3D Printing in an Academic Library – One Year Later

Marc Comeau & Michael Groenendyk

3D Printing?

Is This The Future of 3D Printing?

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Or Is This?

Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Curtiss_Autoplane_1917.jpg

Should we be doing this?Mission scope-creep?Novelty? Printing trinkets?Do people know how to use it?Too early to adopt?Could be very influential

technology?Bring relevant tools to patrons?Inspiring new forms of content

creation?

Why would we put a 3D Printer in a Library?Importance of 3D visualization in

our culture◦Object designs◦Video games, movies◦Medical imaging◦Mining, gas

Printer reduces barriers of bringing digital objects into reality

Bridge digital divide around this technology

Will it work? Let’s Find Out!

Difficult to predict, so we’re not going to try

Low cost overhead + free labourHad a good fit for deploymentDive in headfirst and see if

there’s water

Developing a 3D Printing ServiceResearch began January 2012

◦Health and safety◦One of the first services of this kind◦Difficulty in finding relevant information

Bought a Makerbot ReplicatorHurry up and wait (for delivery)Troubleshooting and testingDeployment to Help Desk in Killam

Learning Commons in June

Initial User BaseLaunch happened during summer

◦Different campus environmentUse by engineering and

architecture students◦Engineering graduate students and

their thesis projects◦Faculty of Architecture professor

involvement◦Unexpected

Initial ReactionFirst time seeing 3D printing in a

libraryAccessibility of the printer

appreciatedCost was also well received

◦$1 per hourLots of questionsDifficulty in bridging the gap

between questions and use

Promoting the ServiceOn campus promotionsCBC interviewsPresentations to various facultiesPresentation at NSCADDirectly engaging students

Fall 2012 SemesterUser base continued growingMuch higher usage from

computer science studentsUsage from NSCC and NSCADStill hard to attract students from

other faculties

Change in User Base in WinterSteady use through Winter 2013

semesterIncreasingly used for school

related projectsStronger interest from science

departments like biology and chemistry

Many questions

Change In The Broader LandscapeWhile our own service grew and

changed, so did everything elseDevicesService offeringsUsers

Growing Popularity of 3D Printers in LibrariesLast summer only a handful of

libraries offered 3D printingNow there are close to 50

librariesMajority in United States (38

total)Public libraries are the most

common providers◦74% public libraries, 22% academic,

4% school

Expanding 3D Printing Industry

Investment into 3D printing start-ups

Cheaper 3D printers – SolidoodleNext generation Makerbot:

Replicator 2◦Optimized for PLA

Cube 3D printers now sold in Staples

Wider SelectionGrowing variety of 3D printers to

choose from$500 - $5000 rangeDifferent printing materials

3D Printers Popular in Libraries

Replicator 2Solid Doodle 2RepRap and similar kits

◦Mendel, Prusa, DittoStratasys

Ways Libraries Are Offering 3D PrintingConsultation basis for many

academic libraries◦Little to no web presence

Demonstrations or demo sessions

Tutorials for simple designsRent the 3D printer itself

◦Charge for plastic used

Adapting our own Service

Purchase of two MakerBot Replicator 2s, two more coming.

PLA plastic source in MontrealWider variety of materials

◦Transparent◦Glow-in the dark◦Nylon *◦Wood *

Improvement in quality and consistency of pieces we can produce

Migrating to Replicator 2Optimized for PLABuilding board does not heatImportance of properly aligning

platform each buildReplicator 2 build quality

problemsDifficulty in using closed source

MakerWare software

Process OverviewSome changes in submission

systemMigration into ticket systemAdded documentationPlastic feeding modificationsBenefit of being able to print

multiple jobsFaster print times

Problems and Attempted Solutions by LibrariesHardware maintenance and

software learning curvesMakerspace environments

◦Outside experts inside libraries◦Librarians attending makerspace

eventsClasses in 3D designTime set aside for

librarian/student consultations

Monthly Users and Submissions

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Users Submissions

New vs Repeat Users

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Unique UsersRepeat Users

Users by Faculty

34%

12%27%

27%

Engineering

Architecture

Computer Science

Other

User Created vs Download Models

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CreatedDownloaded

Student vs Faculty Usage98% student usersVery few faculty usersFaculty interest in engineering,

computer science and architecture◦Links between this and developing

user base

Engineering ProjectsRC CarsRobotics partsTest gears and motorsEarly stage prototypesRings, necklaces, etc.

Bio-Medical EngineeringConversions of 3D modelsVisualization of human organsEarly stage prototypes of new

tools and products

Computer Science StudentsArduino chip casesRobotics parts / gearsLots of experimentingLargely submissions of non-

academic designs

Architecture StudentsBuilding modelsSelf-designedSegments of citiesGIS data conversionGoogle Earth

Local Business UsersDental moldsProduct prototypes

◦Hockey skates◦Toys

Building modelsGIS data visualization

Models from the 3D Model Repository

Dalhousie CrestDalhousie Engineering LogosThomas McCulloch Museum

It’s Been A Great Start139 users, 271 model

submissionsOngoing interestIncluding from a number of other

librariesService has maturedBuilt local capacityMany challenges remain

How to Teach 3D ModellingLots of questions around how to

create modelsOr how to create printable

modelsOpen source software made

available to studentsInstructions on how to do this

explained at the Killam IT Help Desk

Current PlansContinued promotionContinue to develop relationships

with existing users, especially non-traditional

Offer basic 3D design tutorial used in training

Expansion to other libraries (and more)

Load sharing amongst sites

Developing IdeasPartnering with C@P sites to train

and collaborate on new deployments

16 new printers going to all parts of Nova Scotia

Combined, 20 deployed available to the public by the fall

Three full-day training sessionsMailing list, shared knowledge

base and more

Develop a Makerspace?

Makerspace: essentially a community space for making things◦Commonly see open source hardware

and software projects◦Arduino, Raspberry Pi, robotics

Difficulty in bringing larger, noisier makerspace tools into a library setting

The makers are already there, a 3D printer will reveal them quickly

Should we be doing this?A good amount of downloaded

“trinkets”Operating a 3D printer is difficult

due to early adoptionNo inroads with faculty yetExpectations. People want a

perfect modelTime intensive

Should we be doing this?Students are using it, Students are

creatingWe were too early and it was

awesome!Different disciplines are using itBuilding an awarenessBuilding a literacy in emerging

technologyWe’re growing, demand is

increasing

Should WE be doing this?

YES!

Should YOU be doing this?It dependsRequires capacity, time, effortIf you build it, some will come, some

won’tPromotion will be needed, connecting

the dots for patronsTechnology is evolving, not evolvedCost is reasonableNew kind of engagementIt’s awesome!

Questions?