From Superhero Rings to Tangled Plastic Spaghetti: Our Year With a 3D Printer
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Transcript of From Superhero Rings to Tangled Plastic Spaghetti: Our Year With a 3D Printer
From Superhero Rings to Tangled Plastic Spaghetti: Our Year With a 3D PrinterWendy PrinceGreg TothKen WierzbowskiThe College at Brockport
3D Printer
Introduction● The Drake Memorial Library has been working with a
MakerBot Replicator 2 for almost a year.● The initial excitement was quickly tempered by questions
of logistics, management, application, and policy. ● During the Spring 2014 semester, we made an effort to
answer these questions, establish a place for the 3D printer in the library, and garner interest on campus from students, faculty and staff.
● We will discuss the challenges we encountered as we try to move from a knick-knack factory to active faculty and student involvement.
Spring/Summer 2013 Timeline● Spring 2013
o LITS (Library, Information & Technology Services) purchases a MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer
● Summer 2013o 3D printer is moved to the Drake Memorial
Libraryo Library also receives a NextEngine 3D
scanner through a Faculty/Staff Technology Grant Summer spent learning how to operate
and use the 3D printer● Librarians enraptured. Stare at
printer for upwards of 2 hours each day.
MakerBot is brought to the Faculty/Staff Opening of School Convocation in late August.
Drake’s 3D Tech Work Space - Fall 2013
Fall 2013 TimelineFall 2013o Received approval from library
director to offer prints for free for the semester
o Acquired a dedicated student assistant and a student volunteer to work exclusively with the 3D printer.
o Created a 3D Printing libguide portal
http://library.brockport.edu/3do Accepted project submissions from
campus community through webpage form
The Nitty Gritty● Filament supply chain secured through library secretary● All submissions reviewed by staff
o “We reserve the right to refuse any request. This includes requests for multiple copies of the same item, weapons and *ahem* "inappropriate" objects.”
o Received submissions for shot glasses, non-working gun● Statistics kept through submission form application, MachForms (similar to
Google Forms)● Patrons informed via email that their projects were ready to pick up● Projects generally printed in order they were received, as submission
numbers boomed projects were printed in batches by print color● Vast majority of files sourced from the Thingiverse
The Numbers
We were inundated!
● 172 submissions during the Fall 2013 semester until we shut down the submission form to catch up.
● Primary submitters were students.
● Most popular color was clear.● A few ‘enthusiastic’ patrons
requested multiple builds
“Mistakes were made.”
Challenges● Hardware offered a
learning curve● “Hobbyist” printer,
quirky procedures & frequent breakdowns
● Overwhelming demand● Unprintable or
inappropriate requests
Obstacles in the Printing Process
Interlude: Overview of 3D Technologies
● Computer-Assisted design● 3D Contour Mapping● CGI simulation● Data-generated imaging● Medical Imaging/Scanning
Drawing: Computer-Assisted Design
Drawing: Sketchup Study of Drake Main Floor
Scanning: Contour Mapping
Lockheed-Martin Flight Simulator
Plot: Space Junk Tracker
Medical Imaging
DiagnosticsHomer SimpsonMelvil Dewey
Applications of 3D Technology: A Not-Very Technical Schematic
Create/Capture--copy--draw--scan--generate--plot, etc.
3D File
Display
Replicate
Animate?Modify,Remix,
Mashup,etc.
NextEngine tabletop laser scanner
Replicating a Solid Object
Spring 2014 Timeline ● Scanning● Printing scanned objects● Art Faculty member’s test
objects● Pay-for-printing system● Student assistants’ Scholars
Day presentation● Presentation to faculty to
promote academic use
Pay System Shift1st semester free printing2nd semester developed payment system● Decide on price● How to inform patrons of
change● How to convey potential cost
o Size/Cost Example Chart● How to accept payments
Printing Requests per Semester
Promotion any way we can
Academic Use
April 4, 2014● Effort to inspire academic use● Presented at CELT
(Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching)
Student PresentationApril 9, 2014 - Scholars Day
Joint presentation by student employee, Evan Spencer, and student volunteer, Brian FitzgeraldPoster presentation earned an article in the online campus newspaper
What’s Next?● Grant for 2 more printers
and a filament recycling machine in collaboration with Art Dept.
● How will collaboration with Art Dept. work?
● Training for classes/groups, individuals?
● Create a Makerspace: location? scope of projects?
Q&A