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

Print

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