Research 3D Printing
Service Overview
3D printing is a technology that enables users to take 3D models and designs and translate them into physical objects. The Research 3D Printing lab supports campus research by providing 3D printing services for academic and research purposes. This service is part of the Digital Scholarship and Data Services (DSDS) department. Visiting the 3D Research lab is by appointment only.
What We Offer
Research 3D Printing offers expertise through consultations and 3D printing services. Unlike the Library MakerSpace, print times can exceed 12 hours, and various filaments can be used. Prints can also be done using a variety of liquid resins, depending on the requested attributes or color.
- Consultations
- 3D filament printing using PLA, PETG, ASA, TPU, BVOH, and PVB
- 3D liquid resin printing
- Rapid prototyping
Get Started
Who Can Use This Service
This service is open to all OU students, faculty, and staff.
What Can Be 3D Printed
We primarily support 3D printing for campus research and student success. Requests for 3D printing that are not related to academic or research purposes must be submitted to the Library MakerSpace. An exception may be made for 3D resin print requests that cannot be produced with fused deposition modeling (FDM) without major issues. All 3D print requests are subject to the OU Libraries 3D Printing Policy.
Examples of Research 3D Printed Projects
Examples of what we can print include rapid prototypes for research and tactile manipulatives for course integrations.
A notable and lasting project is Bones on Loan. This project allows patrons to check out 3D-printed bones from the circulation desk. While learning skeletal anatomy, students are often asked to purchase bone sets that are low resolution and carry a large price tag. Using 3D scanning, browser-embedded 3D models, and 3D printing, OU Libraries has found a way to remove this cost to students while increasing the resolution of the bone replicas.
Printing Materials & Cost
We currently support 3D printing using PLA, PETG, ASA, TPU, BVOH, PVB, and various liquid resins. At this time, we cannot print using Carbon Fiber PLA, Conductive PLA, ABS, or Nylon.
For filament 3D printing, factors such as the size, quantity, and complexity of the 3D models will determine whether materials need to be provided by the user. For resin 3D printing, all materials will be provided, up to 100 mL of liquid resin per print or 500 mL of liquid resin per semester. If more is required, the end user must provide the additional resin.
How to Get Help
You must have a consultation before a 3D print can be made. To get started, complete the DSDS Contact Form to request a consultation with a Digital Scholarship and Data Services (DSDS) staff member. When filling out the form, be sure to select “3D Printing Service” from the “What service can we assist you with?” drop-down menu field. Please be as specific as possible when filling out the form.
Contact Information
FAQs
Size, quantity, complexity, and request queue affect printing timelines. When submitting a print request, you can ask the library staff for an estimated completion date.