Design and 3D print your own custom keychain for yourself or someone you know!
Setup and Supplies
After working through the Tinkercad tutorials, you will have the skills necessary to begin creating your own three-dimensional designs in Tinkercad. The first object you will create and print is a custom keychain.
All you need for this project is Tinkercad and a 3D printer.
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Build time:
Approximately 30 – 40 minutes
Skills needed:
- Basic computer skills
Tools:
- Computer
- Tinkercad – web-based 3D design software
- 3D Printer
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How to Make a 3D Printed Keychain
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Step 1: Access keychain template
Log into Tinkercad, so that when you open the keychain template, it opens in your account.
Click on this link to open the template you will use for your keychain: Keychain Template-Tinkercad>
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Step 2: Open keychain template in Tinkercad
Once you have the file open, click the “Copy & Tinker” button.
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Step 3: Begin customizing your keychain
When the template appears on your workplane, you can begin customizing. To access letters or numbers, click the “A” or “1” in the top right.
NOTE: DO NOT alter the size of the keychain without first talking with an instructor! They can help you if you have a name that is too long to fit.
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Step 4: Complete your design
When you have completed your design, it might look something like this. Make sure that there are no stray objects anywhere on your workplane because those will cause your print to fail.
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Step 5: Group all objects together
- After checking your workplane for stray objects, select all objects in your design by clicking and dragging over them to highlight them all in blue.
- Once all the objects of your design are highlighted in blue, click the “Group” button at the top of the Tinkercad window.
- When properly grouped, your design will be all one color. It is now one object and is ready to be downloaded for printing.
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Step 6: Save your design
When you are ready to print your design, save and download the design by following these steps:
- Click on “Design” in the menu in the top left.
- Then, select “Save” from the dropdown menu.
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Step 7: Change the name of your design
Next, you will want to make sure to change the name of the design so it is recognizable as yours when it is printed.
- Click on “Design” again in the top left menu. Then, from the dropdown choose “Properties”.
- When the Thing Properties window pops up, select the text and delete it. Change the name of the file to be your First Initial, Last Name – keychain. (ex: FLast-keychain)
- Then, click “Save Changes”.
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Step 8: Download for 3D Printing
When the filename has changed, you are ready to download. Click “Design” again and choose “Download for 3D Printing” from the dropdown menu.
- When the Download for 3D Printing box pops up, click the “.STL” button.
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Step 9: 3D Print your keychain
You are now ready to print your keychain! Follow instructions from the instructor on how to upload for printing.
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Learn more
- Check out additional Step-By-Step Projects from the Digital Harbor Foundation