3DPrinterOSWhat happens when a 3D print program is too successful?
In 2010 Brian Slocum used part of his budget to buy a Makerbot and put it on a stand outside his office for anyone in the building to use. Within days four people were waiting their turn, and a day later it was eight, all trying to print before class. A second printer did not fix it, and by the end of the year Lehigh had five or six.
First come, first served was not fair. It turned students off and went against Lehigh’s core values, and classes that relied on 3D printing could not run on that kind of schedule. The Wilbur Powerhouse staff were spending an inordinate amount of time collecting print files and prioritizing them.
One platform for printers, files and users
Just as it was a groundbreaker in building a makerspace, Lehigh was an early adopter of 3DPrinterOS in 2016. The platform lets all of its 3D printers be managed from one place.
3DPrinterOS connects printers, files and users. Every part of the printing process is tracked, monitored and audited with reporting tools, and print queues are shared between students and printers, allowing exponential growth in use. Students can upload files remotely from anywhere with an internet connection.
Remote printing and oversight that scale
Between 2010 and 2016 the program grew from 3 printers to 19, from 20 users to 150, and from 150 prints to 4,377. Students can send a file from their dorm room or from spring break and pick up the part when they are back on campus.
3DPrinterOS also lets Brian track usage and tie it to individual users. Students learn that even prints made for fun carry a real dollar value, which helps them become creative with a purpose. For many, 3D printing is a low-barrier first step into everything else The Wilbur Powerhouse offers.
