Cline Library’s MakerLab recently made its debut, offering an exciting program that includes 3D design, printing and scanning along with electronic toolkits.
The facility is open to all students, staff and faculty at Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College and also serves the regional community.
The MakerLab features the first MakerBot Innovation Center in the West, which includes a large-scale 3D printing installation designed to elevate access, entrepreneurship and multi-disciplinary collaboration on campus. MakerBot Innovation Centers feature cloud-based and scalable 3D printing management software to easily accommodate growing demand from students, community partners and entrepreneurs.
The MakerLab houses a printing installation of 20 MakerBot 3D Printers including two large-format MakerBot Z18 3D Printers, plus 3D scanners. In addition, the MakerLab contains electronic prototyping tools such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi, combined with other components like LCD screens and sensors. These components enable users to build their own electronic devices, including sensing devices, robots, wearable technology and electronic art.
In the MakerLab, all users will be able to:
- Design 3D objects using a variety of 3D modeling software
- Print 3D objects they designed or acquired elsewhere
- Scan existing objects and manipulate or change them with 3D modeling software, then 3D print the results
- Use electronic components (circuit boards, Raspberry Pis, Arduino boards) to construct, test, and use digital devices and interactive objects (e.g. robotics, accessibility devices, sensors, interactive art)
- Create 3D printed or electronic art and sculpture
- Collaborate on cross-disciplinary projects, allowing a variety of expertise to be brought to bear on challenging problems
Together, these technologies provide a rich environment for users to build solutions to real-world problems, prototype designs for new products and create new forms of art.
The Arizona State Library awarded a $69,415 Library Services and Technology Act grant to the Cline Library, providing partial startup funding for the new program. In 2016, the Arizona State Library received about $3.2 million under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
To learn more about the Cline Library MakerLab, visit nau.edu/library/makerlab.