Scheduling 3D Printing

3D printing is available at Calvert Library Prince Frederick and Calvert Library Southern Branch. Please call either branch to schedule your appointment.

Calvert Library Prince Frederick 410-535-0291
Calvert Library Southern Branch 410-326-5296

3D Printer Job Request Form
3D printer and customer

FAQs for 3D Printing at Calvert Library

3D printing is the process of creating a physical object from a digital model. It is also known as additive manufacturing because the physical model is built one layer at a time from the bottom up. 3D printing provides an opportunity for everyone to take an idea from their imagination, design it, and create a physical model. Calvert Library is actively building a community environment that nurtures creativity while stimulating and supporting learning and innovation.

Calvert Library 3D Printer Acceptable Use Policy

The procedure for printing form the Library’s 3D Printer is as follows.  

  • Design creation  
    • The 3D printer can be used with basic knowledge of Computer Aided Design (CAD). Creating a new design requires knowledge of 3D modeling software products.  Video tutorials that accompany CAD programs may be of assistance.  
    • Any 3D drafting software may be used to create a design as long as the file can be saved in .stl file format.    
    • The Library has 3D design and modeling software installed on its computers that may be used to create a design.    
    • Digital designs are also available from various file-sharing databases such as Thingiverse.com  
  • Submitting a design for printing  
    • Persons wanting to use the 3D printer shall provide a .stl formatted file. File should not exceed 250MB.  
    • Staff will add the model to the printing queue.  If there is high demand, the library will schedule only one printer per day per person or entity.  
    • The files will be readied for printing in the printer’s software or other authorized software.  The library will review all files with the customer prior to printing.  
    • Items may be picked up at the Library during regular hours.  It is sometimes difficult to estimate exact printing times.  Library staff will make an educated guess about the length of the job upon request and when it may be ready for pickup.  
  • Pricing-Printed items are priced based upon finished weight. A $1 fee will be charged for each file you submit for 3D printing. Additionally, you will be charged 5 cents per gram, rounded up to the nearest gram. All costs are payable when you pick up the item. The software that is used to create the print file for the printer will provide an estimate of the final weight of the object in grams. This weight includes any supports necessary to print the object. We will provide you with the estimate prior to printing.
  • Please note that the procedures governing the use of the Library’s 3D printer are subject to change.  

LulzBot Mini at Calvert Library Prince Frederick
LulzBot Mini at Calvert Library Southern Branch

  • Filament options: PLA (Polyactic Acid-derived from renewable plant-based starches) and PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol) Calvert Library has a limited number of colors of each type of filament.
  • Number of colors per print: 1
  • Maximum print size (inches): 6(w) x 6.2(h) x 6(d) or (mm): 152(w) x 158(h)x 152(d)

Creality Ender 5 Plus at Calvert Library Prince Frederick

  • Filament options: PLA (Polyactic Acid-derived from renewable plant-based starches). Calvert Library has a limited number of colors.
  • Number of colors per print: 1
  • Maximum print size (inches): 13.5(w) x 15.5(h) x 13.5(d) or (mm): 343(w) x 394(h)x 343(d)

To print an object, provide us with your .stl file on a flash drive. Files can be no larger than 250 MB. Flash drives are available for purchase at every library. We will download your file to our computer and return the flash drive to you.

We are defining a misprint as a bad print that is the fault of the machine, a power outage, etc. We will reprint these at no charge. Otherwise, if the printer did complete the print as designed, you will be charged for the print.

You will notice on the form that we are asking about the origination of the object file: was it downloaded or did you create it on your own. If you have downloaded the file from Thingiverse (or another site), please review the page for how many successful prints are recorded and the comments. If there are many comments listed that point to many unsuccessful prints, you may want to look for another version of that object that has positive comments or successful prints. If there are no successful prints or the comments are overwhelmingly negative, you may still print this item at your own risk.

If you have created your own object file, you will be responsible for the cost of the print regardless of the success of the print. This includes files that have been downloaded and modified and prototype objects that require multiple prints until the design is perfected.

For general applications, you should use the PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) filament. For items that may require greater strength or may be subjected to higher temperatures (the inside of a car or dishwasher), use the PETG (Polyethylene terephthalate glycol) filament. Calvert Library cannot guarantee the final project will not melt in high temperatures.

We recommend that if any of your printed items will come into direct contact with food, use plastic wrap or aluminum foil as a barrier between food and the plastic. While PLA filament is listed as safe for direct contact with food, it is still fairly porous and fully cleaning/disinfecting the item can be difficult.

All submitted prints must adhere to Calvert Library’s 3d printer request and acceptable use. Please complete the top of this 3D printer request and acceptable use form  and submit to library staff.

A $1 fee will be charged for each file you submit for 3D printing. Additionally, you will be charged 5 cents per gram, rounded up to the nearest gram. All costs are payable when you pick up the item. The software that is used to create the print file for the printer will provide an estimate of the final weight of the object in grams. This weight includes any supports necessary to print the object. We will provide you with the estimate prior to printing.

Our printer prints in layers, from the bottom up, and each layer must be supported by something beneath it. If part of a model has nothing beneath it, like the wings of an airplane, the printer has to print supports beneath that part. Brims are used to stabilize small parts or isolated sections of the model that need help staying connected to the print bed. A raft is a horizontal latticework located underneath your print to help stabilize models with small footprints if you need a stronger foundation that can be provided by a brim. Prior to printing, staff will review the print job with the customer to show them how the printer is interpreting their file—this includes pointing out potential problems and where supports or brims may be necessary.

Library staff is not responsible for removing any supports, brims, or rafts. The support material can be carefully removed using X-ACTO knives and needle nose pliers. If you are interested in more advanced finishing techniques, we suggest the following resources: Finishing and Post-Processing Your 3D Printed Objects   How to finish off your 3D Print

Printing will be first-come, first-served and as staff is available. Your file will be placed in the queue in the order it was received. Printing time varies based on the size of the object. Small objects can take less than an hour, while large projects can take five or more hours. We do retain the right to reorder the queue based on printing times and staff availability. Library staff will print your file and notify you when it is ready to be picked up and paid for. If the item is not picked up within two weeks, the object will become the property of the library.

Calvert Library staff can direct customers to online resources, however, we will not be assisting in the design of customer models. Staff will not modify or change models once submitted. If you decide that you want to increase/decrease the size of your model once seeing it in the printer software, you will need to re-work the object in the software used to create the object.

We will print your object as soon as we can. There are a number of factors that can affect how long it will take us to print your object. There could be other people ahead of you, and their object print times could vary from 1 – 10 hours. We also conduct programs with this printer, so it may be in use to support a program. We do reserve the right to adjust the queue to most efficiently print items. We may have times where we move a shorter print job ahead of a longer job because it will complete before the end of the day or before a program. We ask that you try to keep your print times to less than 10 hours. This way we can complete the print job during our regular weekday hours.

We recommend the free, browser-based program called Tinkercad for beginners. Other free programs are Blender and Sketchup . Blender is available on the public internet computers at all Calvert Library locations. Designs can also be downloaded from Thingiverse.

You do have the option to select the color used for your print. However, we have a limited number of colors and, due to cost, cannot purchase filament colors for specific print jobs.