On a rainy, cold night, I attended a workshop on 3D printing in the Kenan
Science Library Makerspace. The workshop leader started by explaining the
process of printing a 3D image. First, we pick a design from some place like
https://www.thingiverse.com or design it ourselves. Then we submit a form to
the Kenan Science Library Makerspace. The form asks about resolution, the size
of the object, material, and color. The Makerspace only prints in a rigid,
lightweight plastic called PLA which comes in spools and many different colors.
Higher resolutions print smoother objects, but only some of their printers can
print these sorts of objects. After submitting the form, you have a
consultation with one of the Makerspace staff where you talk about what you need
and give them the files on a USB drive. It takes a number of weeks for them to
print the object, especially if it is not for research or a course. Right now,
they have a long waiting list because of finals and people trying to print
Christmas presents.
Printers work in different ways. The most simple and user-friendly printers start from the bottom and lay down one layer of plastic at a time by extrusion into a thin filament. These objects are not solid, but have a honeycom structure called “embeds.” Other, more expensive machines use a dunking process to create a solid object. Both types of machines print with supports so that the object don’t collapse under their own weight during the printing process. We saw examples of supports that worked nicely and others that obstructed the final design. The Makerspace has found that objects with a lot of overhang (like models of the Old Well) are better printed in two pieces and glued together.
I was very interested in what kinds of things people print. She mentioned that somebody was having a hat mold printed so I asked a few questions. Apparently, she is also a milliner and wood hat forms are so expensive that she was looking for an alternative. I don’t really know how well the plastic would hold up considering all the steam you need to shape the felt. I also think that you wouldn’t be able to pin the felt to the plastic so it would likely shrink up. I will probably follow up to find out how the hat mold went. I don’t know what the design process is like, but I could start with asking to print the same mold that the other milliner is having done. I asked a few questions about copyright and it didn’t seem like they were particularly worried about legal conflict.
All in all, I left a little disappointed that we didn’t get to make something. In fact, I felt a little like 3D printing is only for scientists and business students making prototypes. However, it seems like this is a technology that is only getting more popular and sophisticated. I’ll probably take another workshop to find out how I can get started with my hat mold.