Automated 3D Printer Farm

I designed and built a 3D printer platform for students instead of just for myself. I sourced and tested components, negotiated educational and quantity discounts, and shared the bill of materials with the campus bookstore so enough kits could be ordered for entire classes.

The first version used laser-cut MDF parts and supported my self-proposed Design for Additive Manufacturing elective. Students taught me that a printer built for a classroom also has to survive being carried around constantly, so version two moved key parts to machined aluminum and added alignment features that reduced assembly mistakes.

I created the CAM programs, made fixturing for machining, and ran the vertical machining center. Those manufacturing changes cut the in-class assembly time from about three weeks to two while improving durability.

Alongside the hardware, I developed an automated email system that downloads STL attachments from MSOE addresses, slices each part in multiple orientations, chooses the fastest viable option, and starts the print automatically. The original printers lasted about six years, printed more than 3,000 parts, and the email workflow was later adapted to new departmental Prusa MK4 printers.