REFERENCE REFERENCE
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GLOSSARY
BUILD PLATE: The acrylic surface on which
the MakerBot Replicator Mini builds an object.
BUILD PLATE TAPE: Masking tape used
as a build surface for objects printed with
MakerBot PLA Filament. You can find build
plate tape sized for the MakerBot Replicator
Mini at http://store.makerbot.com
EXTRUDER ASSEMBLY: The MakerBot
Replicator Smart Extruder installed in the
extruder carriage.
EXTRUDER CARRIAGE: The part of the
extruder assembly that sits on the gantry
and moves back and forth. When the Smart
Extruder is installed in the extruder carriage,
the extruder assembly is complete.
EXTRUDER NOZZLE: The opening on
the end of the Smart Extruder from which
heated MakerBot PLA Filament emerges
to be spread onto the build plate.
FIRMWARE: The soware that runs on your
MakerBot Replicator Mini.
GANTRY: The apparatus that allows the
extruder assembly to move around.
LAYOUT: An arrangement of 3D models on
the build plate.
.MAKERBOT: The format of print files for
your MakerBot Replicator Mini. Print files
contain instructions for your MakerBot
Desktop 3D printer.
MAKERBOT ACCOUNT: The username
and password you will use to sign in to the
MakerBot Desktop app and to log on to
Thingiverse and other MakerBot sites.
MAKERBOT CLOUD LIBRARY: The part of
MakerBot Desktop where you can store and
organize your own design files as well as any
files you have downloaded from or collected
on Thingiverse.
MAKERBOT DESKTOP: Free soware
for use with your MakerBot Replicator
Desktop 3D Printer. MakerBot Desktop
will help you discover, manage, share,
and print 3D models.
MAKERBOT DIGITAL STORE: A digital
store where you can download premium
3D content.
MAKERBOT PLA FILAMENT: Polylactic
acid filament. PLA is a corn-based
thermoplastic. MakerBot PLA Filament is
the material from which you make objects
on the MakerBot Replicator Mini.
MAKERBOT REPLICATOR MINI:
The MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact
3D Printer.
GLOSSARY
.OBJ: A file format used for 3D models.
PRINT PREVIEW: The feature in the Print
dialog that provides an estimated print time,
estimated amount of filament your print will
use, and a rendering of what your print will
look like.
RAFT: A plastic base printed on the build
plate and used as a printing surface for your
printed object. All models printed on the
MakerBot Replicator Mini will be printed
with a ra.
SETTINGS DIALOG: The dialog that allows
you to select options that will aect the
quality of your printed object.
SLICING: The process of turning a 3D model
into a print file containing instructions for
your MakerBot 3D printer. The MakerBot
Replicator Mini uses print files with the
extension .makerbot.
SMART EXTRUDER: The MakerBot
Replicator Smart Extruder draws the
filament from the spool, melts it, and pushes
it through a nozzle onto the build plate.
.STL: A widely used file format for
3D models.
SUPPORTS: Automatically generated
support structures used to prop up any
sections of a print that will not stand alone.
.THING: A file format used by MakerBot
Desktop that stores additional information
about your 3D model files, such as
orientation and location on the build plate.
THINGIVERSE: MakerBot Thingiverse, an
online community for sharing 3D design files.
USB CABLE: A cable that allows your
computer to communicate with your
MakerBot Replicator Mini.