Remix a 3D Print(er) - Building Open Source Hardware - page 110

Finding an Open Source 3D Printer
The rest of this chapter pertains to making open source hardware designs by using a 3D
printer. If you do not currently have access to a 3D printer, you will need to find one. You
have a few choices available.
First, you can purchase a fully assembled 3D printer or a 3D printer kit that you can
build yourself. It is highly recommended that you get an open source or open hardware
3D printer. 3 Such a choice means that you will save on filament costs and any mainten-
ance or repair costs. Preferably, you should pick a printer that has accessible source mater-
ials and a defined community of users.
3 . Shameless plug: Aleph Objects' LulzBot 3D printer models are currently the only 3D printers to
have received the Respects Your Freedom certification by the Free Software Foundation.
Second, you can find a 3D printer that is available in your community. If your commu-
nity supports a hackerspace/makerspace, chances are high that it has a 3D printer avail-
able for members. Check colleges, universities, and libraries near you, as they may
provide 3D printing services.
Third, you can use a 3D printer service bureau. 4 This option carries the lowest initial
cost but will be the most expensive choice over time. Large 3D printer bureaus generally
use high-cost proprietary 3D printers, which in turn make for high-cost prints. An alternat-
ive to the large 3D printer bureaus is www.makexyz.com . Using this website, you can
search for local people or companies that own a 3D printer and provide 3D printing ser-
vices.
4 . You can find a list of professional 3D printer service bureaus at www.3ders.org/3d-printing/3d-
print-services.html .
Open Hardware Design for 3D Printing
Theusualresponsewhensomeone,forthefirsttime,seesandunderstandshowa3Dprinter
works is, “How do I find designs to print?” For some, answering this question is easy:
Create your own design in a CAD or 3D modeling software. For many others, learning to
use CAD or 3D modeling software can represent a large hurdle. Luckily, for those who are
wary of design software, many of the developers and users of open hardware 3D printers
have also been creating open hardware designs for other purposes.
With more users joining in to boost the popularity of desktop 3D printers, more users
have also been creating 3D printable designs. The majority of these designs have been
posted to websites available under free software and/or open hardware licenses. In 2013, a
large number of new websites appeared offering new features for posting, version control,