Introduction to 3D printing

Name: Introduction to 3D printing
Start: 2025-03-13 18:00:00

Notam invites you to an evening in March with an introduction to 3D printing.

If you're curious about what 3D printing is and how you can apply it to your own projects, this introductory evening to 3D printing is for you.

In recent years, 3D printing has become an important tool here at Notam. This evening we will look at simple solutions for 3D printing and 3D modelling such as FreeCAD, but also code-based software such as OpenSCAD. Furthermore, we will look at so-called "slicers", programmes used to prepare the file before it is sent to the 3D printer.

Individual help will be given along the way, and if the participants have their own questions and ideas, we can solve this together.

Bring a laptop with you.

Introduction to 3D printing
The aim of the evening is to provide a simple and basic introduction to 3D printing, so that participants can produce their own prints during the evening. It will also make you qualified to use Notam's 3D printers. No prior knowledge is required to attend the event.

We will give a simple introduction to the programme PrusaSlicer and the use of Notam's 3D printer Prusa MK4, as well as examining the artistic side of 3D printing. We will also look at 3D modelling in the programs FreeCAD and OpenSCAD. Participants will gain an insight into how to work with 3D printing, which will be useful for people working with, for example, product design, visual arts, sound engineering, music, installations and sound design.

In the course of the evening, you will get a good foundation for getting started with 3D printing. If there is interest, Notam will organise a follow-up course after this.

About 3D printing
3D printers have been around since the 1980s, but it wasn't until open source projects such as RepRap (2005) that this technology began to become available to ordinary users. RepRap, short for "replicating rapid prototypes", was a project to develop affordable 3D printers that could print most of their own components. In the 2010s, several commercial products based on RepRap were launched, including 3D printers from Czech Prusa, which is what Notam uses.

High-quality 3D printers are now readily available and inexpensive, and the software has also become easy to use. There are several places in Norway where you can use 3D printers for free or for a reasonable price, and in Oslo you can use Notam, Deichman Library, Bitraf and Fellesverkstedet, among others.

3D printing has become an important tool at Notam. 3D printers can of course be used for prototyping and product design, but they are also a great tool for working with music, sound engineering, sound installations and visual art. They can be used to create musical instruments, mechanical sound objects, loudspeakers, audio electronics, kinetic art, sculptures and much more.

Responsible for the evening
Niklas Adam (b. 1986) is a Danish sound and visual artist based in Oslo. He works with performance and installation art in addition to music. Adam enjoys using both programming and electronics in his work and has performed in Europe, Russia, USA, South Korea and Japan, at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Super Deluxe in Tokyo and Henie Onstad Art Centre outside Oslo, to name a few. He is particularly interested in electronic sound, algorithmic systems, cybernetics, psychoacoustics, time and perception. Niklas Adam is also an experienced technician with extensive technical knowledge of sound, installation art and performing arts. Niklas Adam uses the code-based software OpenSCAD for 3D modelling in his work.

Asbjørn Blokkum Flø (b. 1973) holds a degree in composition from the Norwegian Academy of Music. Since 1999 he has worked as a freelance composer and sound artist specialising in instrumental music, electronic music and sound art for radio and installations. He has worked with sound engineering since the mid-90s and has extensive experience with sound installations. Asbjørn Blokkum Flø makes extensive use of 3D printers, both for artistic and technical projects.

Thom Johansen (b. 1981) holds degrees in electronics and programming from Sør-Trøndelag University College (HiST) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He has worked with electronics and programming since the early 2000s, and since 2011 he has been employed at Notam with a focus on electronics, programming and sound engineering for art and music. Thom Johansen uses FreeCAD in his work, a free open source software for 3D modelling.

Plan for the evening
Introduction to 3D printing
3D modelling, preparation of files for 3D printing, slicer software
FreeCAD, free open source software for 3D modelling
OpenSCAD, flexible code-based software for 3D modelling
Creative work with 3D printing, artistic issues

Practical information
When: 13 March 2025, 18:00 - 21:00
Where: Notam, Oslo. This is a physical event, and will not be posted online.
Languages: Norwegian, Danish or English as required
Bring a laptop with you.

The event is free.