First Print with the Simple - 3D Printing: Build your Own 3D Printer and Print your own 3D Objects - page 82

Note
Before you begin printing, it is recommended that you put down a strip
or two of blue painter's tape onto the print bed. When the plastic cools,
it will adhere quite strongly to the wooden print bed surface—the paint-
er's tape will allow you to more easily remove a cooled, printed object
because the plastic doesn't stick as securely to the tape's surface as it
does with wood.
Connecting the Simple to Repetier
Now that I've imported my STL file into Repetier, it's time to connect my 3D
printer to my computer. I do this by first plugging in the USB cable to the Simple's
circuit board and the other end of the USB cable into my computer. I already con-
figured Repetier back in Chapter 4 , “ Configuring the Software .” so that my com-
puter knows which USB port to use. (Fortunately, my laptop has only one USB
port, so Repetier has it easy. If you've got multiple USB ports, try to remember to
always connect the 3D printer to the same USB port on your computer.)
Next, I need to apply power to the Simple using the AC adapter that came with the
kit. I first plug the power cable into the wall and then insert the other end into the
power port on the circuit board. A small green LED lights up on the circuit board
to indicate the Simple is receiving power, as shown in Figure 5.3 .