciding whether a model suits your printer.
NIH 3D↗ External site
A community portal for downloading and sharing bioscientific and medical models for printing and visualization. An educational model listing does not establish suitability for clinical use or guarantee print readiness.
YouMagine↗ External site
A creator platform with downloadable RC and maker projects alongside physical products. Check whether a listing supplies digital files or a physical item, and read its assembly requirements and license.
Open-source printer projects and firmware
These are different layers of a printer build: a mechanical design, firmware and a browser interface are not interchangeable. Follow the documentation for your actual controller and machine.
Voron Design↗ External site
A printer-design project with sourcing guides and build documentation. Use it to plan a documented build; the project site is not a promise that a third-party kit includes every required component.
Klipper documentation↗ External site
Firmware documentation for a system combining a general-purpose computer with printer microcontrollers. Confirm controller compatibility and configuration before installing; it is not a slicer.
Mainsail documentation↗ External site
Documentation for a browser interface used with Klipper printers. It provides a control interface rather than replacing the printer firmware or its machine configuration.
Marlin↗ External site
Open-source printer firmware with build, installation and configuration documentation. Select settings for your board and machine; a firmware download is not a universal ready-to-flash image.
Materials guides
Compare material behavior before choosing a filament. These guides are published by vendors, so distinguish general material guidance from settings tested for a particular product or printer.
Prusa filament material guide↗ External site
A material comparison guide with printing requirements and material characteristics. Use it to shortlist candidates, then check the specific filament maker's settings and your printer's capabilities.
Prusa PLA guide↗ External site
A focused guide to PLA printing, preparation and limitations. Read it when considering PLA rather than extending its recommendations to other polymers.
Simplify3D materials guide↗ External site
Filament articles and a properties comparison covering advantages, drawbacks and hardware requirements. Treat the comparison as a starting point rather than a test certificate for your finished part.
UltiMaker materials↗ External site
A manufacturer's material catalog and application guidance for its printing ecosystem. Check the relevant product data and compatibility; these recommendations are not vendor-neutral specifications for every printer.
Print services and community providers
Use a service when you need a manufactured part rather than a file. Compare the selected process, material, finish, delivery conditions and file checks directly with the provider.
3D Druck Life↗ External site
A German 3D printing service based in Zweibrücken, linked from the same company's online price calculator above. Use the provider's own process and material information when preparing a request; a quote is for their manufacturing service, not your home printer.
Craftcloud↗ External site
An online manufacturing service connecting uploaded models with printing and machining options through manufacturing partners. Compare the actual process and delivery terms for your part rather than assuming every provider offers the same result.
Treatstock↗ External site
A platform for finding manufacturing services including 3D printing, machining and design. Confirm the selected provider's capabilities and location for your job; a platform listing is not a manufacturability check.
Sculpteo↗ External site
An online 3D printing service where you upload a design and select a material, technology and finish for a quote. Prepare a usable model first and check process-specific constraints; the quote workflow does not by itself design a missing part.
Need the model before you can print?
If you need an object turned into a printable model, send a custom 3D model request with your reference photos, sketch or measurements.