CHAPTER 7
REFERENCE
GLOSSARY
BUILD PLATFORM: The support for the build plate. The build
platform’s underside contains adjustable hex bolts for use
during assisted-leveling.
ETHERNET CABLE: The cable used to connect your MakerBot
Sketch to a local area network.
EXTRUDER CARRIAGE: Holds the extruder firmly in place on
the rail of the gantry while allowing for quick and easy extruder
swapping.
EXTRUDER NOZZLE: The opening on the end of the Extruder
from which heated MakerBot material emerges to be spread
onto the build plate.
FIRMWARE: The software that runs on your MakerBot Sketch.
GANTRY: The apparatus that allows the carriage and extruder
assemblies to move Y.
GRIP SURFACE: The surface on which the extruder prints on.
Prints adhere better to the Grip Surface resulting in reduced
warping and curling.
GUIDED SETUP: The set of tasks that runs when you turn on
the MakerBot Sketch for the first time. The setup assistant
helps you load material and start a test print.
INTERNAL STORAGE: The part of the MakerBot Sketch
onboard storage that you can use to store print files.
.MAKERBOT: The format of print files for your MakerBot Sketch
Print files contain instructions for your MakerBot Sketch.
MAKERBOT ACCOUNT: The username and password you will
use to sign in to MakerBot Print, and log on to Thingiverse and
other MakerBot sites.
MAKERBOT PRINT SOFTWARE: Free software for use with
your MakerBot Sketch. MakerBot Print will help you discover,
manage, share and print 3D models.
MATERIAL GUIDE TUBE: The plastic tube that guides the
MakerBot material from the material spool to the extruder.
.OBJ: A file format used for 3D models.
EXTRUDER: The extruder draws the material from the spool,
melts it, and pushes it through a nozzle onto the Build Plate.
PROFILE: The settings used to slice your 3D model and create a
print file. MakerBot Print Software comes with preset profiles for
Balanced and High-resolution prints.
RAFT: A plastic base printed on the build plate and used as a
printing surface for your printed object.
SLICING: The process of turning a 3D model into a print file
containing instructions for your MakerBot Sketch. The MakerBot
Sketch uses print files with the extension .makerbot.
HEATED REMOVABLE BUILD PLATE: The flat plate on which
the MakerBot Sketch 3D Printer builds an object. This plate is
removable and bending the plate allows you to remove objects.
.STL: A widely used file format for 3D models.
SUPPORTS: Automatically generated support structures used
to prop up any sections of a print that will not stand alone.
.THING: A file format used by MakerBot Print that stores
additional information about your 3D model files.
THING: A file or group of files saved to Thingiverse or to your
MakerBot Cloud Library.
THINGIVERSE: An online community for sharing 3D design files.
TOUCHSCREEN: The touchscreen at the upper right corner
of the MakerBot Sketch. The touchscreen allows you to start
prints, change settings and view status information.
USB FLASH DRIVE: A USB flash drive. You can use a USB flash
drive to transfer print files to and from the MakerBot Sketch.
Make sure that the USB flash drive is formatted to FAT32. USB
flash drives that are formatted to NTFS will not be visible.
