Maker Hub

3D Printers

Hardware

Ultimaker 2+, Ultimaker 3

Material

• PLA (polylactic acid) filament is biodegradeable material made from renewable resources, like corn starch
• PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) filament can dissolve in water and is used for supports when a design needs extra help to print successfully.

Software

• Cura is the software we use to slice a 3D CAD design to prepare it for printing on our printers.
• A CAD (Computer-Assisted Design) software is used to make an original 3D object. You can use your favourite CAD software, or a CAD website. Designs should me made using metric measurements and saved as an STL file.

3D design (CAD) websites

• TinkerCAD
• Sketchup
• AutoDesk Fusion360

Websites to find 3D designs

• Thingiverse
• Pinshape
• MyMiniFactory

Get certified to use the 3D printer

How to make your own 3D printed object

1. Make sure you are certified to use the printer. 

2. You will need a 3D design that was designed using metric (mm) measurements and saved as an STL file. You can make this yourself using a CAD (Computer-Assisted Design) software, or look online to find a file that someone has designed and shared.

3. Load the STL file into slicing software and prepare it using the settings you want. Save it as a GCODE file and put it on a USB (Ultimaker 3) or SD card (Ultimaker 2+). We have SD cards and USB sticks in the Maker Hub if you do not have one at home. TIP: Cura will tell you how much filament your print job will use. Reference this amount to calculate the cost of your print.

4. Reserve a printer for a time of your choice, or drop in the Maker Hub to see if one is available. Note: Prints longer than 4 hours must be printed on our long print day.

5. Come to the library to use the printer of your choice for the time you reserved, or wish to drop in. The printer must be vacated by the end of your booking.

6. Prints must be paid for before the start of printing.

7. You must stay with your print for the first 15 minutes of actual printing, to ensure that it starts successfully.

8. You can leave the library if you do not want to wait for the print to finish. Finished prints will be held in the Maker Hub for pickup. Pick them up during open Maker Hub hours, or ask at the information desk for staff to get your print for you. NOTE: prints that have not been picked up in 3 months become property of the library.

Book time on a 3D printer

You can book time to use the 3D printer to make your project. Prints must be maximum 4 hours to print during a regular timeslot. Prints that are over 4 hours must be printed in a long print timeslot.

Please note: you must stay with your print for the first 20 minutes of active printing. 

Use the online 3D printer booking form to reserve time to use the printer.  

Cost

$1.60/meter*

We can print for you

No certification required. Just send us an STL file using the 3D print submission form. We will contact you when the print is ready for pickup. Please allow 2-weeks turnaround time for us to print your object.

*There is a $10 charge in addition to the regular cost when we print for you. 

Vinyl Cutter

Hardware

Roland GS-24

Material

Sign vinyl, Removeable vinyl

Software

We use Roland CutStudio to prepare images to send to the cutter. Use your favourite image editing software to prepare the file for import into CutStudio, or use a free program, such as Inkscape. Please make sure your file has a *.bmp, *.jpg, or *.png extension.

Get certified to use the vinyl cutter

The vinyl cutter certification will teach you how to use the vinyl cutter at the library (including our processes, how to be safe, how to find and create images, and how to prepare the vinyl decal for application).

To get certified, please drop in to the Maker Hub during open hours, or contact us if you would like to be certified outside of these times.

How to make your own vinyl decal

1. Make sure you are certified to use the vinyl cutter.
2. You will need an image file that is simple and can easily be cut. Create your own or find one online.
3. Reserve the vinyl cutter for a time of your choice, or drop in the Maker Hub to see if it is available.
4. Come to the library at the time you reserved, or wish to drop in. The vinyl cutter must be vacated by the end of your booking.
5. Decals must be paid for when the vinyl cutter is finished cutting them out. Ask a staff member for help calculating the cost.
6. Weed the waste vinyl away using the tools in the Maker Hub.
7. Apply the transfer tape and take your vinyl home

Cost

$0.02 per 1"x1" section of vinyl

Button Maker 

Hardware

People Power Press 1-1/2" Standard Button Maker

Material

Shell, Mylar, Pin-Back

How to use

You will need to get a design to make your button. We have pre-made designs in the Maker Hub for drop-in visitors, or you can design your own original button or buttons.

You can make your own original design. The design should be 1.5" in diameter and should have a 0.25" margin around the edge (this is the part that is wrapped around the edge of the button). You can make your design on a piece of paper, use a template, or use an online website to design it. 

Cut out your design and bring it to the Maker Hub. Staff can help you make your button or buttons.

Online resources

• The Button-Guy Online Button Designer is a great website that makes designing buttons easy. Choose the 1.5" size of button. You will need to make an account to use this site, but then your designs will be saved if you want to print them again.

Cost

One free button per visit. Each additional button is $0.25. 

Digital Media Station

Hardware

Apple iMac computer, headphones, microphone.

Software

Garage Band, iMovie, SpeedGrade, Story Plus, PhoneGap Build, Camtasia 2, Adobe Creative Cloud, and more.

Adobe Creative Cloud includes: 

• Acrobat DC
• After Effects 2017
• Animate CC and Mobile Device Packaging 2017 (formerly Flash Professional)
• Audition 2017
• Bridge 2017
• Camera Raw
• Character Animator
• Dimension
• Dreamweaver 2017
• Edge Animate 2015
• Edge Code
• Edge Inspect
• Edge Reflow
• Fireworks CS6
• Flash Builder Premium
• Fuse
• Gaming SDK 1.4
• Illustrator 2017
• InCopy 2017
• InDesign 2017
• Lightroom 2015
• Media Encoder 2017
• Muse 2017
• Photoshop 2017
• Portfolio
• Prelude 2017
• Premiere Pro 2017
• Scout
• Spark

Useful for

Audio editing, Computer Animation, Graphic Design, Image editing, Video editing, Webdesign, Writing, and more.

How to use

Drop by during Maker Hub hours, or contact us to reserve the station for use during library hours. You will need to bring your own storage device to save your project.

Lego Mindstorms

Hardware

2 Lego Mindstorms EV3 kits, laptops

Software

Lego Mindstorms Education

Workshops

Search our calendar for LEGO to find our Lego Mindstorms and Lego WeDo programs.

Age Minimum

10 years and up

How to use

Lego Mindstorms kits are kept in the Maker Hub. You can reserve a kit for two weeks and drop by the Maker Hub during open hours to work on your project.

Borrow Maker Hub Tools

We have a great collection of things you can borrow to take home and use. Please see our catalogue of available Maker Hub items.

How to borrow: Check the catalogue to see what's available, or contact us to place a reservation for you. Drop by during Maker Hub hours and borrow what you want, and return the item to the Maker Hub during open hours.

Make your own 3D object

Learn 3D Design

We have two great classes where you can learn how to design your own 3D models and objects that you can print on the 3D printer.

• Fusion 360 is a cloud-based powerful CAD/CAM/CAE tool and combines fast and organic modelling with precise solid modelling, allowing you to make your designs manufacturable. This course is an introduction to Fusion 360.
  Register for Fusion 360 - November 24, 2018.

Group Visits

Would you like to bring your group to the library for a special presentation? Fill out a Maker Hub Group Visit Application to tell us more about what you would like your group to experience.

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