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FDM 3D Print Farm Rules

Follow these guidelines so the Print Farm stays available and ready for everyone.

Booking & User Rules

All six FDM/filament 3D printers are bookable on HackPGH’s Skedda page.

  1. If you have never used an FDM 3D printer, complete a training session before using any of the printers. If you already have 3D printing experience, complete a quick checkoff with a Shop Lead so they can explain the Print Farm’s rules and procedures.
  2. Always write your full name, a short description of what is printing, and the estimated finish time (EFT) on the whiteboard in front of the printer.
  3. Book a printer on Skedda if you are printing, or plan to print, something that will take more than three hours.
  4. Use your best judgment when the Print Farm is empty. During busy periods, do not use or book more than two 3D printers unless you have prior approval from a 3D Print Shop Lead or Board Member.
  5. Try to limit extra-long prints (6+ hours) to midnight to noon, when Skedda rules are relaxed.
  6. Do not book more than one extra-long print (6+ hours) during busy hours, noon to midnight, without approval from a 3D Print Shop Lead or Board Member.
  7. You may book up to two extra-long prints between midnight and noon if you leave at least one printer free for others and both prints finish by noon.
  8. If you cannot be in the shop for a complex print, post in #3d-printing and/or leave your name and contact information on the printer whiteboard. Include which printer you are using, the remaining print time, and instructions for a completed or failed print. Your prints are your responsibility and may be moved or canceled if there is an issue and you have not notified others.
  9. HackPGH clubs, classes, and projects take precedence over personal prints.

General Use & Maintenance

  • If you get an error message you cannot fix or something seems off, turn off the machine, put an orange “borked or broken” tag on it, and post the problem in #3d-printing.
  • Prusa offers 24/7 online chat assistance.
  • Follow the settings on the filament roll when preparing and slicing a print, especially when using brands that differ from the default settings.
  • The printers use hardened 0.4 nozzles or hotends by default. Do not switch nozzles or hotends unless you have been trained.
  • Most PLA prints do not need glue on the plate. First try adjusting the bed or nozzle temperature, or activating brims and rafts. If needed, use only a small amount of one of the liquid glue sticks.
  • Always clean the build plate after printing. Remove all filament, supports, and calibration lines; use only designated plastic scrapers for stuck prints; and wash glue residue away at the sink with hot water, dish soap, and the soft part of a sponge. Dry the plate completely before returning it to the printer or storage.

Changing nozzles or hotends

  • Label the printer with the nozzle size and type. Unless the previous nozzle or hotend is damaged, place it in the appropriate storage container until you finish your print.
  • When finished, replace the original 0.4 nozzle or hotend and replace or update the label.
  • Only Shop Leads and approved trainers may swap the Prusa XL nozzles. Recalibrate the Prusa XL after changing a nozzle on any of its five extruders.
  • Use only regular and matte PLA or PETG with 0.2 nozzles. Never use carbon fiber or cosmetic filaments such as glitter, galaxy, glow-in-the-dark, or silk with a 0.2 nozzle.
  • Do not use abrasive filaments in high-flow nozzles.

Filament, Payment & Storage

Compare filament types and their properties before choosing a material.

Paying for filament

Always pay for the filament you use:

  • PLA, PETG, ABS, and TPU cost $0.05 per gram.
  • Carbon- and glass-fiber filaments cost $0.10 per gram.
  • Engineering filaments such as Nylon and polycarbonate are available from a Shop Lead at market rate and will be invoiced.

Pay with cash or coins in the black metal box in the Print Farm, or pay online through HackPGH’s web store. Your slicer shows the filament weight: round it to the nearest whole gram and multiply by the applicable per-gram rate, or enter the weight in the store’s quantity field. For totals under $2, use cash or coins or combine the cost with your next print.

Cameras monitor the Print Farm. Members who do not pay for filament will lose their 3D Print Farm privileges.

  • Return spools to where you found them. Save empty Bambu and Prusa spools in the cardboard box under the weeding table; do not throw them away.
  • When loading a Bambu refill onto an empty spool, follow Bambu Lab’s directions.
  • Do not leave cosmetic PLA (including glow, glitter, wood, silk, and galaxy), carbon- or glass-fiber filament, Nylon (PA6), TPU, ASA, or ABA filament out. Basic and matte PLA and PETG may be left out; store the other filaments in a moisture-proof red bin, a vacuum-sealed bag with desiccant, or both.
  • Dry and vacuum-seal carbon- and glass-fiber filament, PLA Glow, PLA Wood, Nylon, and TPU after use.
  • Post in #3d-printing and/or inform a Shop Lead if you use the last of a spool.
  • Members may bring and store their own labeled filament in the storage room or the member filament bins under the PLA shelves. HackPGH is not responsible for stolen or missing personal items, including filament.

Filament dryers

The Print Farm has these dedicated filament dryers:

  • Creality Space Pi Plus — 2-roll capacity
  • SUNLU Dryer Box S4 — 4-roll capacity
  • SUNLU Dryer S2 — 1-roll capacity, next to Clippy

The H2D’s AMS units can also heat and dry filament, including while printing. If you rotate spools during drying, make sure no spools are loaded and tuck in the filament ends.

If PLA or PETG is stringing or not adhering well, consider drying it before trying again. For filament that should print from a dryer, use Clippy with the SUNLU dryer next to it. Double-click the dryer’s power button, then feed the filament through the silicone hole into the printer’s PTFE tube.