As a new student, you might not know everything you're able to use around campus. Can I use the on-campus printers? Am I allowed to use some of the facilities in the Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED)? Regardless of my major, am I permitted to still use the 3D printers? Often, the answer is yes.
The SHED has been recently built and is your one-stop shop for many of RIT’s makerspaces unaffiliated with any specific majors. While some classes may require more hands-on work, these places are great for finding a new hobby or learning a new skill.
What’s offered at the SHED?
Let's get right to it. What can you actually create at the SHED? 3D printers have been mentioned, but what else is out there?
- Over 30 3D printers, varying in technology and materials. Plastic and resin prints are available.
- Sewing, quilting and embroidery machines.
- Soldering, plus many free electrical components.
- Laser cutters for cutting wood and plastics, or for use in engraving.
- CNC and manual metal machining such as fiber laser cutting and 5th axis waterjetting
- A full wood shop with manual tools as well as CNC tools
- 8x8 painting booth with temperature controls
- 3D scanning up to 13ft
- Lots and lots of staff to help!
- Lots and lots of training materials to go through!
Sounds great! How do I get started?
A lot of the featured machinery in the SHED can be quite dangerous if you don’t know how to properly use it. This is why the SHED has every student go through online training to gain a better understanding of the machines you’re thinking of using.
Not a fan of scheduling meetings? No worries, as this doesn’t require any scheduling, just going onto the SHED’s make.rit.edu website and logging in with your college credentials.
It's best to have an idea of what machine you want to use so you could focus on taking the training for that section. If you want to explore, pick a couple of ideas and go for it or even better, visit the SHED first and ask about what’s offered. The print lab is on the first floor and the workers there will be happy to assist with offerings and tips.
Do I have to pay to use the SHED facilities?
Nope. Everything in the SHED is free to students. The training, entering labs, talking to staff… all of that is free to access. What could lead to a drain on your wallet (or TigerBucks) could be the material costs. 3D printers especially have a material cost per print, although this cost is quite low for PLA prints. RIT uses 3DPrinter OS, which shows you the price of your selected piece before you even send it to print.
For other machines, make sure to ask the staff. Sometimes materials will have to be paid for, sometimes you just have to bring your own.
When can I use the SHED facilities?
Check the opening and closing times of the labs you want to make use of! Some areas open and close at different times, and there’s no one size fits all for every machine in the lab. Sometimes a machine will be in use, sometimes they require scheduling, and sometimes you could just walk in. You can check the availability of machines and completion of training via the make.rit.edu page.
About the author
My name is Elizabeth Sanabria, a third year New Media Interactive Development major hailing from Yonkers, New York. My life passions are drawing, writing, and as expected for a RIT student- playing video games. I’m ready to share what RIT and the surrounding Rochester area has to offer for prospective students and newcomers!
