Getting Started with Tinkercad

Do you need some help with your first steps in designing with Tinkercad?

Below you can find information about:

Creating an account
Designing together
Navigating the User Interface

1. Creating an Account

Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use web-based app for 3D design.
1. Go to: https://www.tinkercad.com/ and create an account by clicking “JOIN NOW”.

2. Choose the option “educator” to create an account. If you are a student, choose the option “student” to join a class with the code provided by your educator.

3. To sign up as an educator:
• Read the Children’s Privacy Statement and the Terms of Service and agree to proceed.
• Fill in your profile information.

4. You are now ready to use the platform.
To create a new 3D design go to “3D Designs” (1) and then “Create new design” (2).

You will be taken to the design interface. You can now edit your new 3D design.

2. Designing together

Creating a virtual classroom for your students.

Using this option, the students will not have to create a personal account.
1. Sign in as an educator. Choose the top menu “Classes”, then select “Create new class” and fill in the details for your classroom.

2. Add the names of the students and create nicknames. Each student will need to use the given nickname to sign in to the classroom.

3. When you are inside the classroom, you can generate a “Class code” for your students to join in.

4. The students will now be able to join the classroom by going to https://www.tinkercad.com/. Select the option “Join Now” and “Students, join your class”. They will have to enter their nickname and the class code.

Now the students can create their own designs using the design interface. The teacher has access to the students’ designs in the virtual classroom and can view and copy them.

Working in the same project

Once inside the designing interface it is possible to change the name of the project (1).
The students can do collaborative work on the same project. The owner of the 3D design can invite other students by sending them the generated link via e-mail (2).
The link will provide access to the project for 336 hours. Afterwards a new invite has to be created.

3. Navigating the User Interface

1. Application Bar – Manage Projects and Designs

This menu helps you to manage your designs, invite others to work with you and modify your profile.

2. Toolbar – Basic operations for 3D design

In this toolbar you can find the basic operations to set up and modify your design. You can also redo and undo actions and hide and group parts of your design to have a better overview.

3. Points of View – Navigate around your Design

The navigating cube allows you to view your design from every angle as well as zoom in and out to work on the details.

• Click on a face, a corner or a edge of the cube to change the point of view.

• Click and drag the cube to change the camera angle.

• Use the other buttons to change to home view or flat view or zoom in and out.

4. Toolbar – Objects and helpful Items

In this toolbar you can choose the basic shapes that you can add to your design via drag-and-drop. You can modify shape and colour after adding the item. Additionally you can find tools like a ruler. You can also insert additive workplanes that support you while designing.