Recently got a 3D printer.. _ (then not, as it's gone back for Warr replacement,.. but that's another story) _ SO, of course I start looking around for 3D software to design and build items to print with it, preferably free or rather low costing. Depending on what your desired product is going to be there are actually some rather well designed applications that can easily get the job done. I've only been at it for about a month in full force, but dabbled for a few years. Here's my quick way to check a file before importing to the printer.

Simple, fun "Artsy" stuff can be done is just about all the programs we here use. Many of the 3D printers out now will import and print OBJ files. though I've found them to not be the cleanest conversion, it can give you a really cool prints. You do have to be careful of hidden geometries and such as the printer will refuse the item of just end up giving you a mass of hot plastic all balled up on the printer bed. But, at least on a Mac, you can easily check if the item is at least reasonably acceptable by simply previewing it in the OS windows Yup the Mac (and I believe Windows has something like it also) you can preview items by using the "Columns" view or "Flow" view. If the item is going to import correctly the OS will display it and it'll be a gray color.. if it's not displayed, if it displays a icon, or if it's black, there is an issue.!

this can save a LOT of headaches later by just doing a simple preview of the item. and, it works for both OBJ and STL files.. both are the more popular file types for 3D printing.

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Hexagon, Carrara, Sculptris, and recently Sketchup.