Academic Support Technician Donatella Schianomoriello said students can use the printer only if a faculty member is involved in the project.

The Center for Instruction and Research Technology bought a 3D printer for faculty to use for teaching and research purposes, Schianomoriello said.

CIRT bought the MakerBot Replicator 2 printer in July from MakerBot Industries for about $2,000, Assistant Director of CIRT David Wilson said.

Wilson said the printer takes a plastic line, heats it up and adds plastic layers to make the designed object. CIRT’s printer uses PLA, a corn-based, biodegradable plastic to print the objects.

She said the printer has only been used a few times because they are still working out kinks in the system, such as how to operate the design programs.

Schianomoriello said that between designing the model on the computer and printing the object, the process takes days.

Schianomoriello said CIRT purchased the printer because they wanted to be involved in emerging technologies. She said a lot of universities have 3D printers and some Florida universities have several.

She said there are 3D printers available for a few hundred dollars, but CIRT wanted a model that had good customer service and a legacy of quality.

“It’s pretty much the same as a flip phone versus an iPhone,” she said.

Wilson said CIRT bought the printer with extra money from the educational and general equipment fund in their annual budget.

E-mail Natalie Logan at reporter6@unfspinnaker.com