From Fonts to Flavors A Taste of Typography

Choosing the right typeface for 3D printing can make all the difference in product development, especially when using 3D printed typography to personalize a friend’s birthday gift.

Birthday gifts can be tricky to get just right, but creating something handmade and personalized, tailored specifically to the person you’re celebrating, makes for a truly memorable gift.

I’ve been experimenting with muffin recipes and decided to gift some to a friend for their birthday. To make the gift more special, I thought it would be a great idea to add a personal touch.

I decided to take my creativity to the next level and got to work. I wanted to 3D print my friend’s name to attach it to the packaging for a personalized touch.

The process involved some trial and error, along with quite a bit of planning. Initially, I assumed it would be simple, but I was wrong.

As I started designing, challenges began to arise, like the print often being too thin and fragile, causing it to snap in half. I had to figure out how to unite all the characters into a cohesive 3D design while avoiding any free-floating elements that weren’t securely attached.

What I Learned

Through this project, I realized how much typography matters when designing and building with a 3D printer. With each iteration, I made detailed notes and uncovered some valuable lessons along the way:

1. Font Choice Matters

I’ve learned that decorative and cursive font families are more expressive and forgiving when 3D printing, compared to Serif and Sans-Serif families.

2. Font Weight is Crucial

Choosing fonts with heavier weights helps prevent the printed pieces from snapping, as their thicker design adds more stability.

3. Lowercase Challenges

When working with lowercase letters, especially “i,” I often have to relocate the dot so it’s attached to the rest of the print. Alternatively, I sometimes use all capital letters depending on the project.

4. Connecting Letters

Fonts like script styles, where the letters are naturally connected, can be helpful. However, they are often too thin. My workaround is to add an underline or embellishments to connect the letters without reducing character spacing.

5. Avoiding Overly Detailed Fonts

Fonts with minor aesthetic details can complicate the printing process and increase the chances of failure. For my purposes, I plan to avoid them.

I really enjoyed working on this project. It’s simple yet meaningful, and it’s rewarding to connect with others through creative projects like this. I’m excited to continue finding ways to incorporate 3D printing into the products I develop and share my work with you!