SimplyPrint manages the various print queues for our Production 3d Printing Farm. It is also possible to prepare 3d print jobs for printing through SimplyPrint by slicing mesh models in your browser.
After you produce your geometry in the 3d modeler of your choice, you can export a mesh, preferably an STL, from that software, and upload it to SimplyPrint to slice and submit it to the queue.
See our other 3d printing tutorials for more information on how best to prepare and export a mesh for printing.
After signing in to SimplyPrint go to your files page.
Click on the blue upload button in the top center of the page and browse your computer for the mesh you’d like to upload.
Note: Only files that SimplyPrint can work with can be uploaded. If the model you exported doesn’t appear, you may need to change the file format of the model to a compatible one. We recommend a binary encoded STL.
If you need to add another model to this print bed, click on the blue folder button on the left side of the slicer window. Left-click and drag in the window to rotate your camera around the objects on the bed. If you need to adjust the position, orientation, or scale of a model on the bed, click on the model then on the corresponding tool on the left side of the interface.
If you want to increase the density of your slices, change the Layer Height to 0.15mm or 0.1mm in the Layer and Perimeters category on the left sidebar.
If you want to add auto-generated support, click on the Support category. Then make sure the Generate Support Material option is checked.
If you want to change other options in the slicer, please be sure that you understand the impacts of those changes before you make any changes.
Check on the right side info popup to make sure that the print matches the expected size. Check that the estimated print time and filament usage are acceptable. Filament use corresponds to price. When submitting to the queue, you will see the final price for your print.
NOTE: Print time is the minimum amount of machine time for this model to be printed. If the print fails, or a machine or staff member is not immediately available, your print will take longer to complete than this time. Please submit prints with enough time for your job to be reviewed by staff and account for potential print failures.
To view your job in the queue, click on the Print Queue button in the left sidebar.
To see the status of the printers in the farm, click on the Printers button in the sidebar.
In the Queue you can remove any print that belongs to you or adjust the number of copies you have requested.
NOTE: Increasing copies will count as a resubmission and may change your place in the printing order. To add copies without changing your place in the order, submit the file again as a new job.
You have the ability to add a color tag to your material in this page, but currently the School of Architecture only offers white PLA/PHA filament in its production FDM printers. Putting in an alternate color request may lead to staff rejecting your print request and slowing down delivery of your print.
Your print’s price only reflects the completed cost of the print. If you cancel the print during the printing process, you will only be charged for the portion of the print that came out.
The print time shown in the top row of the queue is the total time to complete all submitted prints. Keep in mind that this total is divided amongst 36 Prusa and 4 Creality printers. During printing spikes total print job times for our farm will regularly exceed 700 hours. This is typically still 24 hours or less of actual total print time, and you are likely to still have your part start in the next day. Check back on the queue periodically to assess how quickly it is moving and speak with AT staff if you have any concerns.