3D Printers
The Hillsdale Free Public Library owns two 3D printers, an Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ and Bambu Lab X1E.
Use guidelines for printing:
- Users must receive training from a qualified staff member before scheduling time for projects. Contact Dave at dave@hfpl.org or 201-358-5072 to make an appointment.
- We highly recommend you preview and set the print settings in advance using PrusaSlicer, which is a free download. All 3D prints will need to be exported in a gcode format for the Prusa i3 MK3S+. We do have PrusaSlicer installed on several computers in the library, but having your file prepared in advance will get you printing sooner!
Materials/Costs:
- We have a variety of PLA plastic filament colors to select from.
- We currently charge 15 cents per gram with a $1.00 minimum charge per print. 3D-slicer programs will provide an estimate of an object’s weight. Printed objects will be weighed with a postage scale.
Design tools:
A wide variety of free and commercial software packages and browser-based tools exist to create 3D designs. Library staff and volunteers are most familiar with TinkerCad, which is owned by Autodesk.
Inkscape, which is installed on all of our public computers, is an open-source program that can be used to create graphics. It is compatible with Adobe Illustrator. The 2D scalable vector graphic (SVG) files may be imported into TinkerCad and manipulated.
We created our 3D printed bookmark design using this workflow. Tinker with the Hillsdale Library Bookmark Blank (Dave’s design!).
Blender is another open-source program for 3D design.
Tutorials:
You will find great tutorials on the internet. You are encouraged to explore on your own by checking the help, FAQ, and wiki’s for each program or product. Oftentimes, you will find great videos on YouTube created by enthusiasts.
- TinkerCad is fantastic for beginners. There are built-in tutorials that will instruct you step-by-step. Start your quests here.
- Bambu Lab Tutorials for Bambu Studio (YouTube)
Design inspiration:
If you want to see the great variety of potential uses for a 3D printer, look no further than the public design repository of Thingiverse. Owned by MakerBot, Thingiverse permits users to download designs created by others under a creative commons license. Other sites with 3D design inspiration include Makerworld and Printables.
Users of Hillsdale Free Public Library TMS Toolshed tools must review and adhere to the use policies outlined on the TMS Toolshed webpage as well as any additional tool-specific guidelines that may appear on the tool’s webpage.
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