3D printers have been around for over twenty years. It wasn’t until the early 2000’s that the technology would hit the consumer market though. As the years flew by, the technology rapidly grew in versatility, fell in price, and improved upon original designs. Some printers experienced lots of use, had proprietary parts, or other limiting factors to their success. A key part to keeping a printer working is frequent maintenance. Sometimes issues are simple and require a part being replaced. Other times they require firmware modification.

Through the generous donations of Jade Meyers of the PORTAL Lab at RIT, students, and other university staff, 5 printers have been dedicated to the club. These printers will be torn down, improved, rebuilt, and allow students to gain an integral understanding of how 3D printers work. Different aspects of 3D printing, material studies, and printer design will be explored as well as demonstrating the use of 3D printers in modern equipment repair and alteration.