About UITS 3D printing policies and procedures

• Policies and restrictions
• Print request process
• Modeling services
• Lab visits

Policies and restrictions

UITS 3D printers are available to Indiana University students, faculty, and staff. Only designated UITS staff have hands-on access to 3D printers. You are not permitted to use 3D printers to create material that is:

• Prohibited by local, state, or federal law
• Unsafe, harmful, dangerous, or determined by UITS staff to pose an immediate threat to the well-being of others
• Determined by UITS staff to be inappropriate
• In violation of another's intellectual property rights
• Intended for use in clinical applications

UITS reserves the right to refuse any 3D print request.

Inventions, patents, and startups

If you have an idea for an invention, future patent, or foundation for a startup company, review Intellectual Property Policy (UA-05) and contact IU's Innovation and Commercialization Office. For more, see Innovation & Commercialization.

Print request process

UITS only accepts STL and OBJ files; you may also provide a link to a 3D model in the description field of the 3D Printing Requests form. If the design is incompatible with the 3D printers, UITS staff may cancel your request or ask for a revision.

Print requests may take up to 48 hours to process. UITS staff will send you email that includes a quote or any notes about design revisions. After you accept the quote, the request may take up to two weeks to complete. You will receive email when your request is ready for pickup. If you don't collect your request within 14 days of receiving the email message, the item becomes the property of UITS.

Modeling services

Consultations don't include modeling services. All requests for design assistance are at the discretion of the lab coordinator. UITS may request charges for consulting, supplies, and/or modeling services for prolonged projects. Under no circumstances will UITS 3D Print Labs provide modeling services for class projects or assignments.

Lab visits

UITS 3D Print Labs require 24-hour notice of any tour or event that may interfere with daily operations, including group use of printers or virtual reality equipment.