3D Printing at AUT

AUT has a Dimension 3D Printer which allows the creation of plastic rapid prototypes and a Z-Corp 3D printer which makes parts from plaster, or Zcast material (for making direct metal casting molds). Each material and technology has different advantages depending on your intended use. As a very rough guide, plastic parts are much stronger than plaster parts but are much more expensive. Plastic parts are ideal for prototypes of functional engineering components. Plaster parts are quite fragile but are much faster and cheaper to print than plastic parts and are ideal for aesthetic models

The plastic 3D printer used as AUT University is a Dimension 768 SST, which uses Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology to produce parts in ABS plastic, with a resolution of 0.254mm per layer. The specifications of what the machine is capable of are as follows:

• Material: White ABS
• Maximum size 203 x 203 x 305 mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.254 mm or 0.33 mm.

The Z-Corp ZPrinter 310 Plus creates models out of plaster or ZCast material. The specifications of what the machine is capable of are as follows:

• Material: Plaster or sand-casting sand
• Maximum size: 203mm x 254mm x 203mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.1 mm

The Z-Corp Spectrum 510 creates colour models out of plaster material. The specifications of what the machine is capable of are as follows:

• Material: Plaster
• Maximum size: 254mm x 356mm x 203mm
• Layer Thickness: 0.1 mm

If you wish to have models made, you will need to have a 3D CAD model of the components you need. This CAD model will need to be in STL format (which most CAD programs can convert to).