Prusa i3 MK3S 3D Printer

A Prusa MK3S 3D printer

Features

Our Prusa 3D Printer are some of the best 3D printers available. We have Prusa Mini and Prusa MK3S models. They can create 3D shapes out of plastic filament by printing thin layers of the filament over time in order to create the object.

How it works

Our 3D printers use an additive process where PLA filament is heated and extruded (like a hot glue gun) onto a flat bed. The filament is then added in very thin layers to build up a 3D shape. The models are created in either a program like Tinkercad, or downloaded from a site like thingiverse.com, and exported into an .STL file. This file is then placed into slicing software on a computer to convert the .STL file into G-code which tells the printer how to move.

3D printing is not a necessarily quick process, but it is an inexpensive process for rapid prototyping. Instead of traditional mold making which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars for one mold, you can make a one off part for significantly less money. This has allowed companies and individuals to create products that are inexpensive, test them in the real world, and remake them to work better for even less money than one single mold would cost.

Things to consider

  • Models with a lot of detail take a long time to print. Likewise, large simple models take a lot of time as well. There are multiple levels of detail that can allow you to either have very fine detail on the model, or to sacrifice detail for speed and print your model quickly.

  • Because the printer can't print over open air, support material may be needed in order to ensure the printing can be completed. This material snaps off when the print is done. Some light sanding or filing may be necessary in order to remove all traces of the support material.

  • It is possible to design your model in multiple pieces and then glue them together.

  • Projects that take a significant amount of time are unable to be printed. We do not leave the printers running when the Annex is not staff. If the project can be printed within one work day, we can do so. Alternatively, if you can find a way to split your project into separate pieces, you can glue them together once you're done if that is an option allowing us to print multiple pieces that take a shorter amount of time individually.

Submission Requirements

To submit a design, please follow this link to upload your file. Our default settings are set to medium detail with 20% infill. If you want to change the project settings, please include those changes in your submission.

Once received, we will evaluate your project in our slicing software and reply to you with the estimated cost for the project, as well as any issues we may see. The price is $0.05 for each gram of material used (rounded up to the nearest gram). You will also be charged for any filament used in support structures as well.

When the project is ready, we will ship your project to any DCDL location for you to pay and pick up.

We will not print anything crude or dangerous.

Examples of 3D prints

A small grey knob cover with extra arms and a small boat, both 3D printed.
A 3D printed cat made of multiple linked pieces to give it flexibility.