How to print a QR code in 3D

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To 3D print a QR code you need to use an online application such as Autodesk's Tinkercad.

In the basic shapes menu choose the “shape generators” option and in the magnifying glass on the right type “QR” then choose the QR shape and position it on the work plane. Edit the data of the 3D QR Code with yours and then export the STL file to your computer.

Uses of a QR code

QR codes have multiple uses today, such as:

• Make or accept payments online.
• Attract customers to your website.
• Using virtual menus in restaurants.
• Authenticate purchases made online, such as movie tickets for example.

And there are many uses that are practical and fast and easily solve access to information by simply scanning a code. (If you want to know what QR codes are and what they are used for, I leave you an external link Here.)

QR codes are usually printed on paper, but paper can be torn or lost.

If you have a 3D printer you can print a 3D QR code and make it more durable.

Why print a QR code in 3D

Because you can differentiate yourself from others by doing something different and fun..

With a 3D printer you can do:

• Keychains with a 3D printed QR to promote your website
• A business card
• Save Wifi passwords
• Save important passwords that you don't want to lose

And because it also gives a more professional appearance.

How to print a QR code in 3D

Log in to Tinkercad using your account, if you don't have one you can login with your Google account. Tinkercad is free.

You can see how I do it with images from this post: How to make keychains with names in 3D

Let's see a step by step from Tinkercad:

How to make a QR code in Tinkercad

1. From the work plane, go to the “basic shapes” menu and click to display the options.

2. In the window that appears you must choose the option “Shape generators”

3. Now click on the magnifying glass on the right and type “QR”

4. In this window several options will appear, you have to Click on the QR code.

Now click on the work plan again and you will see the QR code appear.

5. Now is the time to configure the QR code with the text you want to promote, it can be a link to a web page or it can be a password or any informative data that you consider important.

In my case I will put the address of my website: presion3d.website

6. At this point you are going to enter the width and height measurements for the code. In my case I am going to enter measurements of 50 x 50 mm by 2 mm high.

To change the size just click on the QR code and then on any of the 5 white squares.

7. You already have the QR code, now you need a base. For that you will go again to the option “Basic forms"as it was at the beginning.

Click on the “cube” shape and then on the work plane.

8. Once you have the Cube on the work surface, you will modify its measurements so that it is a little larger than the QR code.

In my case for the example I am going to put 60 x 60 mm width.

8. In the height I am going to put about 4 mm so that the base has rigidity.

now i will do Click on the QR code and then I'm going to raise it from the work surface about 4 mm, which is the same height as the base.

To do this you need Click on the black triangle and go up to 4 mm without releasing the mouse button.

9. Once you have completed the previous step, you will select everything and use the “Align” tool, which is located at the top right, as seen in the image.

After the black points are marked, you are going to click on the centers as seen in the image.

10. If everything went well, you will see that the QR code and the base have been aligned in their centers.

11. Now you need to make the hole for the keychain, for that choose the transparent cylinder that is in “basic shapes” and place it on the work surface as you have done before with the other objects.

12. Modify the sides of the cylinder. Click on the white squares and choose the size, in my case I'm going to put 3 x 3 mm.

Now move the cylinder and place it where you want to put the key ring. I'm going to put it in the middle.

13. At this point you must “Group” all the shapes so that they become one.

Select everything and then click on the “Group” tool at the top right as seen in the image.

14. After you have grouped everything (and if everything is okay) you can export the STL file from Tinkercad to your hard drive.

Select everything and click “Export” as seen in the image.

15. In the next window choose the “STL” option which will be the appropriate format to use with any Slicer, in my case Cura.

Print the QR code in 3D

You already have your QR code in an STL file, now open it in your favorite Slicer.

Use a speed of no more than 50 mm/s, since the QR code part has to be printed well so that it can be read by the reader.

Outside of that you can use your preferred settings.

At this point you also have to choose whether to print your QR code in a white color (and then paint over the code part with a black marker); or if you are going to print using two colors.

If you have a 3D printer with multiple extrusions it shouldn't be a problem, but if you want to print multiple colors with a single extruder then you will have to create one “secquency of commands“ in Cura to pause the print at the moment when the filament needs to be changed.

I invite you to see the Post: How to print in two colors with a single extruder an item that can help you print multiple colors with a single extruder.

In my case I will use two filaments of different colors, so I'm going to create a script so that the ender 3 printer stops on the last layer of the base, so I can change the filament to a black one for the QR code part.

Channel video: EliasD

I like the video on the EliasD channel because I think it explains it pretty well.

I leave you some images, I hope you liked today's post.

Thank you for your visit.

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