The 3D Printing Lab is a staff-managed prototyping manufacturing environment. Faculty, students, and staff are welcome to submit a 3D print request form and a 3D print consultation form to the IDEA Lab 3D Printing Studio.

Who can submit a print to the IDEA Lab 3D Printing Studio?

Anyone affiliated with the University of Illinois can submit a request for a 3D print. If someone not affiliated with the University directly would like to use our printing services, email us at idealab@library.illinois.edu for options we may be able to provide.

 

How do I get started?

Submit either a print request or a request for consultation for 3D printing at https://www.library.illinois.edu/enx/idea-lab/3d/.

 

Do I need to bring anything to pick up my 3D print?

You will need your i-Card for ID verification.

 

Why do I need to submit a .stl file?

The .stl file format is the most compatible format for the widest array of 3D printers. Please be sure to submit only STL files to our form. That is the format we use for all printing processes.

 

How long will it take to process a 3D print job?

We cannot guarantee a due date as the printing process can be unpredictable and depends on the object size, amount of infill, and print resolution.

 

How much does printing cost?

Our costs break down in the following way: We have a flat fee of $4.00 per print plus $0.10 per gram of filament/resin used in the printing process. The flat fee of $4.00 is per “print bed,” meaning if the print request must go across multiple waves of prints, we charge $4.00 per print bed. We do our best to fit as many components onto a single print bed as possible to keep costs reasonable.

 

Can I use the equipment in the IDEA Lab 3D Printing Studio?

For safety reasons, only trained IDEA Lab staff can operate the equipment.

 

When should I expect my print to be ready?

Due to the nature of 3D printing, we cannot give firm completion times at the start of the printing process. Times will be based on the print job's complexity, the size of the individual files, and printer and staff availability.

 

What happens if my print job fails?

A trained and dedicated staff member will communicate with you on the progress of your 3D print.

 

Are there restrictions on what I can print?

The IDEA Lab adheres to the regulations stated in the campus-wide University’s Student Code and the Library User Policies. We reserve the right to refuse print jobs that infringe on these policies and guidelines.

 

How long will you hold my printed object for me?

We will hold the printed job until the end of the semester in which it was submitted. However, due to university billing procedures, we may bill for the job before that time, as we typically process payments monthly. Please review our workflow on our IDEA Lab 3D printing Studio page. 

 

What colors/kinds of filament do you print with?

We have a wide array of filaments to choose from.  We do our best to keep a variety of colors.  However, we may not have all colors in all filament or resin types.  You may request specific color and material types, but availability will depend on stock.
 

What if we provide the filament? Does that affect cost?

We handle these types of requests on a case-by-case basis. Email the IDEA Lab to discuss options.

 

Can I paint my print?
Yes, you can. We recommend coating your parts in a plastic-compatible primer for the best painting results before applying top and finishing coats. Rust-Oleum High-Performance Enamel Primer Spray is a primer that has worked well with previous prints.

 

I want to print an object bigger than any print beds available. How do I go about that?

We provide a wide array of printer capabilities. However, if the parts will not fit on any of our printers, we may request you to split individual parts into multiple pieces to ensure they will fit on our printers.  IDEA Lab staff may also recommend part scaling as an option if measurements are not a concern for the project as a whole. 

 

Are there other places I can do 3D Printing in person?
There are other facilities on campus that offer a wide array of 3D printing services on campus. Each facility has its own access and availability. Please refer to the list below for more details of what these locations can offer. These facilities are not directly affiliated with the University of Illinois Library System.

Jackson Innovation Studio (MechSE)

Illinois MakerLab (Gies College of Business)

Champaign-Urbana (CU) Community FabLab (run by the iSchool)

Siebel Center for Design