Pricing, Staff Workflow, & Application Development for 3D Printing Service: Achieving the Best User Experience

Pricing, Staff Workflow, & Application Development for 3D Printing Service

: Achieving the Best User ExperienceBohyun Kim

Twitter: @bohyunkim | Blog: http://bohyunkim.net/blogAssociate Director, Library Applications and Knowledge Systems

Univ. of MD, Baltimore - Health Sciences and Human Services LibraryFriday, March 24, 2017 | 2017 ACRL Conference

Twitter hashtag: #3DprintingworkflowSlides: http://bit.ly/2niTN56

HS/HSL Innovation Space renovation in the fall of 2016; Photo by the author

3D Printing Service for the Best UX1.Pricing scheme 2.Staff workflow 3.Application development

1.Pricing - Cost Factors• Equipment wear/tear & eventual replacement• Purchase amount and refresh cycle

• Electricity• Staff time & expertise for service and maintenance• Per print

• Filament (and other consumables)• Proportionate to use• $43-48 for ABS/PLA and $65 for dissolvable per 0.9 kg [2.00 lb] from

Makerbot

Fee Structure – Examples• NCSU Hunt Library

• https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/do/3d-printing• 2014/7- uPrint 3D Printer: $10 per cubic inch of material (ABS), with a $5 minimum• 2014 - MakerBot 3D Printer: $0.35 per gram of material (PLA), with a $5 minimum• 2017 - F306 - $0.35 per gram of material, $5 minimum

• UNR DeLaMare Library • https://guides.library.unr.edu/3dprinting • 2014 - $7.20 per cubic inch of modeling material (raised to $8.45 starting July, 2014).• 2017 - uPrint - Model Material: $4.95 per cubic inch (=16.38 gm=0.036 lb)• 2017 - uPrint - Support Materials: $7.75 per cubic inch

Fee Structure - Examples (Continued)• BYU Library

• http://guides.lib.byu.edu/c.php?g=216600&p=1429612• Makerbot Replicator 2/ Ultimaker 2 Extended• $0.20 per gram for standard (0.2mm) resolution;

$0.30 per gram for high (0.1mm) resolution. • University of Michigan Library

• The Cube 3D printer checkout is no longer offered.• 2017 - Cost for professional 3d printing service; Open access 3d printing is free.

• UCLA Library, Dalhousie University Library (2014) • Free

Fee Structure – Examples (Continued)• GVSU Library

• https://www.gvsu.edu/techshowcase/makerspace-18.htm• 2014 - $0.35 per gram with a $6.00 minimum• 2017 - Free (Ultimaker 2+, Makerbot Replicator 2, 7, 2x)

• Southern Illinois University Library• http://libguides.siue.edu/3D/request • 2014 - Originally $2 per hour of printing time; Reduced to $1 as the demand grew.• 2017 - Lulzbot Taz 5, Luzbot mini - $2.00 per hour of printing time.

• Port Washington Public library• http://www.pwpl.org/3d-printing/3d-printing-guidelines/• 2017 - Makerbot 5 - $1 per hour of printing time

Fee Structure – Examples (Continued)• More info about 3D printing service at academic libraries and pricing • “Appendix 1. Environmental Scan : Academic Library Makerspaces”

https://archive.hshsl.umaryland.edu/bitstream/10713/4634/6/Appendix%201.EnvironmentalScan-AcademicLibraryMakerspaces.pdf in Bohyun Kim, Aphrodite Bodycomb, Everly Brown, and Thom Pinho, “Makerspace Task Force Report,” University of Maryland, Baltimore – Health Sciences and Human Services and Library, July 2014, http://archive.hshsl.umaryland.edu/handle/10713/4634.

(i) Weight-Based Pricing• Not readily calculable by a user before the print job• How much does my model weigh?!

• Time-consuming for the staff to calculate• They have to weigh each model.

• How about ‘Size-Based’ - S/M/L?

(ii) Size-Based Pricing• Seems intuitive to users and easy to determine to the staff too.• But …

Infill ratio

https://www.packtpub.com/sites/default/files/Article-Images/9888OS_02_22.png

Different Shapes1cm cube – solid https://tinkercad.com/things/huFqKBduEjT1cm cube – hollow https://tinkercad.com/things/eQOfqjifu8R1cm cross https://tinkercad.com/things/aMthCqb9LRn 2cm cube https://tinkercad.com/things/c0comBMy08w3cm cube https://tinkercad.com/things/l0ezs8lCiAn

http://tobuya3dprinter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/3d-printing-layer-height.jpg

Resolution

30, 40, 50mm Cubes (1.2, 1.6, 2 inches) - ABS

(iii) Time-Based Pricing• Printing time and weight are proportionate? • Translate the weight-based cost to the time-based cost. • Different size cubes’ 3d print estimate on Makerbot Replicator 2X.)• 9.10 gm /36 min =0.25 gm per min.• 17.48 gm /67 min = 0.26 gm per min.• 30.80 gm /117 min = 0.26 gm per min.• 50.75 gm /186 min = 0.27 gm per min.• 87.53 gm /316 min = 0.28 gm per min.• 194.18 gm/674 min = 0.29 gm per min.

Calculate Away• 3D plastic filament is $48 for ABS/PLA and $65 for dissolvable per 0.90

kg [2.00 lb] from Makerbot. • $48/900 gm = $0.05 per gram - ABS/PLA • $65/900 gm = $0.07 per gram - Dissolvable

• So on average, 6 cents per gram• For an hour of 3D printing time, 0.26 x 60 min = 15.6 gm per hour.• 15.6 gm x 6 cents = 94 cents per hour • Roughly $1 per hour of 3D printing time for the cost-recovery of

filament only.

Additional Charge per Print• Per print cost to add on top for

hardware wear/tear, staff time, electricity, maintenance, etc., plus "no-charge-for-failed-print-policy”• Per print cost determined to be

$2.• $3 up to 1 hour of 3D printing

+ $1 per additional hour of 3D printing

Image by the author

3D Printing Service for the Best UX1.Pricing scheme • Sustainable and fiscally accountable• Easy for users to estimate the cost• Easy for the library staff to process the payment

2.Staff workflow 3.Application development

2. Staff Workflow• An efficient staff workflow is necessary particularly if the staff from

multiple departments are involved. A breakdown of individual steps of the serviceWhat each step involves (staff action; user action)Design a staff workflow that fits your library’s specific

environment, needs, and 3D printing service model.

Journey Maphttp://shopifynation.com/marketing/create-customer-journey-map-for-ecommerce/

Breakdown of the Process (‘Journey Map’)

Before the Visit

http://cal.hshsl.umaryland.edu/booking/ispace

Upon the Visit

http://guides.hshsl.umaryland.edu/ispace/replicator2x

Upon the Visit: Using the 3D Printing Service • Get the 3d print estimate (time/filament)• Submit the 3D print job (upon the acceptance of the cost estimate) • Confirmation of the job submission to the user.• Notification of the job submission to the staff.• [Model 3d-printed]• Update of the job status.• Notification to the user and the staff.• Record of payment and pick-up.

=> Features for the 3D Printing Staff Admin Portal

3. Application Design & Development• The staff workflow you designed should guide the development

process.• 3D Print Job Submission Form • Calculates the cost upon a user entering the printing time estimate.

• 3D Print Staff Admin Portal• Supports every step in the workflow.

https://www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu/3d/

3D Printing Service for the Best UX1.A user-friendly and sustainable pricing scheme 2.A viable and efficient staff workflow 3.Easy-to-use applications for both your users and library

staff

Thank you!

Twitter: @bohyunkimBlog: http://bohyunkim.net/blog

E-mail: [email protected]

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