3D Printing

The Additive Manufacturing Lab is located in Room 2521 of the Engineering Design Centre (EDC) and offers 3D printing services to students and staff from the Faculty of Engineering and Design (FED). From simple materials like PLA to specialized materials like Nylon, the print lab is capable of meeting most projects’ needs. Want to get your part printed? Learn how below.

EDC 2521 Drop-in hours:

Hours subject to staff availability.

Pricing

All print submissions undergo staff review and approval prior to being accepted. Price rates vary with machine and material – quotes and consultations are available on request by emailing 3dp@carleton.ca.

Fees may be waived for:

• FED Teaching (e.g. coursework, Capstones)
• FED Extracurriculars (registered CSES clubs and engineering competition teams)
• FED Outreach
• Common materials (TPU, PLA)

Fees will not be waived for:

• Research (FED and non-FED)
  • All research prints must have faculty approval in writing and a valid fund number provided in advance.
• Personal projects
• Specialized materials (e.g. PEI, PEEK)
• Batch/high-quantity prints

Read the full 3D Printing Policy here.

Submitting Print Requests

All print requests can be emailed to 3dp@carleton.ca, attaching your print files in .3mf format (files must be attached; no links). Make sure to specify if you require a specific filament.

Some other things to consider:

• All submissions must include the name and approval of your supervisor/team lead.
  • Personal projects are excepted from this rule.
• Name your file(s) with “GroupName/ClassCode”-“YourName”-“PartName”-“Material”-“Date”
  • E.g. “FSAE-JohnSmith-Housing-PLA-Jan-25-2024”
• Double check your model after exporting to ensure that it exported correctly and is of the desired resolution.
• Do not submit full assemblies or include external components like motors and bolts.
• Waiting times can vary with demand – if you need your part by certain date, make sure to submit it well in advance.

Priority

Print jobs are fulfilled on a first-come first-serve basis based on the following priority:

1. Urgent teaching lab/facility maintenance
2. Undergraduate coursework (including Capstones and design courses)
3. Regular teaching lab maintenance
4. Research support
5. Extracurricular projects (including student teams like FSAE and CU InSpace)

Printers

Parts must be configured by staff to print correctly on the departmental machines, but you can use PrusaSlicer – a free and open-source tool – to analyze your part beforehand.

Print times depend on a number of factors, including the part complexity, machine, material selection, workload, and staff availability. If you have a critical part you need made by a certain deadline, it is your responsibility to submit it well in advance of when you need it!

Non-FED Teaching and Extracurriculars may be eligible for fee waivers and are welcome to submit print requests, but are subject to prior discussion and review with FED management. Non-FED staff and students are recommended to first visit the MacOdrum Library, which offers free 3D printing to all faculties.