Department Resources

Level Up Your Creativity: 3D Design and Printing at the Library

Welcome to 3D printing with Fairfax County Public Library! We offer free design classes and public use of our printers to anyone looking to create objects for school projects, use around the home or just for fun.

3D Design Classes

To support the growing interest in our community, FCPL offers monthly 3D printing classes for teens and adults, along with a class for kids ages 7 through 12. These beginner friendly sessions explain what 3D printing is and answer questions for anyone considering a printer at home.

Book Recommendations

Check out some of our available books such as 3D Printing for Dummies and 3D Printing and Maker Lab for Kids, along with eBooks and LinkedIn Learning courses that help you continue leveling up your skills.

Title of your recommended reading record set

3D Printing Requirements

Cardholder age — must be 18 or older
Matching info — the name and email on the request must match the cardholder
Account status — card must have no fines or fees
Copyright rules — design must not be copyrighted
Content restrictions — no weapons or obscene items
Print time — must finish within eight hours
Build size — must fit on our build plates
Frequency — one print request every 7 days

You can print non-copyrighted designs from free sites like Thingiverse and MakerWorld, or you can design your own using a website like TinkerCad.

Our library system receives more than 700 print requests every month, so patience is requested and we look forward to continuing this essential service!

Guide to 3D Printing at FCPL

In this guide you'll find:

Our terms of use and agreement along with a submission page to attach your 3D file to print
Information about the 3D printers FCPL uses, their locations, build plate volumes, and the type of plastic filament we use
How to scale down large objects to fit smaller printers and combine small objects into one 3D file to print
Events to help assist you with learning more about 3D printing and building your own shapes
Recommend reading from our online catalog and links to useful websites

Guide to 3D Printing

Meet a Member of FCPL's 3D Printing Team

Luis Aponte, MLIS, Centreville Regional Library

One of my favorite pastimes is playing board and card games with family and friends. Several years ago, I even invented a few games of my own and built early prototypes by cannibalizing pieces from other games. Those prototypes eventually sat on a shelf collecting dust because creating a few unique pieces would have required hiring a professional designer and possibly a patent attorney. Neither option was affordable at the time, and I did not yet have the skills to design the pieces myself. Everything changed once I leveled up my 3D printing skills at Fairfax County Public Library.

I am part of Centreville Regional Library’s 3D print team and recently learned how to use a generative AI website that converts 2D drawings into 3D STL files. To test it, I uploaded a scanned sketch of a dragon chess piece I drew twenty years ago. (I still cannot believe that much time has passed.) The AI tool created a 3D model that looked remarkably close to my original drawing, which confirmed its potential to enhance our already popular 3D printing service. Designing prototypes from simple drawings is no longer something reserved for “techie” people. It is available to Fairfax County Public Library cardholders at no cost.

This new capability expands another service we offer at Centreville Regional Library that allows patrons to turn any 2D image into a 3D printable lithophane. When you place a light source behind it, every detail of the image becomes visible. A 3D lithophane transforms an ordinary photo into a glowing, tactile memory object that feels more personal, magical, and permanent than a standard digital image. It also makes a thoughtful gift that carries emotional weight.

I am always impressed by the variety of 3D print requests we receive. A young man once submitted custom drone parts he designed as part of his MIT application. One of our regular patrons appears to be printing an entire miniature village complete with farmhouses and thatched roof cottages. A library manager even asked their dentist for the STL file of their scanned teeth so we could print their pearly whites in 3D. We also receive frequent requests for knitting tools, D&D accessories, and fidget toys. I look forward to the day a patron might bring in the STL file of their ultrasound so we can print a priceless keepsake of their baby. That would be amazing.

Not long ago, 3D printing was considered an emerging technology. You could be forgiven for thinking that this might just be a passing fad. Now, it is used everywhere. Astronauts can build replacement parts in space for the International Space Station. Construction crews can print full‑sized houses in record time (and more affordably?). Restaurants are printing fine cuisine, and scientists are exploring ways to print body parts using living biological tissues. My brain is still trying to process the possibilities for improving people’s lives. With AI now blending with 3D design, getting started with this technology is easier than ever. Your local public library offers access regardless of educational background or experience.

Join a class and submit your first print. Bring your imagination. We will help you build it layer by layer.

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