Making space

3D printers are the highlight of East Lansing Public Library’s 2.0 Maker Studio

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Tucked into the second floor of the East Lansing Marriott is a tiny space that is starting to generate a big buzz among Lansing-area creative types.

As you step into the space — formerly occupied by a beauty salon — the whiteboard in an unassuming lobby welcomes you to East Lansing Public Library’s 2.0 Maker Studio, a temporary off-shoot of the library devoted to giving community members a space to be creative.

In a room next to the lobby, half-finished tapestries sit on two small looms. In the next room over, plastic bins spill over with LEGO building blocks. A short hallway leads to four multi-use rooms. One is stocked with paints and crafting supplies, another features two sewing machines and a stockpile of thread and fabric.

A separate room off of the lobby, however, is the most popular room. This space houses a 3D printing lab, complete with four 3D printers, a 3D scanner and a design computer.

“This caught on really quickly,” said Lauren Douglass, the library’s head of technology services.

Since it opened in October, the pop-up space has had over 1,500 visitors and Douglass estimates that at least 700 of them came specifically to use the 3D printers. The space is free to use, and visitors don’t need to be library card-holders or even East Lansing residents. Visitors only have to pay for material used in 3D printing projects, at a price of $0.10 per gram.

Responding to the popularity of the 3D printing lab, the library recently hired 3D printing specialist Joe Carr in February. Carr worked at Chicago’s 3D Printing Experience and helped found Detroit-based 3D printing and engineering firm Manulith.

“It’s fun to introduce new technology to people,” said Carr.

“You see the figurative light bulb go on in their head when they realize they can take an idea and make a physical product.”

Geoff and Helen Noelke brought their children, Michael and Lily, for their second trip to 2.0 Maker Studio. The 3D printers were an instant hit on the family’s previous visit.

“The kids were fascinated by the 3D printer,” said Helen Knolke. “They literally started jumping up and down.”

“It’s kind of magical,” added Geoff Knolke. “They come up with an idea, and it is created right in front of them.”

Carr pulled up Thingiverse on the design computer. Hosted by 3D printer company Makerbot, Thingiverse is a web site where users can freely share 3D printing designs. Lily, 4, picked out a husky dog figurine. Michael, 7, brought a figurine from home to duplicate, but changed his mind when a design on Thingiverse caught his eye.

“Mewtwo!” he exclaimed, recognizing the figure from the popular Pokémon franchise. “He’s the most powerful Pokémon.”

Carr loads the designs into the software, and the children choose colors from spools of plastic cable. Carr feeds the cable into the printers and the printers come to life, laying melted plastic in precise layers. These figurines, each about 3 inches tall, will take a few hours to create. Michael headed off to the LEGO room, and Lily set to work on a painting in the craft room.

While that day’s 3D printing projects are just for fun, Carr is quick to point out the practical possibilities. He picks up a iPhone case with a cut-out MSU Spartan helmet.

“With MSU across the street, there are a lot of companies and entrepreneurs coming up,” he said. “They’re designing physical products, and they need prototypes or display models.”

In the past, this would have involved contacting a factory — likely overseas — to produce a prototype. This can be difficult and expensive for young start-ups, as factories are hesitant to re-tool their machines for a new product without the likelihood of a large order in the near future. With 3D printing, designers can take something from design to physical product in just a few hours.

There are also day-to-day benefits to 3D printing. When a part on one of the printers broke, Carr designed and printed a replacement part. He has also created replacement parts for his home refrigerator and vacuum. Carr said it is common for designers to use the printers to replicate out-of-production car parts.

“People make trim pieces, like radio knobs,” he said. “These are low-volume productions, you only need one of them.”

Katie Raynard, a student in MSU’s Apparel and Textile Design program, even used the studio to create accessories for Saturday’s “Fashion for the Fire” event, including a forearm-sized bracelet. Reynard was introduced to 2.0 Maker Studio through a design course at MSU. 

“Once I had my pieces digitally rendered, I contacted Joe (Carr) who then took my files and printed them,” explained Reynard. “I then assembled these parts to finish the accessory.”

The resources and expertise of Carr helped Reynard manage the production of the accessories.

“Working with 2.0 Maker Studio, I was able to more efficiently manage my time. They were able to monitor the printing of my pieces, which took several hours to complete,” Reynard said. “Along with just providing the service of 3D printing, they also offered helpful knowledge and feedback.”

Despite it’s popularity, 2.0 Maker Studio is still considered a temporary “pop-up” space. It was originally budgeted to run through February, but the space’s success convinced an anonymous donor to put up enough funding to keep it open through July.

The library is hoping to become a permanent part of downtown East Lansing, and it has its sights set on the north side of East Lansing’s Division Street parking garage (the beloved “gerbil cage”). Plans for the proposed permanent space include four flexible lab rooms, a gaming loft, a tool room and a cooking lab.

In order to make these plans a reality, the East Lansing Public Library is putting the proceeds of its upcoming Books, Bytes & Bids fundraiser toward creating a permanent maker space. Douglass is excited about the chance to be a part of the community in new, innovative ways.

“It’s incredible that this space is made possible through the library,” she said. “It’s more than just books.”

Books, Bites and Bids

5:30-9 p.m. Friday, April 17 East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbot Road, East Lansing (517) 351-2420, elpl.org

ELPL 2.0 Maker Studio

Open to the public 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (Second floor of Marriott at University Place) 300 M.A.C. Ave., Suite 212, East Lansing (517) 351-2420, elpl. org/maker-studios

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