By

Nestor “Yan” Llanos

 Table of Contents
SECTION PAGES
Introduction to “Buddyland” 8-12
Introduction to “Buddyracers” 13
Introduction to 3D Design Software 14-17
Design a Basic 3D Digital Character 18-19
3D Print a Basic Character 20-21
Introduction to 3D Printing 22-23
Design ‘Buddy Bunny” 24-25
Introduction to 3D Printer Software 26-27
Painting “Buddy Bunny” 28-31
Design and Paint “Shiva” 32-35
Skin and Infill Explanation 36-37
Design and Paint“Yellow Rod” 38-45
Craft “Buddyracers” 46-51
Design “Buddy Bunny” House 52-57
Introduction to “Monster Extravaganza” 58-59
Design “Bonza” and Paint “Marcello” 60-63
Craft “Monster Extravaganza” 64-65
Support Explanation 66-67
Introduction to “Aircraft Race” 68-71
Design and Paint “Platecraft” 72-77
Assemble “The Little Designer” 78-81
Buddyland Library 82-87
Bonus Extra “Make a Brick” 88-92
6 7
Message to parents
3D printing is safe.
The printer is a device that contains moving parts, some hot, but is
perfectly safe when used according to its instructions.
The 3D printing technology is new, therefore, it is not quite a “push
button” yet. Children will need assistance from older members of the
family for some tasks.
Before helping, allow them to try for themselves, which will help them to
develop into makers.
This venture has brought my kids and me closer, as we spend time
designing and crafting new creations together.. I hope it does the
same for you!
Yan
About the book
The little designers are the new makers, young and smart kids that
can create by design and make by 3D printing. They will be the next
generation of craftsmen.
“Buddyland” is made to spark your child’s imagination; the book starts
very simply, showing how to create a basic cartoon character with just
two spheres, and then how to print it to receive quick gratification.
“Congratulations, you can 3D print!!”
When children have gained the basic understanding of 3D design and
3D printing, they are encouraged to take their skills even further. The
story guides them using “how to make it” tutorials with bold graphics.
This helps move children deeper into their path of learning where
animals,monsters, cars, and even spaceships can be designed and 3D
printed.
The book has an online library where 3d models can be shared and
downloaded, as well children’s stories at www.dreamfactory.build
8 9
Introduction to “Buddyland” (8-12) Design a Basic 3D Digital 3D Print a Basic
Design “Shiva” (32-34)
Character (18-19) Character Design Paint Paint “Shiva” (35)
Introduction to “Buddyracer” ( 20-21) “Buddy Bunny “ “Buddy Bunny”
( 13 ) 24-25 (28-31) Design Yellow Rod (38-43)

Paint Yellow Rod ( 44 )

I know I know
t o 3D Print” I kno
w
Bonus Extra “Expand “ H ow “How to Design It” “ H ow
to Pai
your brick set” n t It ”
( 88-92) Design “Plateship” Craft “Buddyracer (48-50)
w
I kno Bricks” (72-76) Design “Bonza”
o M ake Craft (60-62)
I know
t Assemble “The Little Designer”
“ H ow “Monster Extravaganza” “How to Craft”
(78-81)
“Buddyland” library (82-87) (64-65)
Introduction
Paint Marcelo Design
to “Monster Extravaganza”
Paint “Plateship” ( 77 ) ( 63 ) “Buddy Bunny’s House”
( 58-59)
(52-57)
10 11

“Buddyland” is a town where all the creatures live peacefully. Every year the city celebrates “The Buddy Games”. During this
They are playing all the time and have a lot of fun!!! week all the creatures of the land compete in different games to
become the “Buddy” of the year.
12 13
One of the competitions is “Buddyracers”, held in the north side of the city. Creatures race their
There are many competitions, so everyone gets to play! incredible cars, stopping and exchanging their machines mid-race!!!
The race is very competitive - everyone wants to win and become the “fastest buddy” of the year.

“Buddy Bunny” is the fastest driver in Buddyland.

He is really quick!. Maybe because he uses his long ears as wings
which deflect the air, creating downforce that will be transferred to the
car through his flat base.
So, do you have your “Buddy Bunny” yet?
14 15
Raise and lower using
Click to select and move objects on the workplane.
Lets get into 3D CAD Software the arrows.

The software displayed is Tinkercad, which is available free online!

Use the arrows to undo and redo.

Drag the “shapes”.

Use the mouse to

Click and drag.
manage the view.

R ot
ate
usin
g th
The workplane (wp) will be our desk table - “the lab”!!! e ar
row
s.
16 17
Use the square dots to deform the shapes. You can deform and re-size any creation!!!

Select the shape and click in the “Color” box to change color.
18 19
Lets make a basic Buddy Bunny Bring a ”box hole” to Click and drag to select them and
make the flat face. “group” to make the subtraction.
Deform it with Add another
Put on the top to of the body
Drag a the dot to create sphere to create
using the arrows.
“sphere”. the body. the head.
Use “undo” or “redo”
to go back.

Click and drag to select your

Bring a “cube” to Convert the “cube” into Use “Properties” to change the name in the Coo
make a flat base. a “hole”.
design, then click the word
“group” to join them together. Design tab. l!!!We made it!!! Now let’s 3d print it!!!

The “hole”
disappears!
20
Every 3D printer uses software to print your designs. We will use one named Cura. Tutorials 21

It shows a frame with the size of the

printing volume. You can print only
inside of it.
3D Digital design software
Click to open the
control panel.

Click “print” button to 3D print it

When you load your object, it will
be placed on the bottom - you can’t 3D printer software
print an object that is floating!!!

t o
h ow
Type the temperature to melt the n o w int!
plastic which is normally 210 deg C. I k D pr
3
22 23
The printing process we will use is called FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling).
The extruder melts the plastic, squeezing it like toothpaste,
The 3D printer has a “hot tip” called an extruder that moves side to side, and up and down. A and builds up your design layer by layer until finished.
spool of plastic feeds into the extruder and hot plastic is squeezed out to build up the design in
layers starting at the bottom on the tray.

Spool of plastic

Extruder

The material is PLA (PolylActic Acid

or polylactide) which is a biodegradable
and recyclable thermoplastic making it
really environmental friendly!!!
24
Lets add a tummy a tail and ears to Buddy Bunny! 25
Select and duplicate it. Group it .
Convert to hole Select to group
to subtract. and consolidate Drag a sphere Deform it. Convert duplicate
Drag a sphere to Adjust the shape the subtraction. to make the ear. to hole.
make the tummy with the dots.
cavity. Move it to create the
tummy cavity.

Change the color, d d y

Drag and deform a Select to group and use the deform, move, and Bu y!!
sphere a bit smaller “multicolor” option to keep Move it and group it. n n
than the tummy colors you picked. group all. B u
cavity. Move to add Bring a box Duplicate ear.
the tummy Drag a sphere to
hole to make the make the tail.
leaving edge base.
around it.
26 27
Lets see what else we can do in the 3D printer If the part is outside of the frame, it will be showed gray and will not be printed.

Use the Download button to load the STL file if it is in the computer download folder.

It will tell you how much material is needed, and how long it
will take.

Select and move the object.

Click to select the object to move, rotate, scale and

Zoom in and out. mirror it, or use the manipulator and dialog box.

Rotate the box.

l ! !
It allows you to move, rotate, scale, and duplicate your 3d design, but it always needs to C oo
be placed inside of the frame and on the bottom. Let’s make “Buddy Bunny” pop by painting him.
28
lets customize the buddies!
29

Brushes
3D paints
Glitter glues Washable paints

Acrylic paints

Color glues
Enamel paints
Sharpie markers

Paint markers
Scissors Paper faces Paint tray
30 Use glue, paper faces, stickers, and paint to customize your “Buddy Bunny”. Great! Use the same techniques learned to make more “animals”. 31

i s
h is !!
T n!
fu let’s create more !!! Let’s make Shiva!
32 Shiva the Giraffe Fill the cavities with similar shapes Hole sphere Drag a half sphere, rotate it33
which leave a visual edge that helps Use a sphere to Group to consolidate
Drag a half sphere. Drag some holes to to make the upside down.
to get a clean craft paint. make the nose. the subtraction. nose
create cavities and nostrils.
Stretch to
create the the flat base. Body
body. Select and group.

Drag a sphere to
create the head. Drag another one to Make the same to create the pupil, Group to consolidate.
Convert into a hole, and deform it to Group to Drag half sphere to
create an eyeball. and group to consolidate them. Use make the mouth. consolidate. make the tongue.
Deform and
Duplicate it to multicolor to keep the colors.
rotate it.
create the other
eyeball.
34 35
Drag a half Drag spheres to Also, you can create one Make hair from deformed
sphere, and finish them. horn, group it, duplicate, half spheres.
deform it to create and using the mirror
the horn. button .

Use the arrow to select

the mirror side.

Group to consolidate.
You can change the color using the
color box. Sometimes you need to
ungroup to select the shape you want to
color.

Shiva is a Giraffe. She uses her

long neck to balance the weight
driving around corners!
One time, she moved onto the hood
of her car, and used her long neck
to win the race!!
Everybody remembers that!!!
36 37
The printer software slices “your Buddy” into layers and sends that information(called g-code) “Buddy Bunny” will be made of skin( red ) and “honeycomb” core(yellow).
to the 3D printer; you can see the layers in the view mode.

The “honeycomb” core is called infill, and helps to hold the skin and close it.

Printing starts with the first layer.

The first layer is very important

because the rest of the design will
have to balance on it during printing.
Always try to make a flat base in your
design to get a good start.
38 39
We can create Buddy Bunnys Drag a “pineapple” shape Drag sphere and convert it to a Group to subtract.
car!! from the community. hole to make the grill cavity.

Yellow Rod

Drag a “round roof”, convert to hole,

Drag a sphere to make Place it. Group to add it. and place it to limit the cockpit.
the window.

He is a famous hot rod. Drag a cylinder hole to create

The original model “ Delagy” used to have fenders Group to subtract.
room for the driver.
and full interior with audio system, but in order Group to subtract.
Body
to go faster they were removed to reduce his weight.
He also got special rims, high performance shocks,
and springs to drop the ride height and “the center
gravity of the car”. But what makes him “special” is
how easy can be customized with different colors. He
is a “star” in the “Buddyracers”.
40 Deform and place it. Let’s make the chassis. 41
Duplicate it. Group to add.
Drag half sphere to Start with a square and a Drag a cylinder for the wheel.
make the headlamp cylinder for an axle.
Place it.

Drag a cylinder to Deform and place it. Duplicate twice and place them. Duplicate the axle and scale a little bit to cut out the center.
make a front grill bar.

Drag half sphere and deform Put the wheel on the axle and place two “torus thin” shapes on the axle to locate the wheel.
DUplicate, place, and group it.
it to make a tailamp.
42
Drag the Body to assembly with the Chassis Use a box hole to make a flat base for 43
Great! Make the same on the other side. Drag the wheels away to the side.
printing.

Drag a cylinder, deform it, and make it a hole to create a slot.

You can assemble it to visualize.
Group it to consolidate.

You need to prepare the models for 3d

printing. Make sure that the body
and wheels are laying flat and
separate on the working plane.

Group the axle. Duplicate it.

Set it in as a rear axle and group Yellow Rod!!
it to consolidate the chassis.

Chassis

Cool!!!
44
Lets paint The Yellow Rod!!! Using the same process you can 45

create your own amazing cars!!!

46
Crayons Chalk markers Foam markers Foam glue 47

Lets play!!! Glitter foam sheets

Chalk

Glitter glue sticks

Glue sticks

Stapler
Foam glue sticks

Colorful tapes

Foam sheets
Cardboard
Makers
Glue gun

We can create the racetrack with cardboard, chalk, markers and other craft materials.
Play Dough
48 Use string to make circles on black cardboard with chalk. 49

Use the Buddyland library or more of your 3D print creations to expand the set.
50 Use colored foam. 51

You can create your own custom environments for your

buddies to play while your buddy creation is printing!
52 Drag a “Softbox” from the53
Select “inches” in the edit Place a ruler in the WP.
Buddy Bunny won again!!! grid button. community.
He is coming back home where his family is waiting for him.
Look!, one of the little “Buddies” is learning to race!
Let’s get back to the 3D digital design software and make the house for “Buddy Bunny”.

Select snap grid to 1/16”

To adjust a size, double click on

Scroll up to close the shape.
the number. 3.00

0.5

3.00
3.00
Place it at 0 and 0
from the ruler origin.

3.00

2.75

0.125 2.75
Place it at 0.125 and 0.125
0.125 from the origin.
54 Adjust the Box hole parameters. Duplicate, rotate and group. Place 55
it at 0.5
and 0.5
away
2.75 from
the ruler 2.00
origin
and
Place it Place it 0.063 1.00
at 0.50 at 0.50 from the
0.50 wp. 0.063
0.50 3.25 2.00

Adjust the Box hole parameters to

0.100 by 2.25 and 3.125 tall.
2.75

3.125
Place Place it at
it at 0.063
Move away the 0 and 0
0.375 frame to make
and the front wall.
Duplicate and rotate the other two 0.25 2.25 2.200
Duplicate and rotate.
sides. Place
it at 0.375
2.625 Place it 1.75 tall
Place and at 0.450
Place it
at 0.25 it at 0.375 and 1.875
and 0.375 -0.625
0.375 and 1.75
2.625
0.100 1.00
56 57
Use this lay out or similar to 3D print.

Place it
at 0.75 1.25
and
0.325

1.25

Move away to
make the front
wall. 2.75 Buddy Bunny House!!!

Place
it at 0 0.063
and 0 2.2

1.25
0.375
Place tall
it at Place it
1.275 at 0.150 Place
and 1.25 it at 0.5
and
0.475 0.475 and
0.475
58 59
Meanwhile, in Down Town Buddyland, monsters and aliens compete in a fashion game for
the “The Monster Extravaganza Trophy”.
Monster ExtraVaganza
“Bonza” is the coolest
guy in Buddyland! “Marcello” gets the
He is pop star, which is attention too after his
the reason the paparazzi staring role in the latest
follow him. Buddyland movie.

One of the favorites to

win this year is “Rufus”.
“Alain” is the representative “Funny Boy” is a local alien DJ. He is special because he
of Buddyland University. You can see the cone ears help him can move his eye stalks.
He can change color!!! to listen music!

This year seems to be one of the most competitive ones.

One of the most suprising applications is from “Mr. Bo” and his alien family:
brother “Lui”, uncle “Moore”, and “Larry”. They come from another neighborhood, attracted by
the enormous prizes!

Let’s get back to the CAD software and make more fun stuff!!!
 lets make Bonza
60 61
Drag a sphere to Drag a sphere to
Make the flat base to 3D print using
make the body. Group again to add it. make the iris. Split the foot with a
Drag a sphere to a box hole.
Trim it with a box hole. wedge.
Deform it. make the head. Group it, then
move.

Make the eye cavity.

Drag a sphere to make the
Drag a sphere.
Add a sphere, convert to a hole Drag a sphere tummy cavity. Convert to hole,
Drag a sphere to make the tummy. Group to add.
and group to consolidate it. to make the eye. group to subtract.
Place it and
Place it and
adjust if need it.
adjust if need it.

Group to consolidate
the addition.
62
Drag a “rounded lets paint Marcello!! 63
Drag a half sphere and Place and group it. Place and group it. cube” from the
convert to hole to make the Drag a half sphere to community tab to
mouth. make the tongue. make the teeth.

Place, duplicate, and group it.

Trim a cone, Group it.

Drag a “torus thin” to Place and
make the two arms. group it. duplicate, and place
them to make the
hair.
64 65

Lets play!!!
66 67
3d printing with supports is not fun!!
When Your cad creation like “Julie” has large overhang, the plastic falls when printing because it
does not have a base to support the hot plastic that comes from the extruder. We can avoid them by printing separate pieces and then bonding with glue.

Eye stalk create

“overhang”.
To avoid this, the 3D printer software can create a support for it.
The support is similar to the “honeycomb core” infill,
but it is outside the toy. It will need to be removed once
the design has completed printing.
Another way to avoid supports is to have
things more vertical, “half way” should be OK.
You can create a hole in the body by
duplicating the eye stalk, scale it a
little bigger, convert to hole and then
subtract it.

To use supports, change basic set up

button in the software.

Support to eliminate overhang.

68 69

The Aircraft Race

The “Aircraft Race” happens during the last day of

“Buddyland Games”.
It is a celebration for all the creatures.
Everybody has the chance to ride these amazing machines!!!
70
The Aircraft are Amazing!
The “Fishcraft” is a fast mover, powered by a large front turbine.
It has four surface fins that allow it to change direction quickly. It is a favorite of many fashion
monsters since its paint can be customized to reduce drag. It is like flying a fish, but in the air!!!
71
The “Bulletcraft” is the fastest vehicle. The longitudinal shape and small wings provide it with the
fastest speed in the quarter mile. Two small deflectors on the wings help pilots balance it at high
speed or when the air is turbulent. It has a concentric turbine located in the back of the aerodynamic
fuselage. It has the air inlet for the turbine in the front as well as confetti launchers to fire when
they win!!!

The “Platecraft” is the most sought-after craft!

The “Thunder RS1” is derived from “Platecraft”, and slimmer and slicker than the original. It is easy Originally it came with two small conventional
to identify because of its’ large front inlet, and its lack of a rim bumper. This spaceship is the most turbines. The exhaust pipes are shared between both
attractive to the younger pilot generation. engines, and placed at the back allowing them to steer
the aircraft. Two high-power headlamps are used for
night races!!!
72
Lets make the Platecraft Ensure all parts of 73

Duplicate. Place into the engine and engine are flush on

Make the Platecraft Body Deform it. Drag another one to make the cockpit. group. the bottom to allow
Drag a half sphere. Rotate one. printing.

Group it and move to the body

Deform it and place it. Make the engines Drag a half sphere to make the
Drag a torus to visualze Duplicate it.
Make the Platecraft bumper headlamps.
Drag a half sphere thin and place
Drag a “torus thin”. and deform it. aound it.

The bottom of the torus must be

flush or above the base to allow
printing.
Stretch it. Drag a cylinder. Duplicate it.
Make the engines fins
Stretch it.

Deform it. Move it.

74 75
Drag a cylinder to make the exhaust.
Place it. Duplicate and place it in
Deform and place it on the body. Deform it.
Drag a “torus thin” and to the other side.
trim it with a box hole.

Move and place it. Drag and deform a cone to

make the exhaust tip.
Duplicate it.

Drag some spheres and

Duplicate and place it into convert to hole to make the
the other side. cockpit inlets.

Rotate it. Place it.

Drag a “torus thin” to
make the mufflers.
76 77
Don’t forget to group to consolidate Lets paint the Platecraft
Drag a cylinder to create a Place it.
the subtraction. room for the pilot. Group it.

You need to prepare the models for 3d printing.

Make sure that the Platecraft, engines an monster You can assemble it to visualize
are laying flat and separate on the working plane.

! ! !
ol
C o
78 79

The Little Designer Buddyland has

Buddyland has an
an active
active library
library.where
You can
youdownload designs
can download to print
designs 3D models
to print or upload
3D models your
or upload
The Little Designer creations
your to share
creations with
to share other
with designers.
other designers.

dreamfactory build
dreamfactory build .
80 81
82
What “Buddyland” designs will you come 83

Buddyland 3D digital models up with, and what “Buddy Games” will

they take part in?
Share your creations and ideas on the
“Dreamfactory.build“ community.
84 85

Use the “Buddyland library” to expand your set,

or add and share your own creations.
86 87

Buddyland 3D printed models

88
Select millimeter in the edit grid 89
Maybe we can create some bricks to expand “Buddyland”, button.
so, let’s come back to TINKERCAD and make them.

Select snap 0.1 mm.

Adjust the parameters by double Hexagonal prism is used to
Drag a hexagonal prism. prevent printing problems
clicking on the number.
due to internal overhang.
16.00 9.6

32.00
Place it at 0 and 0
from the ruler origen
Rotate and adjust the parameters. Drag underneath and adjust the
position. Place it at 1.5
and -5.00

1.50
13.00

13.00 -5.00
1.50 -5.00
29.00
Adjust
90 the parameters by double Cylinder to 4.8 by 4.8 Duplicate and place it at 91
clicking on the number. base and 9.6 tall . 4.80 and 9.60.

-19.90 -20.10
Place the Cylinder to 1.6 away from
the origen and 2.00 over the brick.
Click+hold “shift” keyboard, Final dimension Adjust the parameters to 4.70
Duplicate and place it at Duplicate and place it at 4.80
4.80 and 17.60. and 25.60. to select them to duplicate. by 4.70 and 9.50 tall.

15.80
11.40

Place them at 9.60 and

1.60. 31.80
Duplicate, place it at 5.65 and
Finally, need to trim each Duplicate and place it
Duplicate and Place it. Place it at 5.65 and 5.65 at 5.65 and 13.65 21.65 , then groupe all.
side by 0.1mm to allow
blocks to fit together.

Place it at 15.90. 31.90

92 93

awesome!
94 95

Thanks to all the Kickstarter backers and their commitment to helping educate children in new Biography
technologies. Nestor I LLanos, “Yan”
Thanks to LM team, headed by Jay Roger and Gina O’connell for the large push in the
campaign. Nestor has been professionally involved in car
design and 3D printing for more than 20 years,
Special thanks to those that helped me make this project and share their incredible talent, therefor he wanted to pass on and engage his own
including but not limited to: children in 3D digital design and 3D printing
Fabian Magri (3D Designer), Diego Krause (3D Designer), Juan Revilla (Rendering and technology, appropriate to their age.
Animation), David Scott Neal II (Assistant Graphic Design and Consultant) and his son Boston
Hart, Subatra (Assistant Graphic Design), Vince Prime (Web Tech), Clive Jervis (Curious Kids
Preschool), Aurel Francois and Nyko de Peyer (Friend Support).

Special thank to my wife Alejandra and daughters Sofia and Mia

who were working shoulder to shoulder with me to make the book,
to our parents who took the time when we were kids to pass on their
commitment just as I’m doing with my kids, and to my brothers with
whom I shared adventures as a kid. I hope I can pass on some of the
knowledge and education that I have gained through this project to the
next generation.
“Yan”
Sorry, do I know you?,
did you participate on this book?
Nestor currently works at Local Motors, where he was the Lead Design Engineer for the “Strati”
(which means layers in Italian), which was the world’s first 3D printed car.
The Strati was an electric car developed by Local Motors and manufactured in collaboration
with Cincinnati Incorporated and Oak Ridge National Laboratory during the 2014 IMTS
(International Manufacturing Technology Show) in Chicago, Illinois. The styling was selected in
a design challenge at Local Motors, won by community member Michele Anoe of Italy.
ISBN: 978-0-9975951-1-6
My proudest memory as a child was when my master teacher, my Dad, and I made an
astonishing Pinewood Derby car from scratch, fully painted in detail. We spent much of the evening
working on it, until I fell asleep. We competed in a local town race, and of course I didn’t win. It was
too heavy, and I may have over painted it. However, I won the craft trophy. It was amazing, and my
happiest memory as a child. “We did it Dad! We won!”
“Yan”