3D Printing & Scanning

All services will be under limited operations until further notice.

3D printing services will be on a case-by-case basis until materials can be successfully kept in stock and delivered. Due to building access at this time we are only printing projects for student, staff, and faculty with an active MavCard.

In the event that the UNO campus or Criss Library are closed, all CPL services will also be stopped. Please review the main library webpage for current hours.

CPL Staff will be available for assistance with software and creative projects by email throughout the semester. Please email unolibrarycpl@unomaha.edu and we will respond to all questions with direct assistance or links to video aid within one business day if at all possible.

3D Printing

Our Lulzbot printers operate by melting and depositing plastic filament in layers on a flat surface. These printers and this process is great for basic shape prototypes, solid objects, and experimentation. Most projects should choose PLA, a corn-based easy-print plastic. Projects needing a robust structural part that may be put under stress should choose petrol-based ABS filament. Small parts, details, text, and fine edges may be lost when printing on a Lulzbot, and we may suggest our Form3.

The Form3 is a liquid resin printer meant for professional prototyping, medical and dental applications, jewelry, and fine-art production. It uses a laser to harden liquid resin at micron scale. This process is slower and more expensive than filament printing, but can achieve projects not possible otherwise. Resin prints, even with UV curing, are harder but more brittle than plastic and should not be used directly under operational stress, but are perfect candidates for molding and casting!

None of our materials or processes should be considered food-safe.

Submit requests as STL files.  Prints take an average of 3-5 business days.  Prints not picked up within 10 days of completion are subject to a fine on the patron's library account. Prints remaining after 30 days will be fined and the print recycled.

*Requests within these dimensions may need to be sized smaller due to time limitations.

*^To account for minimum resin material use to fill the flexvat reservoir for any project started, all SLA resin prints will have a base cost of $1.00 per item in addition to the volumetric measurement of the object printed.

CPL Filament Stock

Available PLA Colors: Black, White

Available ABS Colors: Black, White, Brown, LulzGreen

Available NinjaFlex Colors: Black, Blue

CPL Resin Stock

All resin prints will be processed in Formlabs Standard gray or clear. Due to inconsistencies of outcome and formulation, all other resin colors have been eliminated from CPL use.

Given the popularity of sending in Heroforge figures for resin-printing, 30mm figures with a 1 inch base will be charged a flat starting rate of $5.00 per figurine. Larger sized units or hyper-detailed elements requiring significant supports (as per Heroforge 2.0) will be charged per additional mL used. This will allow us to continue offering industry-grade prints at non-profit prices for all patrons interested in the process for personal use.

Start Your 3D Project

Take note of our policies for 3D printing.

Choose the file you want to have printed. 3D models can be found here:

• Thingiverse: This site offers free 3D models available for download.

• Yeggi: This site is a compilation of 3D model sites. Many are free, but some require payment.

Want to create your own file?

Once You Have a File

Pick Up Your Completed 3D Print

Lab staff will contact you when the print is finished. 3D printed items can be picked up at the Circulation Desk in the library. Cash, credit, and MavCard are accepted.

Create Your Own 3D Models

Scanning an Object in 3D

Create a high detail 3D model of objects up to 12" tall by using our NextEngine 3D scanner.

• Set up an appointment to come in and prep the model to be scanned.
• Allow 2-3 business days for us to clean up the model.
• Request your files or a 3D printed version to take a mini figurine with you.

Questions? Contact lab staff and we can help you with your project.

The CPL is unable to take appointments for, or complete, large object or 3D full-body scans. We hope to again offer this in the future as part of our continued expansion of available technology.

Policies for 3D Printing

The library's printers, and all other systems, may be used only for lawful purposes. Patrons will not be permitted to use the 3D printers to create material that is: 

• Prohibited by local, state or federal law.
• Unsafe, harmful, dangerous or poses an immediate threat to the well-being of others. (Such use may violate the terms of use of the manufacturer.)
• Obscene or otherwise inappropriate for the library environment.
• In violation of another's intellectual property rights. For example, the printers will not be used to reproduce material that is subject to copyright, patent, or trademark protection.

Additionally:

• Patrons must comply with the University of Nebraska Memorandum 16: Policy for Responsible Use of University Computers and Information Systems.
• The library does not offer mass printing and may not be able to accommodate requests for larger objects.
• The library reserves the right to refuse any 3D print request.
• Creative Production Lab services are not available for commissioned work and profit enterprises.
• Functionality, fitting, and finish will be the responsibility of the patron after the CPL presents a known-good, static object printed from a patron’s files. The UNO CPL hopes to be of any help in guiding patrons to that point.