3D Printing

Hall of Science.

There are two types of printers available.

SLA (sterolithography) printers use energy from a laser to polymerize liquid resin into a solid object, layer by layer.
FFF (fused filament fabrication) printers feed a filament through a hot nozzle, melting the material into a liquid, drawing the object out layer by layer.

Manufacturer Model Location Type Layer Height Build Volume

Formlabs Form 3+ Sci 121 Resin (SLA) 25 - 250 µm 14.5 x 14.5 x 18.5 cm3

Raise3D Pro3 Sci 121 Filament (FFF) 10 - 250 µm 30 x 30 x 30 cm3

Formlabs Form 2 Sci 121 Resin (SLA) 50, 100, 150 µm 14.5 x 14.5 x1 7.5 cm3

Makerbot Replicator 5th Gen Sci 223 Filament (FFF) 100 - 400 µm 25 x 20 x 15 cm3

The Form 3+ and Pro3 were purchased in 2023, while the other two printers are a few years old.

The Pro3 would be a good first choice - it's easier to use and prints faster. The Form 3+ would be better if you need higher precision and/or smoother finish. The Form 2 and Makerbot are also available, but produce somewhat lower quality prints.