Changes

=== Use Cases for Prints in our Makerspace ===

=== Use Cases for Prints in our Makerspace ===

The 3D printers in our Makerspace are for hobbyist and very low volume production projects. It is also free for you to print with PLA or ABS (on request since all printers are loaded with PLA). The Ultimaker 2+, for instance, is easy to maintain, user friendly, and CURA (its recommended slicer) is packed with features that allow tuning the printer. This comes with advantages and disadvantages. This can be advantageous if you want to run with a variety of different qualities or settings. On the disadvantageous side, this means the prints do not always work at the simple click of a button, and even if they do, they might not be a good representation of the part that you wanted to make (due to manufacturing defects such as warping, lack of overhangs, improper overhang placement, under- or over-extrusion, etc.).

The 3D printers in our Makerspace are for hobbyist and very low volume production projects. It is to be understood that these are the printers owned by the space since those are the people for which the space exist: students and hobbyists who are getting their first exposures to additive manufacturing but also those people who would like to use the space for personal projects. For this reason, it is free for you to print with PLA or ABS (ABS being on request since all printers are loaded with PLA by default). The Ultimaker 2+, our main model of printer is easy to maintain, user friendly, and CURA (its recommended slicer) is packed with features that allow for tuning the printer for you to be able to experiment and eventually obtain the result you want. This comes with advantages and disadvantages. This can be advantageous if you want to run with a variety of different qualities or settings (i.e.: great for learning about 3D printing!). On the disadvantageous side, this means the prints do not always work at the simple click of a button, and even if they do, they might not be a good representation of the part that you wanted to make (due to manufacturing defects such as warping, lack of overhangs, improper overhang placement, under- or over-extrusion, etc.).

Industry-grade printers are the opposite. You will find that you have very little control over the parameters of the print, and the printer will be slow at printing, but the print will come out almost perfect most times. The Makerspace has the Makrforged Mark II as well as a Dimension 1200es printer, but since the consumables for those printers are expensive and since not many people use these printers, the makerspace charges for prints made on them. If you think your application requires specialty materials or the extra quality that these industry grade printers provide, please do not hesitate to [[How to submit an Order Request|submit a print order]] through our system. We'll be happy to work with you on getting your part manufactured.

Industry-grade printers are the opposite. You will find that you have very little control over the parameters of the print, and the printer will be slow at printing, but the print will come out almost perfect most times. The Makerspace has the Makrforged Mark II as well as a Dimension 1200es printer, but since the consumables for those printers are expensive and since not many people use these printers, the makerspace charges for prints made on them. If you think your application requires specialty materials or the extra quality that these industry grade printers provide, please do not hesitate to [[How to submit an Order Request|submit a print order]] through our system. We'll be happy to work with you on getting your part manufactured.