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Try 3D Printing in the Killam Library Learning Commons

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3D printing is now available to all in the Killam Learning Commons! This pilot project, the goal of which is to incorporate 3D printing as a regular service to patrons at a low cost, is the first of its kind at Dal. [Note: As of September 2014, the price of 3D printing is 8 cents per gram. 3D printing is available at four Dal Libraries locations: Killam, Kellogg, MacRae, and Sexton.]

 

These models each took about an hour to print. The dental mould has applications for dentistry students, while the Taj Mahal model could be useful to theatre students building sets. (Bruce Bottomley photo)

3D printing is the process of creating physical objects by building layers of quickly-hardening material one on top of the other. This technology has been around since the 1980s, used mostly by engineers and industry designers. The popularity of 3D printing has grown outside of these disciplines thanks to the efforts of the 3D printer hobbyist community, who have made it cheaper and more accessible.

The 3D printer in action at the Learning Commons Help Desk in the Killam Library. (Bruce Bottomley photo)

 

For this project, Dalhousie Libraries is using a Makerbot Replicator 3D Printer. Users will be able to print their 3D models by sending an STL file to the Help Desk through Filedrop to the address 3Dprinting@dal.ca.

You can create STL files by using 3D modelling programs such as SolidEdge or Google SketchUp. If you don’t have any 3D modelling experience, take a look at Thingiverse.com. Thingiverse has a number of STL files free for download, so check it out and see if there’s anything you want to print.

 

A close-up of the printer building a model. (Bruce Bottomley photo)

 

For more information, visit the 3D printer page on the Dalhousie Libraries website and read the feature story in the Dal News.

3D Printing and Scanning Pilot Project Closer to Launch

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3D printing and scanning for the Dalhousie community is only a few weeks away! SIM students Michael Groenendyk and Riel Gallant have been hard at work testing this service to make it user-ready for the pilot project slated to be set up in the main Killam Learning Commons in May.

3D printing has been around for decades, but only recently has it become accessible to larger audiences thanks to hobbyists and the RepRap project. 3D scanning has also increased in popularity, gaining momentum as the technology improves and becomes more affordable. Dalhousie Libraries’ new Makerbot Replicator and NextEngine 3D scanner will offer you the opportunity to explore this revolutionary technology, and prepare us all for a future shaped by 3D printing.

Here’s a little preview of what’s coming!

Scanning 3D Artifacts

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Working in the Killam Library, MLIS graduate students Michael Groenendyk and Riel Gallant have begun digitizing artifacts from the Thomas McCulloch Museum, which is located in the Biology Department at Dal and well-known for its bird collection. The process involves a NextEngine 3D scanner to capture images of the artifacts, taking preservation to a new level.

This way of seeing the world will allow people to view, interact with, and modify digital objects, and even print a 3D copy! It’s just one part of Dalhousie Libraries’ upcoming initiative to bring 3D printing and scanning to its patrons. Stay tuned for more details, and in the meantime–check out our 3D printing & scanning board on Pinterest!