3D printing

About 3D printing

3D printing is a process of creating 3D solid objects from a digital 3D file through “additive manufacturing”. In this process, a printable file is sliced into thin layers and then printed by the printer, layer by layer, until the object is fully formed.

3D printing can be applied to various applications, such as creating commercial products, reproducing patient-matched implants in reconstructive surgery, and replicating archaeological artifacts.

Book 3D printers

Our Library technology spaces, ThinkSpace and CreateSpace, are equipped with 3D printers (Bambu S1, Bambu S2, and Bambu Carbon X1 models).

Booking is free for staff and students. Materials will also be provided for free, although options regarding material types and colours may be limited.

How to use 3D printers

Our friendly Peer Learning Advisors (PLAs) will be on site to assist you throughout the printing process. 

There are many free, open-access websites where you can download models for 3D printing, such as MakerWorld and Thingiverse. Here, you can search for a range of different models ranging from niche stationary needs to replacements for broken plastic components. 

If you are interested in altering an existing model or designing your own, you can use a 3D modelling program (such as TinkerCad) to design and create a 3D model. Combine basic shapes to create new models, or drag and drop objects to change their orientation and size to customize your design.

When selecting a design, keep in mind the TechSpace policies. Prints can run for a maximum of four hours, weigh a maximum of 150g, and are printed in a single colour. Please note that print colour selection is subject to availability.

You may bring your own filament to a booking in either techspace. Please be mindful that we can only support the use of PLA filament and may reject other composite blends or specialty filaments. 

For Community or Alumni members, please email the PLA team at library.peerlearningadvisors@sydney.edu.au to arrange a booking at ThinkSpace outside of semester. CreateSpace equipment is reserved only for current students or staff.

If you are completely new to 3D printing and modelling, you can attend our beginner - friendly workshops to understand the 3D printing process at our TechSpaces, or come in to ask our friendly Peer Learning Advisors before you book your appointment.

Once you’ve downloaded or created your design, export your 3D model as an STL file. Save your STL file on a USB which you can bring to your TechSpace appointment.

Make a booking on a Library 3D printer. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Please note that print colour selection is subject to availability. Bookings can be up to 4 hours in duration during Technology Spaces opening hours, starting at either 10:15AM or 2:45PM.

The Peer Learning Advisor on duty will be able to “slice” your STL file to create a G-code file, which contains instructions for the 3D printer to interpret. Slicing can include changing the size, orientation, and number of models as well as their density, and configuring any supports needed for the additive process to work. The Peer Learning Advisor can guide you through this process and help you with any questions you have. 

The 3D printers in our TechSpaces use a type of plastic called Polylactic Acid (PLA), a synthetic derived from crops like corn and sugarcane, and combined with additives, stabilisers and colourants to create a viable filament for printing. Although pure PLA can technically biodegrade in the right industrial-level compost conditions, in most home-use cases it simply breaks down into microplastics like oil-derived plastics with the same negative health and environmental impacts. 

When planning your print, consider the lifespan of your desired object and whether 3D printing is the most suitable and sustainable method for creating it. Reduce the scale and supports required for your print wherever possible. 3D prints from PLA are not suitable for applications which involve water or exposure to sunlight, as they will degrade into microplastics more quickly. Before you print, double check that your file is stable and reduce all possible risks that your print will fail, as this increases plastic waste.

The Library provides safe and supportive learning spaces for the University community. Students and staff members are reminded to follow the Terms and Conditions of booking equipment in the Library. The Library will not be providing services that support the design and printing of any items listed below:

• Prohibited by Australian law
• In violation of another’s intellectual property rights; for example, material that is subject to copyright, patent or trademark protection.
• Unsafe, harmful, dangerous or that may pose an immediate threat to the wellbeing of others. Such items include and are not limited to: firearms, knives, swords, etc., or anything that can be used to resemble the functionality of these objects.

If you are enrolled at the University of Sydney, you can learn more about 3D printing and 3D modelling by enrolling into our intro to 3D printing self-help resources on Canvas.