Frequently Asked Questions

Any member of the Montserrat community (students, faculty, and staff) can use the Digital Fabrication Studio for coursework, personal work, or campus projects. You do not need to be enrolled in a digital fabrication course to access the space.

---- Usage Policy -------

The Digital Fabrication Studio (DFS) at Montserrat College of Art is a dedicated space for creative and technical work, available to current staff, students, and faculty members. The following usage policies must be adhered to in order to maintain a safe and efficient working environment for all users.

1. Eligibility

• The DFS is open only to current staff, students, and faculty of the college.

• Outside users (individuals not affiliated with the college) are not permitted to use the DFS unless with the direct supervision of the DFS Studio Manager. Prior approval from the DFS Studio Manager is required. 

2. Certification Requirements

• All users of the DFS must be certified to use the equipment and facilities. Certification ensures that individuals have demonstrated sufficient knowledge and competency in the safe and proper use of the studio resources.

• Certification is obtained through a mandatory training session offered by the DFS Studio Manager and/or monitors**. Users will be expected to adhere strictly to the guidelines provided during this training.

** monitor trainings only available for 3D printing, vinyl cutting, and laser cutting during walk-in monitor hours **

3. Safety Studio Agreement

• All users are required to sign and complete the DFS Safety Studio Agreement at the beginning of each academic year. This agreement outlines the essential safety protocols and procedures necessary for working within the studio.

• The agreement must be reviewed and signed prior to any use of the DFS facilities, and users will not be granted access without completing this process.

4. Supervision and Compliance

• While using the DFS, users are expected to follow all safety guidelines and policies. Any violations of these policies may result in revocation of access.

• The DFS Studio Manager and student monitors will regularly monitor the space to ensure compliance with safety protocols.

5. Equipment and Material Usage

• Users are responsible for the appropriate and respectful use of all equipment and materials within the DFS.

• Any damage or malfunctioning equipment should be reported immediately to the DFS Technician Manager.

• Any Outside User must bring all materials needed when they are using the facilities and are not permitted to purchase materials from the DFS. Materials must be approved by the DFS Studio Manager ahead of time.

6. Access Hours

• The DFS is accessible only during designated operating hours, which will be posted at the start of each semester. Access outside these hours is not permitted unless under the supervision of authorized personnel.

7. Consequences of Policy Violation

• Failure to comply with any of the above policies may result in suspension or expulsion of DFS access privileges, additional training requirements, or other disciplinary actions as deemed necessary by the DFS management and the Dean of Academic Affairs.

This policy is designed to foster a safe and productive working environment for everyone in the DFS. By signing the Safety Studio Agreement and completing certification, users acknowledge their responsibility to uphold these standards.

Sign up for a time slot on the desired equipment on the sign up sheet. Under the "Do you need to be trained?" column, select "Yes." Trainings are subject to tech / monitor availability and you may not be able to get trained at your requested time. The tech will email you to reschedule if there is a conflict. 

Faculty wishing to have a group training / demo for their classes should contact fabstudio@montserrat.edu.

It depends on the equipment but most individual trainings can be completed in 30 minutes to an hour. With the laser and vinyl cutters, we will likely run a test file to demonstrate use of the machine and then give you some hands-on practice. For 3D printing, we will either go over setting up your file for the desired printer or, if you don't have a file in mind but just want to learn, practice setting up test files on each of printers.

There is no charge simply for using the equipment but for the 3D printers there is a small charge to cover the cost of materials. DFS buys filament and Formlabs resin and only charges you for the amount that you use. 

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to bring their own materials for the laser cutter and vinyl cutter and must do so for large projects. 

Laser Cutter: There is a limited stock of common laser cutter materials available for purchase. Laser cutter users should source their own material for large projects. Consult the Laser Materials Sheet for guidance on acceptable materials and email fabstudio@montserrat.edu for help with sourcing.

Vinyl Cutter / Plotter: There are a number of smaller sheets of vinyl available for free. A limited selection of roll vinyl is available for purchase by the foot. Seniors preparing wall text for thesis shows may use the matte black vinyl free of charge. Email fabstudio@montserrat.edu for help with vinyl sourcing.

3D Printing: DFS provides resin and filament for the 3D printers at a small cost per milliliter or gram. It may be possible to bring your own filament for use on the 3D Wox and Ultimaker but please consult the tech first. For very extensive, long-term 3D print projects, you may be asked to buy your own material. The tech will help you with sourcing. 

Yes! You are welcome to do clean work (such as computer work, paper cutting, or drawing with non-messy materials) in DFS. Sign-up for a time slot (or multiple!) in the "Other Tools" section of the sign-up sheet.

All of our equipment has specific software used to translate your artwork into something the machine can understand. You will be taught how to use this software when you come in to train on a piece of equipment. There are some specifications when it comes to creating your artwork, however:

• The laser cutter and vinyl cutters / plotters operate off of vector-based programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. Image-based programs like Photoshop or InDesign will not work. Anything designed in those programs will need to be converted into vectors. Email fabstudio@montserrat.edu for help with this.

• You will most likely need to use a 3D modeling software for 3D printing (although there are a number of sources for downloading pre-made 3D models). 

  • Free software:

    • Tinkercad - a simple, browser-based modeling program from Autodesk

    • Meshmixer - a free modeling software from Autodesk, especially good for handling 3D scans

    • Sketchup Free - a browser-based modeling program often used for architectural or technical applications

    • Blender -  most often used for animation but can be used to model for print as well

  • Professional Software:

    • Rhino - professional-grade modeling software for Mac and Windows capable of a wide variety of modeling functions and has decent rendering capabilities. An educational license is $195 and and lasts for life (unless you want to upgrade to a newer version after graduating but this is completely voluntary). The educational version is exactly the same as the professional version for a fifth of the price. A full 90-day trial is available for free.

    • SOLIDWORKS -  professional-grade modeling software often used for engineering and machining applications. A 1-year educational license is $89. A free trial is available online. 

    • Fusion 360 - professional-grade modeling program from Autodesk that has integrated CAM (3D print, CNC router, etc) functionality. Often used for industrial design. Free for students and $495 a year after graduating.