Introduction to 3D Modeling
Introduction to 3D Modeling
Learn the basics of 3D modeling with TinkerCAD. Focus on design thinking for 3D printing. Final projects: build a funnel, a die, a castle, and a chess pawn.
Duration
~2 hours
(x2) 1 Hour Sessions
Pathway
CAD & Product Design
Difficulty
Beginner
Requirements
No prerequisites required
This is a foundation course open to all students — no prior design experience needed.
What This Course Unlocks
- TinkerCAD designs saved to your Autodesk account
- STL export for 3D printing on any printer
- Eligibility for the MVP1 capstone (when paired with the full 3D Printing pathway: 3DP1 → 3DP2)
- Your 3D Design & Thinking badge
What You'll Learn
- Navigate TinkerCAD's 3D workspace
- Use primitive shapes to create complex objects
- Apply boolean operations (group, hole, align)
- Design with 3D printing constraints in mind
- Design practical items: a funnel, a die, a castle, a chess pawn
- Prepare digital designs to be successfully 3D printed
- Create your own original 3D models from scratch
Course Curriculum
- 1~35 min
Understand the Workspace and Tooling
Learn the essentials of the TinkerCAD platform and its primary design tools. Master duplicate, align, group, hide, and undo as you build your first project: a functional funnel box.
- 2~25 min
The Workplane Tool & Alignment
The Workplane Tool lets you change where "the floor" is so you can build on top of objects, sideways, or into them. Plus object-to-object alignment for precise centering.
- 3~30 min
The Sketch Tool & Good Habits
Sometimes you need a shape that doesn't exist. Use the Extrude Sketch (Pen) tool to draw a 2D outline and turn it into a 3D shape. Build a castle wall with custom doors.
- 4~25 min
Build a Chess Pawn and Export to STL
Combine everything — Transparency, Hide, the Workplane Tool, Alignment — to design a custom chess pawn. Then Union Group it, make a copy, and export only the pawn as an STL file ready to print.
What Is TinkerCAD?
Section titled “What Is TinkerCAD?”TinkerCAD is a free 3D design tool made by Autodesk (the same company that makes the software professional engineers use). It runs in any web browser — Chrome, Safari, Edge — so there’s nothing to install.
The magic of TinkerCAD: instead of drawing complicated curves, you build models out of simple shapes — boxes, cylinders, spheres — and combine them like LEGO. Add shapes together to build up. Use a special kind of shape called a hole to carve away. That’s it. That’s how every model in this class gets made.
What You’ll Build
Section titled “What You’ll Build”By the end of 3DM1, you’ll have your very own:
- Funnel Box — your first project
- 6-Sided Die with numbers on every face
- Custom Door built with the Sketch tool
- Custom Chess Pawn, exported as a real STL file
You can take the STL files home, send them to a printer, and watch your designs come to life.
What to Bring
Section titled “What to Bring”- Yourself
- A water bottle (recommended)
- Optional: a simple idea for something you want to design later
You do not need a laptop. FundedYouth provides workstations.
For Parents
Section titled “For Parents”Time commitment: Two 1-hour classes, in person.
Age: Ages 8 and up. Younger kids may need help reading menus and using the mouse precisely.
Cost: Enrolling is free. Sessions may use FYBIT Credits — see the credits page. Basic Members get the first four courses (including 3DM1) free.
What your kid will leave with: Real 3D model files (STL format) they designed themselves. These files can be sent to any 3D printer — at FundedYouth, at school, or at home.
Why TinkerCAD instead of “real” CAD? TinkerCAD is the gentlest possible entry to design. Once your kid is comfortable here, more advanced tools (Fusion 360, Onshape, Blender) feel much less intimidating. Lots of engineers, designers, and architects started with TinkerCAD-style thinking.
Account note: TinkerCAD designs save to a free Autodesk account. Your kid will need an Autodesk login (separate from FundedYouth). If they’re under 13, you’ll need to help them set this up.
Supporting your kid afterward: TinkerCAD works at home, on any device with a browser — including a school Chromebook. Let them keep designing! Ideas: a name plate for their door, a phone holder, a custom keychain, a model of their pet.
Signing up multiple kids? Use the Login & Signup guide — there’s a clever email trick that works with just one inbox.
Common Questions
Section titled “Common Questions”Is TinkerCAD really free? Yes. Free for everyone, forever. Just sign in with an Autodesk account.
Can I keep my designs? Yes — everything you make is saved to your Autodesk account.
Will my design print correctly? TinkerCAD makes it pretty easy to export clean STL files. But sometimes designs have problems (super-thin walls, floating parts) that show up at the printer. Your slicer will catch most of them.
What’s the difference between Group, Bundle, Union, and Intersect?
- Union (Group) — combine shapes into one
- Bundle — group them together but keep them editable separately
- Intersect — keep only the part where shapes overlap
- Ungroup — break a group back into pieces
In class you’ll use them so often they’ll become second nature.
Can I design anything I want? Yes! TinkerCAD is great for almost any beginner project. The only things it’s not great at are super-detailed organic shapes (like a realistic face) — for those you’d want Blender. Everything else: TinkerCAD’s got you.
Do I need a 3-button mouse? A 3-button mouse helps (especially the scroll wheel for zoom), but it’s not required. TinkerCAD works fine with a trackpad too.
What’s Next After 3DM1?
Section titled “What’s Next After 3DM1?”3DP1— Cura Slicer Basics — learn to print what you design3DP2— Bambu Studio Basics — alternative path, for Bambu Lab printersMVP1— Minimum Viable Product — the capstone! Requires3DM1+3DP2(which itself requires3DP1).
How to Enroll
Section titled “How to Enroll”- Sign in to the Portal
- Open Student → Browse
- Find
3DM1and click Enroll (this is free) - Open the Sessions menu and register for an in-person session