The best mobile apps for 3D printing

Everything has an app these days, and even more things require you to make an account of some sort. However, a good app with the right feature set can really accentuate a hobby, in this case 3D printing. In this video, we cover some fantastic apps across a range of categories that can take your 3D printing game to a higher level.

Thanks to my patrons for their suggestions and feedback in making this video.

0:00 Introduction

0:38 Criteria for selection

1:12 3D file management
Thangs

3:16 Bambu Lab control
Bambu Studio

5:20 Marlin+Octoprint control
Octoapp

8:44 Klipper control
Mobileraker

11:46 CAD
Fusion
Onshape

12:47 Photogrammetry
MagiScan

14:57 Conclusion

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[harvey]

Nice survey of apps, very useful.

Still...thought this was funny:

Opening: apps have to be on both Android and iOS, to cover the interests of the vast majority of viewers.

Then: first app reviewed is for Bambu, almost certainly representing the interests of only a small portion of the viewers.

[walkingkimchee]

really wish someone would make a mobile slicer

[Verbosal]

We all know the most universal app is the micro sd card

[LiamFitzpatrick]

I use Tailscale to access my klipper printers remotely. It's an open source peer to peer vpn. When i use it to remote in i have full access to Klipper, including the camera. I think you can add something like 100 devices before you will run into licensing issues. Its also cross-platform so i can access the printer remotely using my laptop. I can slice a file and send it to the printer from anywhere. (I might just have to give the wife a ring to do a filament swap)
(Edited because phones are stupid)

[crowguy]

An unbroken mobile workflow would be the achievement. Imagine designing in Tinkercad, slicing in Kiri Moto and printing in the Bambu app. All web based already, but to transfer files you’d need to switch to a computer. Seems so obsolete at this point. Single device mobile designing and printing needs to exist.

[joemccall]

OctoPrint ftw, support Gina and this great project!

[emmettturner]

I imagine iOS apps that use the LiDAR in some Apple devices will work much better but your criteria would exclude those. That said, there’s a chance they work so much better that they’d be worth featuring anyway.

[ericthecyclist]

I'm thinking you should start your scan at the back of the head since flaws there will be less noticeable.

[felipesarandini]

Nice compilation! I still struggle with apps to slice or even monitor 3D printers running Marlin. I have an Elegoo Neptune 2 for example, and is hard to find an app that connect to Orca or Cura to monitor.

[PioneerPrintD]

I would love to see a follow up of this video. I know it is difficult to find these apps but I downloaded almost everything you showed me because I never found them myself!

[saintawful]

Thanks for more great 3d printing tips.

[gaidkey]

am i the only one wondering how your A1 Mini has a transparent shell covering all the injection molded parts? thank you for your videos

[Rossic]

I use a Beaglecam and it's related app for running my 3D printer. It works pretty well.

[D-One]

What about apps to detect nd warn on any issues, failures, etc? I'd use an old phone but isn't find anything...

[andrewsmith]

We're running polycam for photogrammetry when we're in the field or it's impratical to bring out 'the real scanner' (read Artec).

[danieldc]

iOS has some great scanning apps that either use lidar, stereo capture or even faceid

Best free one is just called 3d scanner app and the photogrammetry can be done on-device

[Jstik]

as you are playing with sovol sv08, can you make mobileraker instalation step by step tutorial ? :D as it is nowhere to be found.

[lawofficesofjeffreym.jacob]

Why not add a 3d scan app that works, too? Is polycam good?

[xrok]

Will any 3rd party apps allow control of a bambu printer? Always bugs me that you can't adjust extrusion rate on the fly.

[minecraftbasics]

Addition: The new Prusa app that came out 2 days ago.