A talk given at 2017 ACRL Conference on Friday, March 24, 2017

1. Pricing, Staff Workflow, & Application
Development for 3D Printing Service
: Achieving the Best User Experience
Bohyun Kim
Twitter: @bohyunkim | Blog: http://bohyunkim.net/blog
Associate Director, Library Applications and Knowledge Systems
Univ. of MD, Baltimore - Health Sciences and Human Services Library
Friday, March 24, 2017 | 2017 ACRL Conference
Twitter hashtag: #3Dprintingworkflow
Slides: http://bit.ly/2niTN56

2. HS/HSL Innovation Space renovation in the fall of 2016; Photo by the author

3. 3D Printing Service for the Best UX
1.Pricing scheme
2.Staff workflow
3.Application development

4. 1.Pricing - Cost Factors
• Equipment wear/tear & eventual replacement
• Purchase amount and refresh cycle
• Electricity
• Staff time & expertise for service and maintenance
• Per print
• Filament (and other consumables)
• Proportionate to use
• $43-48 for ABS/PLA and $65 for dissolvable per 0.9 kg [2.00 lb] from
Makerbot

5. Fee Structure – Examples
• NCSU Hunt Library
• https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/do/3d-printing
• 2014/7- uPrint 3D Printer: $10 per cubic inch of material (ABS), with a $5 minimum
• 2014 - MakerBot 3D Printer: $0.35 per gram of material (PLA), with a $5 minimum
• 2017 - F306 - $0.35 per gram of material, $5 minimum
• UNR DeLaMare Library
• https://guides.library.unr.edu/3dprinting
• 2014 - $7.20 per cubic inch of modeling material (raised to $8.45 starting July, 2014).
• 2017 - uPrint - Model Material: $4.95 per cubic inch (=16.38 gm=0.036 lb)
• 2017 - uPrint - Support Materials: $7.75 per cubic inch

6. Fee Structure - Examples (Continued)
• BYU Library
• http://guides.lib.byu.edu/c.php?g=216600&p=1429612
• Makerbot Replicator 2/ Ultimaker 2 Extended
• $0.20 per gram for standard (0.2mm) resolution;
$0.30 per gram for high (0.1mm) resolution.
• University of Michigan Library
• The Cube 3D printer checkout is no longer offered.
• 2017 - Cost for professional 3d printing service; Open access 3d printing is free.
• UCLA Library, Dalhousie University Library (2014)
• Free

7. Fee Structure – Examples (Continued)
• GVSU Library
• https://www.gvsu.edu/techshowcase/makerspace-18.htm
• 2014 - $0.35 per gram with a $6.00 minimum
• 2017 - Free (Ultimaker 2+, Makerbot Replicator 2, 7, 2x)
• Southern Illinois University Library
• http://libguides.siue.edu/3D/request
• 2014 - Originally $2 per hour of printing time; Reduced to $1 as the demand grew.
• 2017 - Lulzbot Taz 5, Luzbot mini - $2.00 per hour of printing time.
• Port Washington Public library
• http://www.pwpl.org/3d-printing/3d-printing-guidelines/
• 2017 - Makerbot 5 - $1 per hour of printing time

8. Fee Structure – Examples (Continued)
• More info about 3D printing service at academic libraries and pricing
• “Appendix 1. Environmental Scan : Academic Library Makerspaces”
https://archive.hshsl.umaryland.edu/bitstream/10713/4634/6/Appendix%20
1.EnvironmentalScan-AcademicLibraryMakerspaces.pdf in Bohyun Kim,
Aphrodite Bodycomb, Everly Brown, and Thom Pinho, “Makerspace Task
Force Report,” University of Maryland, Baltimore – Health Sciences and
Human Services and Library, July 2014,
http://archive.hshsl.umaryland.edu/handle/10713/4634.

9. (i) Weight-Based Pricing
• Not readily calculable by a user before the print job
• How much does my model weigh?!
• Time-consuming for the staff to calculate
• They have to weigh each model.
• How about ‘Size-Based’ - S/M/L?

10. (ii) Size-Based Pricing
• Seems intuitive to users and easy to determine to the staff too.
• But …

11. Infill ratio
https://www.packtpub.com/sites/default/files/Article-Images/9888OS_02_22.png

12. Different Shapes 1cm cube – solid https://tinkercad.com/things/huFqKBduEjT
1cm cube – hollow https://tinkercad.com/things/eQOfqjifu8R
1cm cross https://tinkercad.com/things/aMthCqb9LRn
2cm cube https://tinkercad.com/things/c0comBMy08w
3cm cube https://tinkercad.com/things/l0ezs8lCiAn

13. http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-printing-layer-height.jpg
Resolution

14. 30, 40, 50mm Cubes (1.2, 1.6, 2 inches) - ABS

15. (iii) Time-Based Pricing
• Printing time and weight are proportionate?
• Translate the weight-based cost to the time-based cost.
• Different size cubes’ 3d print estimate on Makerbot Replicator 2X.)
• 9.10 gm /36 min =0.25 gm per min.
• 17.48 gm /67 min = 0.26 gm per min.
• 30.80 gm /117 min = 0.26 gm per min.
• 50.75 gm /186 min = 0.27 gm per min.
• 87.53 gm /316 min = 0.28 gm per min.
• 194.18 gm/674 min = 0.29 gm per min.

16. Calculate Away
• 3D plastic filament is $48 for ABS/PLA and $65 for dissolvable per
0.90 kg [2.00 lb] from Makerbot.
• $48/900 gm = $0.05 per gram - ABS/PLA
• $65/900 gm = $0.07 per gram - Dissolvable
• So on average, 6 cents per gram
• For an hour of 3D printing time, 0.26 x 60 min = 15.6 gm per hour.
• 15.6 gm x 6 cents = 94 cents per hour
• Roughly $1 per hour of 3D printing time for the cost-recovery of
filament only.

17. Additional Charge per Print
• Per print cost to add on top for
hardware wear/tear, staff time,
electricity, maintenance, etc., plus
"no-charge-for-failed-print-policy”
• Per print cost determined to be
$2.
• $3 up to 1 hour of 3D printing
+ $1 per additional hour of 3D
printing
Image by the author

18. 3D Printing Service for the Best UX
1.Pricing scheme
• Sustainable and fiscally accountable
• Easy for users to estimate the cost
• Easy for the library staff to process the payment
2.Staff workflow
3.Application development

19. 2. Staff Workflow
• An efficient staff workflow is necessary particularly if the staff from
multiple departments are involved.
 A breakdown of individual steps of the service
What each step involves (staff action; user action)
Design a staff workflow that fits your library’s specific environment,
needs, and 3D printing service model.

20. Journey Map
http://shopifynation.com/marketing/create-customer-journey-map-for-ecommerce/
Breakdown of the Process (‘Journey Map’)

21. Before the Visit

22. http://cal.hshsl.umaryland.edu/booking/ispace

23. Upon the Visit
http://guides.hshsl.umaryland.edu/ispace/replicator2x

24. Upon the Visit: Using the 3D Printing Service
• Get the 3d print estimate (time/filament)
• Submit the 3D print job (upon the acceptance of the cost estimate)
• Confirmation of the job submission to the user.
• Notification of the job submission to the staff.
• [Model 3d-printed]
• Update of the job status.
• Notification to the user and the staff.
• Record of payment and pick-up.
=> Features for the 3D Printing Staff Admin Portal

25. 3. Application Design & Development
• The staff workflow you designed should guide the development
process.
• 3D Print Job Submission Form
• Calculates the cost upon a user entering the printing time estimate.
• 3D Print Staff Admin Portal
• Supports every step in the workflow.

27. https://www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu/3d/

34. 3D Printing Service for the Best UX
1.A user-friendly and sustainable pricing scheme
2.A viable and efficient staff workflow
3.Easy-to-use applications for both your users and library
staff

35. Thank you!
Twitter: @bohyunkim
Blog: http://bohyunkim.net/blog
E-mail: bkim@hshsl.umaryland.edu
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiTUcCe5qc8034Zsb3j1nA