That should keep your valuable printer free from unpleasant accidents. Its models are based on a closed mesh and will not let you produce a non-manifold model, provided you avoid using the “hole” function. We have looked at it before in our round-up of the best 3D graphics tools. Wings 3D lacks a few bells and whistles, but they are less relevant when you’re focused on printing.

The focus on simple, low-polygon geometry is a perfect fit for 3D printing. It’s not bloated compared to others, which makes it a great fit for those looking to create simple, printable objects. It has been in development for 17 years and its focus on the basics of modeling has resulted in an excellent and easy to use tool. The on-screen buttons are intuitive and convey their functions well. Working with the core 3D manipulation functions is easier when there is little to distract you. Its lack of complexity makes it easy to get to grips with. That makes it easy to explore as you go and means you don’t have to remember everything while getting to know your way around. On-screen text explains the effect of pressing mouse buttons and keys during the current operation. The Wings 3D UI is plain, but straightforward. Engineers and designers used to working like that will appreciate the feature. The display can be switched between a perspective viewpoint or an orthographic projection, which is handy if you’re working from a blueprint. There is also a virtual mirror to keep models symmetrical. They all have uses and allow you to manipulate models in different ways. You can switch between four modes, which allow you to control whole objects, faces, edges or vertices. It also has extras, such as a spiral and the torus knot, which might prove challenging for most printers. You can add objects by right clicking and picking from a menu of primitives, which includes the usual set of regular 3D polygons.

Wings 3D is a free and open source tool available for Windows, Mac and Linux.

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