Documentation

How to Use MakerWare

MakerWare is software that enables you to prepare 3D models for building and send them to your MakerBot. MakerWare supports the Replicator 2 and 2X, the original Replicator, and certain Thing-O-Matics. See our page on using MakerWare with a Thing-O-Matic for more details. MakerWare is available free from makerbot.com/makerware. To get started with MakerWare, watch this video or follow the instructions below.

• Getting Started with MakerWare Watch

Installing MakerWare

1. Go to http://makerbot.com/makerware and download the correct MakerWare installer for your operating system.

2. Open the installer and follow the directions to install the software.

3. Use a USB cable to connect your computer to your MakerBot 3D printer.

Using MakerWare

• 2.1
• 2.2
• 2.3
• 2.4
• 2.5
• 2.6
• 2.7
• 2.8
• 2.9
• 2.10

We're going to use some examples from Thingiverse to get you started with MakerWare. Go to http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:12762, a collection of Minimalist NYC buildings by JonMonaghan. We picked out two of our favorites: the Flatiron Building and the Woolworth Building. Click the Downloads button at the right side of the page. Find “FlatIron.stl” and “Woolworth.stl” and click on the file names to download them.

The MakerWare Interface

Open MakerWare. We're going to start by opening one of the downloaded files. Click on the Add button at the top of the window, just left of center. Navigate to the location of the file "FlatIron.stl" and select it.

2.1 The model should appear at the center of the gridded gray area. That's MakerWare's representation of your bot's build plate. The lines stretching out from the corners of the build plate represent the build envelope -- the area your bot can print in.

Now that you have a model open, we'll look at the things you can do with it. You have a number of options for viewing and manipulating the object and saving the file:

• Camera Home. Resets MakerWare to the default view of the object.

• +/-. Zoom in and out. You can also use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out.

• Look. Click the Look button or hit the L key to go into Look mode. In this mode, click and drag with your mouse to rotate the plate and the object. Use the arrow at the side of the selected Look button to open the Change View submenu for Top, Side and Front views. 2.2

• Move. Click the Move button or hit the M key to go into Move mode. In this mode, click and drag with your mouse to to move an object around the plate. Use the arrow at the side of the selected Move button to open the Change Position submenu and move an object by specific amounts. 2.3

• Turn. Click the Turn button or hit the T key to go into Turn mode. In this mode, click and drag with your mouse to to rotate the object. Use the arrow at the side of the selected Turn button to open the Change Rotation submenu and rotate an object by specific amounts. 2.4

• Scale. Click the Scale button or hit the S key to go into Scale mode. In this mode, click and drag with your mouse to to enlarge or shrink your object. Use the arrow at the side of the selected Scale button to open the Change Dimensions submenu and scale by specific amounts. 2.5

• Object. Click to open the Object Information submenu. In this menu, you can assign an extruder to each object on the plate. The Object button will only appear if your computer is connected to a MakerBot with dual extruders or if you have a bot with dual extruders selected in the MakerBots menu.

• Add. Click this button to add an object to your build plate. You can add as many objects as you can fit on the plate.

• Make It. Click this button to open the Make dialog, where you can specify print resolution and other printing options and send your object to your MakerBot for building.

• Save. Allows you to save the current plate as a file for later use.

• Help. Opens a guide to MakerWare's basic functions.

• Status bar. This bar at the bottom of the MakerWare window displays the status of your connection to your MakerBot and the status of any print in progress.

We're going to add a second file, so we'll need to move the first one out of the way. Select the Move button and click and drag the Flatiron Building to the left. 2.6

5. Click on the Add button again. Navigate to the location of the file Woolworth.stl and select it. Now you should see both the Flatiron Building and the Woolworth Building models in your virtual build space.

Tip: You can also duplicate objects -- and you don't have to use the Add button. Just select the object, use Ctrl/Command+C to copy and Ctrl/Command+V to paste.

6. With more than one model open, you can manipulate them separately or together. Select one of the models, then click the Turn button or use the T key and rotate it 2.7.

Now let's do something to both models at once. Click on the Flatiron Building to select it. Hold down the shift key and click on the Woolworth Building. Then release the shift key. Both models should be selected.

7. Select the Scale button. Click and drag to change the size of both models together. 2.8

8. Select the Save button. The save dialog gives you the option to save your plate as an STL or a .thing file. STLs can be opened by a wide range of programs, but .thing files allow you to continue to edit the components of a plate separately. Specify a name and location for the file. For example, you could name the file flatiron_woolworth.thing. 2.9

9. Select the Make It button. 2.10 The Make dialog appears, with the following options:

• Make With. Select your MakerBot in the dropdown menu. If your bot is connected to your computer, it should be selected automatically.

Tip: If you plan to build from an SD card instead of directly from MakerWare, select "Export to a File" at the top of the Make dialog instead of "Make it Now." If your MakerBot is not connected to your computer, “Export to File” will be selected automatically.

• Material. Choose the type of plastic filament you're building with.

• Quality. Specify the quality of your build. Smaller layer heights result in more detailed models, but longer build times.

• Raft. Select this checkbox if you want your object built on a raft. Rafts provide a base for supports and help your object stick to the build plate if the build plate is not level. You can easily remove rafts after building the object.

• Supports. Select this checkbox if you want your object to include support structures for overhanging parts of the object. You can easily remove supports after building the object.

• Extruder. If you are connected to a MakerBot with dual extruders or have a bot with dual extruders selected in the MakerBots menu, you will see a setting indicating which extruder will print your object. To change this setting, exit the Make dialog, select the object and use the Object Information menu so select the other extruder.

• Advanced Options. This opens up a menu with more detailed options. For information on how to use these options, go to makerbot.com/support/makerware/documentation/advanced.

• Cancel. Click here to cancel your build.

• Make It!. Send the file to the Replicator 2 for building.

10. Choose your desired settings and click the Make It! button. Your MakerBot will slice and build your model.

Tip: You can cancel a slice or build by clicking the X at the corner of the slicing progress bar.