Tutorial 1: Circular Shape with Repeating Layers

In this first SynthBlocks tutorial you'll create a tapered column — a stack of 30 circles that grow slightly in radius with each layer. Along the way you'll learn the core building blocks: positioning, variables, loops, geometry, and math.

What you'll learn

• How to position the toolhead with Travel blocks
• How to store and update values with Variables
• How to repeat operations with the Repeat loop
• How to draw geometry with the Circle block
• How to do math with the Arithmetic block

Prerequisites

• Open 3dSynth and click SynthBlocks on the start screen
• You should see the block canvas with a Toolpath block containing an empty Path Group

Step 1: Position the nozzle with Travel (Absolute)

Before drawing anything, we need to move the nozzle to the center of the build plate. The Travel (Absolute) block moves the toolhead to exact X, Y, Z coordinates without extruding.

These coordinates center the shape on a 250×210 mm build plate. The nozzle starts at the bed surface (Z = 0).

Step 2: Create a variable for the radius

We want each layer's circle to be slightly larger than the previous one. To do this, we'll store the radius in a variable called radius and increase it after every layer.

The Set Variable block stores a number under a name. The Get Variable block reads it back later.

This sets the starting radius to 20 mm. Later, inside the loop, we'll read this value and increase it.

Step 3: Add a Repeat loop

The Repeat block runs everything inside its body a fixed number of times. We'll use it to draw 30 layers.

Everything we add inside this Repeat block from now on will happen 30 times.

Step 4: Draw a circle

The Circle block draws a circular path at the current Z height. Its radius input determines how large the circle is.

Now the circle reads its radius from the radius variable. On the first iteration it will be 20 mm; as we update the variable each loop, the radius will grow.

Step 5: Move up one layer height

After drawing each circle, the nozzle needs to move up before the next one. The Travel (Relative) Z block moves the nozzle by an offset from its current position — perfect for stepping up layer by layer.

Step 6: Increase the radius for the next layer

Finally, we update the radius variable so the next circle is a little larger. We use Arithmetic to add 0.2 to the current value.

This expression computes radius + 0.2 each iteration. After 30 loops, the radius grows from 20 → 20.2 → 20.4 → … → 25.8 mm, creating the tapered shape.

Complete block program

Here is the full block program as it should look on your canvas:

Final block structure

Outcome

You should now see a tapered column in the 3D viewport: 30 stacked circles growing from 20 mm to 25.8 mm radius, over 18 mm of total height (30 × 0.6 mm).

Load this tutorial

Want to skip the building steps and jump straight to the result? Click the button below to load the completed Tutorial 1 project into 3dSynth.

Interactive preview is available in the interactive reader.

Interactive preview is available in the interactive reader.

What's Next

Tutorial 2: Spiral Vase with Dynamic Radius — Build a seamless tapered vase with Spiral Up, Variable (normZ), and Map Range in about 10 minutes.

Head back to the SynthBlocks Overview to see all available tutorials, or explore the Block Reference in the Documentation for details on every block.