3D Printing in the Robarts Digital Studio — Policies and Procedures

Who can use the printers?

All students, faculty, and staff who hold a valid TCard can use the 3D Printers in the Robarts Digital Studio.

Users must obtain certification to operate the 3D printers by:

• Attending a certification course in the Digital Studio
• Signing safety and liability waivers
• Passing a 3D printing knowledge test

Reserving a printer

• Printers can be reserved between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 8 hours.
• Users are advised to plan their reservation time based on the expected length of print as estimated by the Cura LulzBot Edition slicer software.
• Print jobs must not exceed the duration of the reservation. Reservation time should not include time allocated to design. Users should come to their reservation with their design completed and ready to print. 
• All reservations must be approved by Information Commons staff to ensure that only certified users reserve time on the printers.
• Certified users may reserve time on a 3D printer through the group study room booking website.

Cost

The cost of using a 3D printer is $1.50 (includes HST) per 30 minutes of reservation time. Users must pay prior to their reservation time. Printing charges apply regardless of the success of the print.

Paying for the Printer time and Accessing the Digital Studio

Approximately 15 minutes before your reservation begins:

1. Bring your reservation confirmation and proof of identification to the Print Kiosk.
2. Pay for your reserved time slot (payment by TCard only. Cash, credit, or debit will not be accepted)
   1. The Printer Attendant will check your reservation and create a payment based on the amount of time. This creates a print job on the print station.
   2. Choose the print job from the list and swipe your TCard to pay for the job.
   3. A receipt will be printed. Keep this with you during your time in the Digital Studio.
3. The Printer Attendant will provide you with a key to the Digital Studio cabinets for the duration of the reservation.
4. Return the key to the Printer Attendant at the end of your reservation (if it is not returned, you will be charged a replacement fee).

Policies

You are required to:

• Access the printers only through the approved reservation and key sign-out procedures 
• Be responsible for your own designs and the success of your print jobs
• Be present in the Digital Studio at the time of printing and for the duration of the print job
• Reimburse the library for any damage to or loss of library equipment or facilities 
• Return the Digital Studio key to the Printer Attendant at the end of the reservation
• Abide by the University of Toronto Libraries’ rules and regulations regarding the use of the printer
• Abide by the Digital Studio's rules and regulations regarding use of the Digital Studio facilities

Full replacement or repair cost will be charged for lost or damaged equipment.

A $15.00 charge will apply for a lost or non-returned key.

UTL's Rules and Regulations

You must sign a waiver agreeing to follow the University of Toronto Libraries’ rules and regulations regarding the use of the printer, and abide to the following:

• There must be no printing of weapons, obscene materials, and other materials that violate the Library’s Conduct Regulations (http://onesearch.library.utoronto.ca/conduct-regulations)
• There must be no infringement of any person’s intellectual property rights, such as copyright, when using the printer to create a work
• Print jobs must not exceed the duration of the reservation
• Users are responsible for their own designs, and printing charges will apply regardless of the success of the print

Safety regulations

Users must attend a safety and training session in the Digital Studio and sign safety and liability waivers upon completion of training. The waivers confirm users’ awareness that using the printer may result in risk of personal injury or harm.

Users further agree to abide by the following safety training instructions, and all other safety instructions received from Robarts Library or Information Commons personnel:

• The extrusion print heads are extremely hot during operation (~230 °C) and while cooling down after operation. Never touch the extrusion print heads and always assume the print heads are hot.
• There are multiple moving parts. Always assume the instrument is under operation before attempting to install or remove any printer component or 3D printed objects. Do not attempt to install or remove components/objects from the instrument until you have verified it is not in use.
• Tie back any long hair or baggy clothing.
• Do not attempt to make any mechanical adjustments while the printer is in operation. Additionally, if the instrument locks up or gets “jammed” during the operation, do not attempt to manually move any parts of the instrument.
• When removing an object from the print board with the scraper tool, always scrape away from the body. Keep hands clear of the scraper for safety.

There are first aid suppllies available on hand for minor cuts and injuries. For serious injuries, contact the Library Patrol staff member who has access to a full First Aid Kit.

Supplementary Materials Available in the Digital Studio