The maximum object size that the MakerBot Replicator can print is 9.9"x 7.8" x 5.9". The maximum object size that the MakerBot Mini can print is 3.9"x 3.9" x 4.9". The maximum object size that the ToyBox 3D Printer can print is 3"x3"x3". The maximum object size that the Creality Ender 3 pro can print is 8.6"x 8.6" x 9.8".

The first 3D printer purchased for the UDPL STEAM Lab was a Cube. This printer and the filament cartridges needed to run it are no longer being made and is used primarily for demonstration purposes rather than daily printing. The second 3D printer purchased for the UDPL STEAM Lab is the MakerBot Replicator. This is our "workhorse" printer.

Please click here to see read UDPL's 3D printer policies and guidelines.

3D printing, also referred to as additive manufacturing, is the process by which digital files are converted into three dimensional objects. The printer melts and extrudes the printing material in a very thin layer. Following the directions of the digital file, the printer builds layer upon layer until object is complete.

Printer speed depends on the size and the resolution of the file being printed. A smaller object will take a shorter period of time; so will an object printed at a lower resolution. The video below shows a 3D print from beginning to end. It only lasts for a little over two and a half minutes, but that's

Currently, we are using Polylactic acid (PLA) filament in our printer. PLA is a bio-degradable polymer  made from renewable resources such as corn starch, tapioca root or sugarcane. The PLA comes in many different colors and is wrapped around a spool and then fed into the printers' extruders. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) filament is another kind of plastic

There are many different programs that can be used to create 3D files. Some of them are software programs that need to be installed on computers like AutoCad. Others, like Tinkercad, are run through the internet and can be used without installing anything onto a computer. The UDPL Steam Lab recommends the following web-based programs to create 3D

All of UDPL's printers need specialized file types in order to print. All designs, whether they are designed or downloaded, need to be STL or OBJ files in order to be printed. All files, whether they are STLs or OBJs, need to be translated into files specific to each of the printers. Library staff members will automatically translate your