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 After buying your 3D printer, you can upgrade it in order to make it a better machine. Adding accessories will help improve the quality of your prints as well make your work easier.Â
There are various 3D printer accessories available. We have compiled a list of the 10 best 3D printer accessories that you must have. Some will help turn your 3D printer into a CNC machine and laser engraver. Some will ensure that you are safe and some will help improve the quality of your prints.Â
Let’s get started!
The Best Must-have 3D Printer Attachments
Lasers
Did you know you can do more than just 3D printing models with your 3D printer? If you would like to add more functionality to your 3D printer like laser cutting and laser engraving, then you need to get a laser. Laser engraving is a technology that is used to mark on the surfaces of materials and even alter their appearance through the oxidation process. Laser cutting, on the other hand, is where a laser beam removes the surfaces of materials by vaporizing them along a specific path.
A laser makes it easier for you to engrave on various surfaces and even cut materials. It is attached to the 3D printer hotend and it will use the XY motion to direct the laser path. Attaching a laser on your 3D printer isn’t hard, you can do it with much ease.Â
There are two main technologies used in lasers. That is, CO2 and Diode lasers. Co2 lasers are usually much more expensive and complicated as compared to Diode lasers, though they are powerful as they can be cut on special metals. Diode lasers are easy to set up and are less expensive, too. A good example of a laser is the Ortur Laser Master 2 Pro. Â
Ortur Laser Master 2 pro is an affordable and simple to use laser cutter and engraver with a work area of 400*400 mm. It comes in different power options. That is, 7, 15, and 20W and It’s beginner-friendly and easy to set it up. Ortur laser Master 2 pro is great when it comes to picture engraving as well as engraving texts and patterns even on cylindrical objects like cans. The Ortur laser master 2 pro is not just an attachment but a whole machine. You could use the laser module and attach this to your 3d printer if you wanted, but this would also require you to edit your firmeware. If you fancy a cheaper alternative why not try out the ortur laser master 2.
The Ortur Laser Master 2 Pro is being offered at a price of USD 449.99 at Made The Best. Also, you can check out the website for the latest updates regarding the laser machine.
Check out the video below to learn how to install and use it.
Safety Glasses
If you are working with resin 3D printers or lasers, you need to have safety glasses to protect your eyes. Liquid resin and light emitted is dangerous if they splash in your eyes, hence you need to have safety glasses.
3D Scanner
  
A handheld 3D scanner in action. Image source: Artec3d
 Having a 3D scanner is really fun. It’s useful in creating accurate and realistic 3D designs from images. Most 3D scanners available are beginner-friendly. There are also many of them that are cheap and portable and you can easily carry them around.
3D scanning technology works by taking several snapshots of a design and those snapshots are then turned into 3D models of the exact object and you can rotate and view all the angles of the object in a computer. After you are done 3D scanning and a 3D model has been generated, you can then now use your 3D printer to print it.
3D print Removal Tool
After you are done with 3D printing, you need to have a print removal tool to help you remove the model from the build plate. There are many print removal tools available and a good example is the above Buildtak 3D print removal tool. It’s a tool created specifically for 3D printing and you no longer need to use other tools that have been created for other purposes.Â
This print removal tool has a thin front edge and has a stainless steel blade that makes it easier to get under prints with much ease. You can choose to buy it to make your work easier when removing prints in the 3D printer bed.
Nozzles
3D printer Nozzles are important in squeezing or extruding the 3D printing material in the print head. They come in different sizes and shapes, but they do the same thing.Â
If you have an intricate model or want to 3D print in fine details, you will need a smaller nozzle, but if you want to print large objects, you will need a large nozzle.
Nozzle Cleaning Kit
Sometimes during the 3D printing process, the nozzle might get clogged after using it frequently and cleaning it might be a significant challenge if you don’t have the appropriate tools with you.Â
So it’s important to have your nozzle cleaning kit in order to maintain your 3D printer. Frequent checking of the nozzle is also important for ensuring that your prints are of high quality.
There are various nozzle cleaning kits available for different sizes of nozzles that can help you clean your nozzles and ensure that your 3D printer is ready for the next print.Most of them are between $10-$20 in cost.
Sandpaper
After you are done 3D printing, sometimes your design will have a rough surface. Some people like the rough effect and some don’t like it. To make your designs smoother, you will need to use sandpaper. This is usually called Sanding.
When smoothing using a Sandpaper, depending on the results you can begin with 400 grit sandpaper and move even up to 4000. When choosing a sandpaper to use, you should consider the number of grits. The higher the number, the smoother the surface finishes and vice versa. Check out more about grit numbers on grainger website.
Digital Caliper
If you are designing your own models, it’s of great importance to have a digital caliper with you for measuring the designs that you wish to replicate in a 3D modeling software. A digital caliper is also helpful when you want to measure your prints and see how precise they are. Most of them are cheaper and affordable.
Adhesives
One of the common challenges in 3D printing is usually to get 3D prints to stick to the build plate well. Adhesives like glue and tape are very important as they ensure that the model doesn’t curl or warp, hence reducing failure and waste of the material during the 3D printing process.
Though not all materials require adhesives in order to stick to the bed, it’s of importance to have it with you so that in case you have materials that aren’t good in sticking to the bed, you use it. Materials like PLA are good at sticking to the bed even without the use of adhesion.
Filament Clips
These are simple but very useful 3D printer accessories that you need to have. The clips are useful in firmly holding your filaments in place and you won’t waste any of it during the 3D printing process and you won’t struggle to push them. You can 3D print the clips like the one shown above by downloading the files on Thingiverse. Alternatively, you can also buy them, but you need to make sure that the ones you are buying easily fit your filament.
