Preparing your data
Printing
Printing is the process of creating a physical model from your 3d data.
Before you print
The are a few things you should do before actually printing your model. You have to chose the right filament to print with and you have to check the printer for parts that might have become loose during a previous print.
Choose your filament
Chosing the right filament for your print is important, the different materials have different properties that might influence your print. There is a good overview of commonly used materials over at the BfB Wiki.
Checking for loose parts
During the printing process parts might become loose. Mostly these are the screws on anything that is moving. Some places you should check are the screws of the x- and y-stepper motor pulleys. And the screws of the extruder gears. Also check if the belts are tight enough. Loose parts will make your print look ugly.