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3D Printing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

3D printing is a way to manufacture a three-dimensional object from a computer file. It’s an easy way to build objects you have designed yourself.
At present, there is no charge for this service for anyone with a valid Fairfax County Public Library card!
There are lots of ways to learn.
You may print anything that does not violate the Terms of Agreement, is too complex for our printers, or takes too long to print.
Sure, but it would be a good idea to have an adult involved, and a valid library card is needed to submit a file.
One item per week, per valid library card.
Most of our printers are limited to projects that take less than 8 hours and no larger than:
  • 150mm long
  • 150mm wide
  • 140mm tall
How can I check the size of my print before submitting?
This is a very common question! A neat website that lets you open an .STL or .OBJ file to check its size is 3dviewer.net. After opening a file, over on the right you'll see the size of the file in millimeters and our build plate sizes can be found on this page.  We can usually scale a big piece down to fit our printers, but that will affect the use of a file if has specific dimensions or holes for things like screws.

3d printing now available at FCPL.

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