Technology @ Education

1. Open your .stl or .thing file in Makerware, Makerbot's free printer software, to get an estimate for how much material and time your model will need to print.
   
   
2. Unless your model has a large base, you should use a raft to help the model adhere to the build plate while printing.  
   
   
3. If your model is very large or has delicate/pointy edges, consider including helper disks on the corners of the model to avoid curl up on the edges.
   
   
4. Models can be bundled to save time and share a raft, however if one model fails, the entire print job will need to be stopped.
   
   
5. Consider printing a smaller version or at low resolution if you are testing your model.

We will be happy to discuss options for obtaining your preferred result, balancing cost, time, and quality for each job you print.  Options include:

Resolution.  Low res jobs print fastest but with the least detail.  High res jobs may take twice as long as their low or standard res counterparts.

Rafting.  Recommended with all Replicator2 jobs and with many Replicator2X jobs. Otherwise, spaghetti happens! (below left)

Infill. The infill rate inside an object can be altered.  Consider strength, flexibility, and cost when changing the default. (above right)

Supports.  May be necessary or recommended to support overgrowth.  Extruding material onto thin air will result in a fail!