How to 3D Print at CAP
| Step 1 | Read about CAP’s 3D printers (below) and check out our 2022 3D Printing Steps/Checklist. |
| Step 2 | Meet with a D-Fab staff member if you have not printed before! Complete Module 3 |
| Step 3 | Prepare your print geometry and follow the 2022 3D Printing Checklist (see below). |
| Step 4 | If you have printed before or a staff member requests it, submit a 3D print request online. You will receive a confirmation email and a staff member will follow up with you to schedule your print and discuss pick up procedures. |
2022 3D Printing Steps/Checklist
We are excited to help all CAP students achieve their project goals, especially during “crunch time”. We are committed to getting all requests processed in a timely and efficient manner. To that end, we have developed some new 2022 guidelines that will help everyone in the 3D print community optimize the effectiveness of the 3D Print Lab and reduce delays. We thank you for following these checklist items! Doing so will certainly benefit everyone that depends on these services.
Prior to submitting a request:
1. You are required to set up an initial consultation session if you have never 3D printed before.
2. Class projects and assignments that include introductory presentations by qualified faculty or CAP FabLab staff function as the required initial consultation session.
Submitting a request:
1. Access the service now request form here: Request Form
2. Download our Rhino template file and use it to plan your print project.
3. Ensure that each Mesh/NURB object can fit within build plate dimensions.
4. Ensure that each Mesh/NURB object is watertight and does not contain bad geometry.
5. Ensure that each Mesh/NURB object is properly exported in millimeter units to STL.
6. Any closed geometry greater than 2 square inches needs to be submitted as a separate STL file.
7. Any closed geometries smaller than 2 square inches can be exported as a group assuming all Mesh/NURB objects are aligned to Z-Zero.
8. Users interested in duplicate prints of the same geometry should construct a build plate (using the template file) and export the duplicate geometries as one STL file (assuming all Mesh/NURB objects are aligned to Z-Zero).
9. Submit all STL files using the guidance above. Only submit 3DM files as a reference/build plate diagram. If you submit a 3DM file, include dimension lines or text annotations to confirm scale and units of measurement. We will only print the STL files submitted as part of your 3D print request. Any Mesh/NURB objects included in the reference 3DM file, but not submitted as a STL, will be excluded.
10. We will print all STL files with brims, supports, and with a default 20% infill unless alternatives are specified in the request notes.
Expectations:
1. The 3D print request que has different levels of demand.
Or goal is to keep students aware of demand conditions through a color code warning system. Red = High, Yellow = Medium, Green = Low.
2. During green conditions, the goal is to print requests within 2 business days of initial processing.
3. During red conditions, the goal is to print requests within 7 business days of initial processing.
4. Initial processing occurs at 11:00am during business days.
5. Expect longer delays on print request fulfillment if best practices outlined above are not met.
6. Users that consistently submit bad geometry or ignore best practices will be required to attend additional consultation sessions before resuming eligibility to request 3D print services.
7. We do not remove brim and support materials for you but you are welcome to use our tools in a reasonable manner.
For complete details see our3D Printing Policies and Procedures.
General Modeling Guidelines for All Printers
Keep the following items in mind as you prepare your model for printing:
- Water tightness: Keep your volumes closed! All the printers we own determine what to print based on the boundaries of your geometry. If there is even the smallest opening in your volumes, the software does not know how to fill in the gaps. Think of your model needing to be airtight or watertight–all the edges need to be sealed.
Rhino Hint: Look in the Properties panel when you have your model selected. It should say “closed polysurface” or “closed mesh”. Sometimes problems with water tightness can be difficult to fix. Some useful commands include Join, Cap, Patch.
- Unified Normals: Keep your outsides out. Surfaces in 3D models have an orientation. In a closed volume like a box it is clear to us which sides face outward and which face inward, but sometimes the software can get confused. A surface normal is a vector representing the orientation of a surface. For 3D printing, the surface normals of your volumes need to be unified (consistent) and pointed outward.
Rhino Hint: Use Dir or Flip to view surface orientation. UnifyMeshNormals can fix some surface normal issues with meshes. Use Check to get a report about the quality of your mesh and to repair some issues.
Scaling Geometry for Printing
Unsure if your model is scaled to appropriately for one of our machines? Download our Rhino 3D Print Template, which includes the build volumes for each of our printers modeled as a wireframe box. You can paste your geometry into one of these templates, which will convert your geometry to millimeters and allow you to fit it to one or more of our printers.
More Information Please visit the individual pages for each type of 3D printer for guidelines specific to that type.
For more information about each printer type and to submit an associated print request, check out the following links:
| FDM Printing | Plastic filament-based 3D printing |
| Form 3 Printing | Liquid resin-based 3D printing |
| Type | Medium | Machine Brands | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) | Plastic filament-based | Ultimaker, Prusa, Creality | Lower | Strong, low to medium resolution, single-color prints. Larger build volumes. |
| SLA (Stereolithography) | Liquid resin-based | Formlabs Form 3 | Medium | Medium strength, high resolution, single-color prints. Small build volume. |
Useful Tools and Links
Try these tools if you are running into modeling issues that seem impossible to fix:
- Autodesk MeshMixer – Free software that includes a number of analysis and repair tools.
- Microsoft 3D Model Repair – Free online service that magically fixes a lot of problems. Just upload your model, wait for it to be processed, and download the repaired model.
- Mold Making Resources
Other resources:
FDM 3D Printing
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers operate by printing melted plastic line by line, layer by layer. These printers come in all shapes and sizes (and prices) and it is becoming more and more common to see personal units on student studio desks. CAP has several machines of this type, including three Ultimaker brand and two Creality brand 3D printers. Graduate studios have Creality machines. All of CAP’s printers use PLA plastic filament, a plant-based plastic material. For more information about this technology, see the FDM article on Additively.com, and see the relevant section below for printing help. Located in AB 005 and in select studios.
3D Printer Specifications
| BRAND | MODEL | QTY | BUILD VOLUME (LXWXH)* | FILAMENT DIA. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultimaker | 2+ | 2 | 8.75“ x 8.75” x 8“ (223 x 223 x 205 mm) | 2.85mm |
| Ultimaker | 2 Extended+ | 1 | 8.75” x 8.75“ x 12” (223 x 223 x 305 mm) | 2.85mm |
| Ultimaker | S5 | 1 | 13“ x 9.4” x 11.8“ (330 x 240 x 300 mm) | 2.85mm |
| Creality | CR-10S | 2 | 11.8” x 11“ x 15.75” (300 x 280 x 400 mm) | 1.75mm |
| Prusa | i3 MK3S | 3 | 9.84” x 8.3“ x 8.3” (250 x 210 x 210 mm) | 1.75mm |
Print Margins: Prints should be sized to allow for a minimum 0.25″ (7mm) margin between the edges of the print and the edges of the build plate to allow for a “brim”, which is added to improve adhesion of the print to the build plate. This is particularly important for prints with bases that cover most of the build plate.
Scaling Geometry for Printing
Unsure if your model is scaled to appropriately for one of our machines? Download our Rhino 3D Print Template, which includes the build volumes for each of our printers modeled as a wireframe box. You can paste your geometry into one of these templates, which will convert your geometry to millimeters and allow you to fit it to one or more of our printers.
Available Filament
| BRAND | DIAMETER | TYPE | STOCKED COLORS | AVAILABLE COLORS (MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN STOCK) | NOTES | COST/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| eSun | 1.75mm | PLA | Cool White, Gray | Black (full list) | $0.03 | |
| 2.85mm | PLA | Cool White, Gray | Black (full list) | $0.03 | ||
| Makerbot | 1.75mm | PLA | * | Black, Blue, Green, Orange, Yellow | $0.05 | |
| * | Glow in the Dark, Neon Green, Translucent Orange, Translucent Purple | $0.07 | ||||
| Tough PLA | * | Slate Gray | $0.07 | |||
| Taulman | 2.85mm | Bridge Nylon | Natural (translucent white) | Flexible material. Avoid geometry requiring supports. | $0.04 | |
| Ultimaker | 2.85mm | PLA | Silver | $0.05 | ||
| Tough PLA | Black | For use with S5 only. | $0.07 | |||
| PVA | N/A | Soluble support material for S5 dual extrusion (request in notes) | $0.13 |
Note: Since we have transitioned away from Makerbot brand 3D printers in our lab, we will no longer be restocking any variety of Makerbot brand filament, which is more expensive than other brands of equal quality such as eSun.
Estimating Print Cost
Print cost for FDM prints depends heavily on the types of geometric features in a model and the print settings for the print job, which makes it impossible to estimate print cost based on model volume alone. If you need an estimate before we start your print, you can indicate this on the form below when submitting your request. That being said, FDM 3D printing is the cheapest form of 3D printing in our lab, and even large prints can be printed economically.
We charge only for filament consumed for a print. However, if you are comfortable with 3D printing and want to generate your own cost estimate. You can use programs such as Cura, which is what the lab uses to estimate print costs. With this program, we slice your model with typical print settings, generate a estimated weight of your print, and then multiply the weight of the estimated filament by the “per gram” pricing (listed above).
Note: A tutorial on Cura can get you started here from Ultimaker. After setting up your model in Cura, the slicing function will provide a few pieces of information, such as print time, where supports are placed, and given weight for the finished print.
Printing with your Own Filament
If you want to purchase your own spools of filament (PLA only), we can use it to print your models on our machines. Verify the filament diameter corresponds to the printer you want to use (see specifications table above). Please make sure your spool is clearly labeled with your name and bring it to the 3D Printer Lab during Consultation Hours. Select “Own Filament” under Requested Color on the form below.
Printing Form
If you have 3D printed on one of our FDM machines in the past, you can use the following form to submit a new print request.
If you have not 3D printed before or if you have not 3D printed with this type of machine before, we highly recommend that you set up a Consultation Session and work with a staff member to ensure your geometry is ready for printing. There are various considerations that might affect the success of your print, including those outlined on the 3D Printing Guidelines page.
Crunch time restriction: The maximum print time allowed per print will be 24 hours. Students may only occupy one machine at a time unless multiple machines are available (no queue) and the total print time on all occupied machines will be under 24 hours. Otherwise multiple requests from the same student will be processed sequentially.
SLA / Form 3 3D Printing
Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printers use a light-cured liquid resin as a print material and use lasers to cure the resin in specific locations layer by layer. CAP has two Formlabs Form 3 printers and various resins available. One of the oldest 3D printing technologies, SLA has only recently been available to end-consumers. Formlabs was the first company to release an SLA printer to the consumer market. For more information about this technology, see the Stereolithography article on Additively.com as well as the Formlabs site. Located in AB 005.
Printing Form
If you have 3D printed on one of our Formlabs Form 3 machines in the past, you can use the following form to estimate the cost of your print and, if ready to print, submit a new print request.
If you have not 3D printed before or if you have not 3D printed with this type of machine before, we highly recommend that you come to Consultation Hours and work with a GA in person to ensure your geometry is ready for printing. There are various considerations that might affect the success of your print, including those outlined on the 3D Printing Guidelines page.
Note: The build volume for the Formlabs Form 3 printers is 5.7″W x 5.7″D x 6.9″H. Some of the build height will be consumed by support material (at least 0.25“).
Caution: Recommended minimum column/protrusion thickness is 1/8″ or 3mm. When removing supports (which are 0.6mm in diameter) thinner columns, beams, etc. are likely to break in the process. Walls can be as thin as 1/16″ or as little as 1/32″ if well supported by other walls.
Policies and Procedures
CAP offers 3D printing services to CAP students, faculty and staff at or below the cost of materials consumed per print. These services are subsidized by the CAP Dean’s Office in order to provide CAP constituents equitable access to advanced fabrication tools. The following policies and procedures are designed ensure this access.
For the purposes of this document all users of CAP digital fabrication (D-Fab) services are called clients, including faculty, staff and students.
CLIENTS
FIRST TIME USERS
Clients who have not 3D printed before are REQUIRED TO COMPLETE MODULE 3. Through this Module, clients will be introduced to available 3D printing technologies and associated requirements and considerations for 3D modeling when preparing geometry for 3D printing.
FACULTY
Faculty considering 3D printing as a suggested or required element of a class or studio project are encouraged to contact the Lab Manager or a staff member prior to assigning the project for information about 3D printing constraints (build size, geometry limitations, typical print duration, etc.) and the feasibility of accommodating the 3D print request volume that may result.
D-Fab staff members are available to provide introductory sessions for classes and studio sections upon request.
SUBMISSION PROCESS
– Clients must submit 3D print requests through the CAP Fab Lab website. D-Fab staff can assist with this process during Module 3 certifications.
– Each type of 3D printing technology made available to clients has a corresponding online request form on the CAP Fab Lab website.
– 3D print geometry must be provided at time request is submitted.
– Clients are encouraged to submit requests as far in advance of due dates as possible and to plan time for post-processing (e.g. removing supports, cleaning up print surfaces, etc).
FDM (plastic filament-based) Print Requests
– Client requests for specific printers and specific print settings will be accommodated where possible, but a print may be moved to a different machine without notice if no change to the requested filament is necessary.
– Due to software limitations not all print settings can be customized by D-Fab staff.
– For best results, include notes about the purpose behind requesting a particular setting so that staff can bring knowledge of CAP’s specific machines to bear on print setup.
– When making a request clients can choose how they will receive completed prints.
Review
– D-Fab staff members will review all print requests prior to queuing them for printing.
– Submitted 3D models may be returned for modifications or rejected if not suitable for 3D Printing due to reasons including, but not limited to:
Improperly Scaled Geometry
ii. improperly scaled geometry (see website for build size constraints),
Bad Geometry
i. bad geometry (e.g. open meshes, non-manifold edges—see guidelines on website)
– D-Fab staff members will advise clients regarding bad geometry and options for fixing it but are not responsible for correcting bad geometry on client’s behalf.
– Error-free geometry does not necessarily mean the geometry can be reasonably 3D printed.
– D-Fab staff members will advise clients of potential issues and may encourage clients to consider alternative fabrication approaches. In such cases clients are asked to be considerate of other patrons that may be in line and select fabrication approaches more likely to succeed.
OTHER
iii. offensive or dangerous content (such as obscene objects, firearms, weapons),
iv. during crunch times, non-curricular content (toys, game pieces, action figures, household items, etc.).
PRINT FAILURE
– 3D printing is a complex fabrication process that is prone to failures based on numerous factors.
– D-Fab staff members, to the best of their abilities, will communicate any potential issues to clients before starting a print; however, not all failures can be predicted.
– By requesting a print, clients assume the risk of print failure in terms of both cost and time for any failure due to client error not reasonably detectable by a D-Fab staff member. See Costs section for additional terms.
Queues & Scheduling
– We reserve the right to deny non-CAP affiliated client print requests in order to manage our resources effectively in service of CAP-affiliated clients.
– Print requests will be processed in the order received; however, newer requests may be printed before older requests due constraints related to geometry, filament choice and print duration.
OPTIMIZATION
– D-Fab staff will do its best to optimize print queue processing with the following factors in mind:
– Problematic geometry may require client attention before a print can be started.
– Some geometries are only printable on certain machines due to their size.
– Certain filaments can only be printed on certain machines.
– Newer print jobs that are shorter may complete before older print jobs that are longer running.
– Client “needed by” date for one job may be sooner than that of other prints, and running it first will not cause other prints to be delayed beyond associated “needed by” dates.
NEEDED BY DATES
– D-Fab staff will do their best to accommodate client “needed by” dates but can make no guarantees due to constraints including print duration, equipment availability, and staff work schedules and hours.
– If a print cannot be completed by client’s “needed by” date, client will be notified as soon as possible.
CRUNCH TIME
– During crunch times (defined as the last four weeks of a semester), the following limits will be put in effect to ensure equitable access to 3D printing resources.
– No prints estimated to take longer than 24 hours will be accepted.
– Clients will be restricted to a single 3D printer (of a given type) at a time as long as there are other client requests in the queue.
– Total print time for client prints to be started simultaneously on separate machines may not exceed 24 hours.
LONG PRINTS
– Outside of crunch times longer and multi-machine print requests may be accepted if there are machines available and demand is low, but special permission will be required for any of the following cases:
– A single print exceeds 48 hours.
– All machines of a given 3D printing technology or supporting a given filament diameter will be occupied by a single project for more than 24 hours.
Costs
– CAP 3D Printer Lab clients pay only for materials used for 3D printing.
– Charges for 3D prints are based on material consumption estimates generated by printer-specific software.
– Self-service cost estimation tools are available on the CAP Fab Lab website (https://capfablab.info) and SLA (resin) print types as part of the corresponding print request forms.
– FDM (plastic) print costs are calculated per gram of the filament type to be used for a print.
– Filament quantity required for a given print depends on many factors related to model geometry and print setup—client should request a remote consultation session through the CAP Fab Lab website or contact staff via email or Microsoft Teams to obtain estimates. See website for filament pricing.
– Clients are responsible for the costs associated with prints completed at their request whether or not the completed print is claimed/retrieved.
– If a client asks for a print to be canceled after it has already been started, clients will be charged for the material already consumed when the print is stopped (calculated based on percentage completion). It may not be possible to cancel a Binderjet print already underway if other models are part of the same build. In such cases client will be responsible for the entire cost of their print.
– Clients will be responsible for the costs associated with a failed print unless the failure is directly related to an issue with the associated machine(s) or any CAP-provided materials or if a staff member has clearly been negligent in setting up a print.
– If a client believes a D-Fab staff member has been negligent, the Lab Manager should be contacted for resolution.
– Charges for student 3D prints will be billed to students’ bursar accounts at the end of each semester.
– A client’s current balance can be provided by the Lab Manager upon request.
– Faculty members must provide a department or project-related BSU account number to be billed or may pay by check made out to Ball State University.
– A 25% surcharge will be added to the print cost for clients not affiliated with CAP
Expectations
– Clients will be notified when a print is started (along with estimated completion time) and when completed.
Completed prints can be:
– Picked up at a standard pickup time (preferred). This is the default option when requesting a print. Client must come to the 3D Printer Lab (AB 005) during one of
the standard pickup times (listed on website) following notification of completion to retrieve their completed print(s).
– Picked up at an individually arranged time. To arrange an individual pickup time (outside of standard times) client must respond to the notification they receive
when their print is started to request an individual pickup time.
– Prints may be canceled at the client’s request or due to a print failure. If a print is canceled due to print failure and the failure is not model geometry-related, the print will be restarted unless the print will not complete before client requested “needed by” date. Otherwise client will be notified before any further action is taken.
– If a client’s print is completed and remains unclaimed for one week it may be discarded (and client will still be charged for print—see Costs section above). Week begins after “needed by” date, if provided; otherwise after date of completion.
– CAP will not be responsible for any materials, personal tools, projects or other belongings clients leave in the lab.
Safety
– Clients will not be permitted to enter the 3D Printer Lab except during print pickup. In order to allow for social distancing, a maximum of two clients and two staff may be in the lab at one time.
– D-Fab staff members will wear face masks and gloves when starting and handling client prints. Surfaces in the labs will be sanitized on a regular basis.
– D-Fab staff members and trained faculty are the only people authorized to interact directly with the 3D printers or associated equipment in the lab.
– Isopropyl alcohol is used to post-process resin-based 3D prints and to clean 3D printers. No open flame is permitted in the lab.
Post-processing FDM (plastic filament-based) 3D prints
i. Any post-processing is the client’s responsibility and is at their own risk. Clients are advised to wear eye protection. Small pieces may fly off and get in eyes.
ii. FDM prints should not be sanitized using alcohol as this can “melt” the plastic.
Post-processing Formlabs (resin-based) 3D prints
Any post-processing is the client’s responsibility and is at their own risk. Clients are advised to wear eye protection. Small pieces may fly off and get in eyes.