1. LIS 488 OL Spring 2016 Addison Lucchi Saffana Anwar
3D Printing
LIS 488 OL
Spring 2016
Addison Lucchi
Saffana Anwar

2. 3D printing can print in plastic, metal, resin, polymer, nylon, and over a hundred other materials. It can be used for making miniatures and models, manufacturing prototypes, aircraft engine parts, shoes, jewelry, and even human organs using a person’s own cells.
3D printers create three dimensional objects by building them layer by layer, until the entire object is complete. This is similar to printing in two dimensions on a sheet of paper, except there is a third dimension – up.
3D printing begins with a digital file. Instead of using a 2D file – like a Word document – for instructions, 3D printers use Computer Aided Design (CAD) files, which are either created with the use of a 3D modeling program from scratch, or scanned with a 3D scanner. Either way, the program creates a file that is sent to the 3D printer, and then the 3D printer follows the instructions by printing layer upon layer until the 3D object is completed.

3. The Value of 3D Printing
3D printing is a concept that has significantly impacted a variety of fields. Medicine has changed, as bioprinters can actually print human tissue for pharmaceutical testing – and eventually, they will be able to print entire organs and bones. 3D printing has also impacted architecture and construction – as 3D- printed models of complex architectural drawings can be created quickly and inexpensively by simply printing them.
Massive 3D printers have even been created to experiment with printing concrete structures, with the goal of eventually being able to print entire buildings with a 3D printer. 3D printing has impacted art, as digital artists are able to create sculptures and other original pieces of artwork that would have been impossible without 3D printing technology.
Additionally, 3D printing has incredible ramifications in education. Biology students can replicate detailed 3D replicas of parts of the body, geography students can print contoured maps, architecture students can print 3D buildings, graphic design students can create 3D art, and history students can print replica dinosaur bones and artifacts.
In the future, 3D printing can be expected to advance not only these fields, but numerous others. 3D printing is still in an experimental phase, and it has enormous potential to change the world in numerous ways.

4. Pre-requisites for Learning 3D Printing
Know the history of 3D printing – and different between different types of 3D printing.
Consumer 3D printing is just beginning, but commercial 3D printing has been prevalent for 30 years. Industrial 3D printers are much more expensive than consumer 3D printers, but they are also much faster and can print on a much larger scale.
There are several types of 3D printing methods. It is important to determine which is most suited to your needs – depending on the material used, number of colors, resolution, and price-range. Some if these types of 3D printing are fused deposition modeling, inkjet printing, selective laser sintering, and digital light processing.
Get practice and training with both the software and hardware. It is important to learn how to use both 3D printers themselves, and to learn how to create 3D printing files. Google Sketch up, 3Dtin, Belnder, OpenSCAD, and Tinkercad are all excellent examples of 3D printing modeling software.
Certain libraries are now equipped with 3D printers, and librarians often teach classes on their use. Also, take advantage of the resources provided at the end of this VoiceThread to learn more about 3D printing.

5. Steps to Get Started With 3D Printing
Take an online tutorial or library course n 3D printing – particularly focusing on creating 3D models and the basic process of 3D printing.
Determine what kind of 3D printing you want to do, and purchase the correct materials.
Create a 3D model using a simple user-friendly program, like Blender or Google SketchUp. Alternatively, locate premade 3D models online from CNCKing or Google 3D Warehouse.
As a Simmons student, make use of the 3D printers in the lab or join in on one of their tutorial sessions: Simmons College Labs. Or, as a patron/librarian, here are some libraries which use 3D printers to visit in person: Earl Center for Learning and Innovation Northeastern University 3D Printing Studio

6. 3D Printing in Libraries and Archives
3D Printing in Libraries and Archives
Libraries are rightly leading in the front of providing 3D printing resources and educational opportunities. With the imminent rise of 3D printing, it is important to educate the public so that they will be familiar with the technology in the future.
Libraries are some of the best places where people can gather together, share knowledge, and learn – so libraries are the perfect places to learn 3D printing technologies. Many libraries now carry 3D printing devices and hold classes on 3D printing. It is becoming increasingly important for librarians to be educated in the technology in order to teach it to others.
3D printers are also valuable within academic libraries, for the reason that they can be utilized by students of various disciplines for all of the reasons stated previously. Within a university, there is no better place to have a 3D printer than the library – the same place where students go to use copy machines, printers, computers, scanners, and microfilm readers.
As 3D printers become more and more popular, libraries may begin to use them in new and creative ways – to create art, to print educational models, to teach 3D design… the possibilities are endless.

7. Resources:
Microsoft Virtual Academy: courses/3d-printing-essentials-8854?l=PlDEmnz2_
Lynda 3D Printing Tutorial: tutorials/Getting-Started-MakerBot-3D-Printers/ html
Explaining the Future:
Kids Creation Station: resources-4-kids
The George Washington University Libraries: List of further 3D printing resources.