We have a few 3D printers that are available for requests from Makerspace Members.
3 CNC plastic filament printers
1 CNC polymer resin printer
9 handheld plastic filament pens
These printers are not available for commercial purposes.
All items should be for personal use and not for resale.
The largest volume that we can print is 9.5 inches by 8 inches by 8 inches. It may take up to 2 weeks to fulfill a print request after your design has been approved. If you want to use the 3D printer on your own, you must be certified to do so (see below).
For more information about the 3D printing, 3D printers, 3D design, or our policies, email your questions to maker@mfplibrary.org.
You must bring your final design to a Makerspace Specialist for preview. One-on-one consultation is required before the process can continue. This design will be checked for:
size
initial layer adhesion
presence of overhangs
material consumption
duration
cost (see below)
restricted elements (see below)
Your design will be accepted if it passes preview. Suggestions will be provided to help your design pass preview if it does not pass. If a cost is assessed for the print, then you are expected to pay for it prior to executing the print.
If the print will take longer than an hour to complete or is expected to complete after the library closes, your print will be added to a queue and printed at a later time. It may take up to 2 weeks to fulfill your request if you are in the queue.
3D printers use materials that may be uncommon, but we can show you options to buy materials if you prefer. We ask that you reimburse us for the cost of materials that you use. If you find that there is a mistake in your design, then you are expected to pay for each attempt.
Your design will be assessed by the Makerspace Specialist for cost if you are using our plastic filament or polymer resin. This will be determined by the estimate provided by PrusaSlicer, which is the software that we use to prepare models for prints. If you bring in your own filament or resin material, then there is no cost for printing.
3D printing with the 3D pen is a self-directed activity. We provide filament refill sticks that you can use at a cost of $0.25 per stick. If you bring in your own filament material, then there is no cost for printing.
You can become certified to use the 3D printer on your own. The process requires in-person training and may be specific to the project you want to work on. Check out our 3D Printing project page for more information to get you started. If you are using the 3D printer on your own, you are expected to be able to assess your designs by yourself and assess your own costs.
A few designs are banned:
Guns -- A fully-plastic gun is not legal.
Gun parts -- You may be trying to build a fully-plastic gun.
Toy guns -- These require the addition of an orange tip or transparent, bright colors -- neither of which we can provide.
Parts for aircraft -- These are under review by the FAA.
Unlicensed designs -- These may be protected by copyright, trademark, and/or patents.
Hateful and/or derogatory and/or blatantly obscene themes -- These are against library policy.
Our general policies apply to this activity.
Patrons may be banned from 3D printer requests for refusal to pay for a print.
Support materials may be necessary for a successful print.
Staff members are not responsible for your design.
Staff members are not responsible for any errors due to your design.
Staff members are not responsible for the quality of the reproduction of your design.