12 Online 3D Printing Courses That Are Completely Free

3D Printing, called additive manufacturing, creates physical objects from digital 3D models. The process involves adding successive layers of material until the final object is produced. A 3D model is created using Computer-aided Design (CAD) software or a 3D scanner to begin the process. The model is then sliced into thin layers, and the 3D printer uses this information to create the object layer by layer.

A simple reason to pursue a well-designed 3D printing course is that it is highly in demand today. It does not involve traditional manufacturing processes. 3D printing courses are well recognized worldwide, and tech students are encouraged to enroll in them for better career opportunities.

So, why not advance with the changing times and upgrade yourselves with exemplary skills?

Here are the 12 best free online 3D printing courses to help you develop your potential.

Best Free Online 3-D Printing Courses

Enroll in the top-rated free online 3D courses to build your career while learning special techniques! These courses are planned to help students explore and enhance their skills.

3D Printing is an advancement in the printing domain. As a result, acquiring the appropriate knowledge from the best sources will foster this advancement in technology.

1. The 3-D Printing Revolution [Coursera]

This course imparts information about the 3D printing ecosystem, describes how 3D printers operate and shows what can be made using them. Additionally, it will debate how 3D Printing will change the world and explore its potential. The study resources for the course include instructive video lectures, on-site interviews with a range of 3D printing authorities, and fun, hands-on activities. After completing this introductory course, students will be able to print and modify 3D designs and have a thorough grasp of 3D Printing and its revolutionary potential.

Content Covered: 

• New product development 
• Customizing 3D designs 
• Human-computer interaction 

Duration: 10 hours approximately

Rating: 4.7 

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Flexible deadlines, shareable certification

Cons: It is a little lengthy 

2. Running a 3D Modeling/Animation Business [Udemy]

The course outlines the common mistakes 3D artists make when they start their own freelance businesses. It places emphasis on how to stop competing in online freelance marketplaces and instead focus on finding the best clients with the biggest tasks to gain long-term profitability.

Content Covered: 

• Know how to make money from your talent.
• Make a standout platform and brand.
• larger projects with better clients
• Recognize the unfair edge you have
• Plan your business.
• Make the transition from freelancing to operating a successful business.
• Strive for passive income

Duration: 1 hour 48 minutes 

Rating: 3.9 

Certificates: No 

Pros: The course is free. 

Cons: No scope for any personal interaction with the instructor

3. Design for 3D Printing: Fusion 360 Masterclass [SkillShare]

The program helps you learn how to use Fusion 360, a potent 3D modeling program that is free for personal use, to create your own models for 3D Printing.

You can confidently tackle simple and sophisticated multi-part projects if you are familiar with Fusion 360’s basic features. With the help of this online 3D printing course, you can learn how to develop your own original work from just a raw idea stage to a fully finished functional model. 

Content Covered: 

• Basics of Fusion 360 
• 105 document settings 
• Parametric modeling 
• Geometric patterns 

Duration: 7 hours 44 minutes 

Rating: 3.9 

Certificates: No 

Pros: The course is free. 

Cons: Can be a little time-consuming 

4. 3D Printing Software [Coursera]

This course demonstrates how to generate digital designs that can be made into actual objects using 3D printing software. Additionally, it shows how 3D scanners operate to convert real-world things into digital blueprints. This comprehensive course walks you through the two well-known 3D modeling applications, Fusion 360 and Tinkercad, with detailed and simplified explanations. On completion of the course, students will be able to design a wide range of things for both personal and commercial use using 3D software. 

Content Covered: 

• Introduction to Fusion 360 and Tinkercad 
• 3D Modeling applications

Duration: 15 hours approximately 

Rating: 4.7 

Certificates: No 

Pros: The course provides extensive training in two advanced software.  

Cons: Certificates are available for paid users

5. Learning 3D Printing [LinkedIn Learning]

This course provides an elaborate plan for beginning a 3D printing (also referred to as additive manufacturing) business, from picking a machine to studying 3D modeling. This free online course guides you through a number of 3D design tools, such as 3D modeling and 3D scanning, and demonstrates how to generate ready-to-print designs after inspecting a variety of commercial 3D printing technologies (such as laser sintering, jetting, and more).

Content Covered:

• Introduction to 3D Printing 
• Basics of 3D printing technology
• 3D printing designs 
• In-depth knowledge of 3D software

Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes 

Rating: 4.7 

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: You can share your certificate on LinkedIn and boost your profile.   

Cons: The course content is too basic. 

6. 3D Printing Applications [Coursera]

This course will assist you in comprehending how 3D Printing is being used in a variety of industries, such as design, manufacturing, and retail. Additionally, it will show off some of the unique features of 3D Printing, like personalization, self-assembly, and the capacity to produce complicated objects. This course will look at how people, notably those in underdeveloped nations, are using this technology to produce answers to the challenges they confront, in addition to business applications. This course will also give you a general introduction to design thinking and show you how to utilize it to create ideas that can become tangible items.

Content Covered:

• Understanding the design, manufacturing, and retail structure of the 3D printing industry
• Basics of 3D printing technology
• Market analysis

Duration: 20 hours approximately

Rating: 4.6

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Flexible deadlines  

Cons: It is a little lengthy 

7. Blender 3D: New User Modeling Trial [Udemy]

This course is aimed at brand-new Blender users who want a quick project to gauge their understanding of 3D and CG modeling using Blender. The only things covered in this introductory video are how to utilize a few editing tools and create a simple object in Blender’s Edit mode. However, the course is exclusive of timelines, armatures, texture paint, grease pencil, user preferences, etc.

Content Covered: 

• How to model an object by eyesight 
• What are the common modeling options 
• Fundamentals of shading and rendering 
• Introduction to 3D modeling in Blender 

Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes 

Rating: 2.8

Certificates: No

Pros: Flexible Learning

Cons: No scope for personal interactions with the course experts

8. 3D Printing 101 [SkillShare]

Everything you need to get started in the field of FDM 3D Printing and its applications is covered in the workshop. The course aims to provide tips and tricks and foster a basic understanding of how to use specific software necessary for 3D Printing. You can also expect chapters on materials, troubleshooting, and 3D scanning. This online 3D printing coursewill walk you through each piece of 3D printing hardware and software step-by-step and with printing samples (free of charge).

Content Covered: 

• Instruction on how to use hardware and 3d printing software in detail
• Fundamentals of 3D Printing 
• Materials needed for 3D Printing
• Troubleshooting
• Scanning

Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes 

Rating: 4

Certificates: No 

Pros: Comprehensive course yet straight-to-the-point explanations

Cons: No certificate available 

9. 3D Printing: Short-Run Production  [LinkedIn Learning]

With volumes as high as thousands of pieces, additive manufacturing emerges as a competitive alternative to conventional production processes like injection molding. It can also serve as a fallback for producing bridge components before the availability of the standard ones in a manufacturing facility. The main benefits of 3D Printing are covered in this course, including decreased part numbers, short assembly times, improved reliability, backup options in case of part shortages, and lower tooling costs. The instructors, Rich Cameron and Joan Horvath, review some actual manufacturing use cases where the additive is economical and offer advice on whether materials—filament, resin, or powder—might best fit your business and product.

Content Covered: 

• Analysis of the current working flow  
• Risk reduction in 3D Printing 
• Benefits and case studies of 3D Printing
• Costs involved in 3D Printing
• Medical and dental applications in 3D Printing 
• Information on distributed manufacturing 

Duration: 1 hour 17 minutes

Rating: 4.4

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Good for a comprehensive learning

Cons: The course has more content on finances related to 3D Printing than actual 3D Printing. 

10. Photoshop: 3D Printing  [LinkedIn Learning]

In this lesson of online 3D printing course, you will learn how to import 3D models into Photoshop or create your own. Before the models are exported in print-ready formats, the details can be adjusted using texture maps, opacity maps, and bump maps. The finished models can be replicated at home or through a service like Shapeways. New Photoshop tools in the course automate the procedure for hollowing models and exporting them for full-color Printing, removing much of the hard 3D printing preparation work.

Content Covered:

• How to work with 3D models 
• How to get the 3D model printed 

Duration: 47 minutes 55 seconds 

Rating: 4.6

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Apt for learning quick tips and hacks

Cons: Only meant for the advanced learners 

11. 3D Printing Hardware [Coursera] 

An extensive examination of desktop 3D printing hardware will be provided in this session. It will look at the background of desktop 3D Printing and show how 3D printers are created and operated. The operation and maintenance of a 3D printer will also be covered in detail in this course. 

Content Covered: 

• Usage, maintenance, and upgrading a 3D printer
• Examination of 3D printing hardware

Duration: 31 hours approximately

Rating: 4.1

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Available in multiple languages 

Cons: It can be a little hard for beginners 

12. 3D Printing Capstone [Coursera]

In this online 3D printing course, you will be led step-by-step through a process where you imagine, design, create, and share a 3D-printed object. The course emphasizes 3D printing specialization. You will therefore be able to apply the concepts from the courses and use your knowledge in real-life situations. Additionally, you can get a discounted 3D print of the item you design from our business partners, 3D Hubs and Shapeways.

Content Covered:

• Desktop 3D printing 
• Problem-Solving with 3D Printing 
• Development and design 
• Process and production

Duration: 6 hours approximately

Rating: 4.3

Certificates: Yes 

Pros: Get a shareable certificate on completion of the course 

Cons: No scope of doubt clearing with the instructors 

Conclusion

3D Printing has many practical applications, including rapid prototyping, creating replacement parts, and even printing entire buildings. It has also revolutionized the manufacturing world by reducing the time and cost of producing complex objects. As technology grows and becomes more accessible, 3D Printing is poised to significantly impact a huge range of industries, from healthcare to aerospace.

Hence, if you are passionate about pursuing a 3D printing course, then you can refer to the list of online 3D printing courses mentioned above. The key to choosing the right course is to weigh the pros and cons of the different 3D printing courses you are scrolling through.

So, hurry up and get started with your learning right away!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Which Software Is Used for 3D Printing?

There is plenty of software that can be used for 3D Printing, such as Blender, Solidworks, Siemens NX, Catia, etc. 

What Are the Requirements to Learn 3D Printing?

Understanding various 3D printing and modeling software is the sole necessary expertise. There are many free online 3D Printingcourses available to get you printing, whether you’re interested in Fusion 360, Blender, AutoCAD, or other software.

Are 3D Printing Courses Good for Inclusion on a Resume?

The demand for 3D Printing talents is currently among the highest due to the increase in digitalization. You have every right to display them if you possess them. Just be sure to present a recruiter with the finest possible view of who you are and what you can do, beginning with the ideal resume.

Do Online 3D Printing Courses Come with a Certification?

Yes, some free online 3D Printing courses offer you a certification. However, you may need to pay for the certification in some courses.