Grainger Engineering Library
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3D Printing at Illinois
This guide will provide a thorough overview of the 3D printing process around Urbana-Champaign, with an emphasis on the resources available in the IDEA Lab in Grainger Library.
On this guide you will learn:
- What you need to print
- The process of 3D printing
- Where to 3D print on campus
- What resources we have to help you
Guide Overview
3D Printing
The term "3D printing" encapsulates a variety of additive manufacturing processes that creates a three-dimensional object from a Computed Aided Design (CAD). The two most popular processes of 3D printing are FDM and Resin printing.
3D Scanning
3D scanning, or photogrammetry, is the process of using technology to store and edit information about physical objects in the real world. Photogrammetry allows users to translate physical objects into digital models by scanning the object (this can include human bodies or art). These scans can be turned into .stl files to be edited in CAD software, put on display in a digital setting, or directly printed with a 3D printers for easy replication.
There are multiple makerspaces on campus between multiple departments and libraries.
The IDEA Lab, located in the lower level of the Grainger Engineering Library, is the most popular place for engineers to 3D print and has authored this LibGuide.
3D printing can help you make, prototype, or test any design that comes to your imagination. From dentistry and medical applications to table-top gaming, 3D printing is taking the world by storm and revolutionizing manufacturing on all scales.
That being said, some designs are more 3D printer friendly than others. If you'd like help, please schedule a consultation.
Yes, you need to pay to use 3D printing equipment across campus. Rates will depend on where and the specifics of your print (size, material, etc.).
IDEA Lab Rate:
- Print price is calculated by a $4.00 base cost per print + $0.10 per gram of print material
- Ex: a 63-g print would be $10.30.