Digital Union Feature
The Digital Union Prototyping Studio offers free 3D printing to all students, staff, and faculty regardless of departmental affiliation. You can submit 3D models to be printed in PLA filament on one of our two Prusa i3 MK3S+ printers or our Creality Ender-3 V2 at the Digital Union Prototyping Studio.
Process
Submissions are selected to be printed on a rolling basis. Priority may be given to academic or research-related projects.
Submitters will receive an email confirming whether their entry has been selected, and then when it it ready to be picked up.
Because our services are free, we are unable to print large quantities of items. We deal with a large quantity of highly-varied submissions, therefore we cannot promise a turnaround time between submission and item receipt. Because of this, if you have acces to other printing services on campus, you may want to consider them instead of us if you are on a deadline, such as for a class project.
Resources
Hardware
- Creality Ender-3 V2
- Prusa Original i3 MK3S+
Terms
The Digital Union's 3D printing service is available to Ohio State students, faculty and staff to make three-dimensional objects in PLA filment based on a user-submitted digital computer file (STL format).
I. Use
The 3D printer may be used only for lawful purposes. No one will be permitted to use the 3D printer to create material that is:
- Prohibited by local, state or federal law.
- Unsafe, harmful, dangerous or poses an immediate threat to the well being of others. (Such use may violate the terms of use of the manufacturer.)
- Obscene or otherwise inappropriate for the University environment.
- In violation of another's intellectual property rights. For example, the printer will not be used to reproduce material subject to copyright, patent or trademark protection.
II. Assessment
The Digital Union reserves the right to:
- Refuse any 3D print request.
- Use staff discretion to organize the print queue for overall efficient output.
- Photograph all 3D objects printed; publicly share user-submitted information related to print jobs. Images and information will be used for monitoring, marketing.
- Gather feedback from users.
- Implement additional requirements to streamline the process of vetting, printing, and reporting.
III. Cost
3D printing through the Digital Union is free.
IV. Pickup
Items printed from the Digital Union 3D printer that are not picked up within 7 days after being printed become the property of the Digital Union. Items must be picked up by the individual who printed them, using his or her Buck-ID.
V. Access
Only Digital Union staff may have hands-on access to the 3D printer.
How to Print
3D printing at the Digital Union is free. Read the Terms above, then Use this online form to submit an STL file of the 3D model to you wish to print. Therefore, lead time is typically 2 weeks, but we cannot promise turnaround due to our high volume of sumissions. Priority may given to submissions that demonstrate academic need, originality, and innovative potential.
FAQ
Why was my submission is rejected?
If we reject a submission, you will usually have an email from a Digital Union manager explaining why. Common reasons for rejection are problems with the printability of the object, sizing issues in relation to our printer, or requests for materials other than PLA.
How long will I have to wait for my model to be printed?
Usually we can print within two weeks. However, during peak times, our submissions increase dramatically and we are unable to turnaround prints this quickly. Therefore we are generally not the best choice for class projects, especially end-of-semester projects.
Once your job reaches the printer, it may take anywhere from an hour to a couple of days to print, depending on the size, percentage infill, and complexity of the design. Once complete, staff will remove your model from the build plate and you will receive an automated email once your print is ready for pickup.
What colors of filament can I print at the Digital Union?
Black, white, red, and gray. During the submission process, you may indicate your color preference, which will be granted if available. If your color preference is not available, your object will be printed in one of the other colors listed unless you specify otherwise.
How large of an object can I print?
The maximum build volume is 250 mm x 250 mm x 210 mm (9.8 in x 9.8 in x 8.7 in).
Can I print without having to submit an STL file?
No. All users must go through the same submission process, which involves agreeing to the Terms, and providing an STL file of the object to be printed.
Will you design a file for me?
Unfortunately we do not have staffing to provide design services. Feel free to stop in and talk to one of our staff about searching for a file online or modifying an existing design.
