3D Printing with Generative AI
Generative AI as a starting point for printable models.
New fleet
The world's first business school 3D printing lab · Spring 2013
Seven printers.One generation.
The Illinois MakerLab has replaced its entire fleet with current-generation Bambu Lab printers — H2S, H2C, X2D and X1C — at the Gies College of Business.
- Units
- 7
- Models
- 4
- Gift of Xu & Ning
- 5/7
- Base fee
- $4/print
§01Fleet datasheet
Every unit, specified.
Four Bambu Lab models, seven machines. Build volumes as published (W × D × H).
| Ref | Model | Qty | Type | Build volume | Donated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.1 | H2SBambu Lab | 2 | Large-format single-nozzle, heated chamber (up to 65 °C), 350 °C nozzle | 340 × 320 × 340 mm | — Lab fleet |
| A.2 | H2CBambu Lab | 2 | H2-series multi-nozzle with Vortek automatic hotend changing, for multi-material / multi-color | 325 × 320 × 325 mm† | Xu & Ning |
| A.3 | X2DBambu Lab | 2 | X-series dual-nozzle, enclosed | Not stated | Xu & Ning |
| A.4 | X1CX1-Carbon · Bambu Lab | 1 | CoreXY, lidar-assisted first layer, AMS multi-color | 256 × 256 × 256 mm | Xu & Ning |
| Total units | 7 | 5 of 7 gifted |
† H2C build volume pending verification against manufacturer spec.
W × D × H, in millimetres.
Revision note
20
Ultimaker desktop printers
Previous fleet 7 Bambu Lab, current generation
Fleet as of this revision
Previous fleet 7 Bambu Lab, current generation
Fleet as of this revision
§02Plan view
Build plates, drawn to one scale.
Top-down footprints of the known build areas, overlaid from a common origin. 1 unit = 1 mm.
H2SSolid outline · ×2
340 × 320108,800 mm²
H2CDashed outline · ×2
325 × 320 †104,000 mm²
X1CHatched · ×1
256 × 25665,536 mm²
X2DOmitted · ×2
—not drawn
X2D omitted: build volume not stated in this datasheet.
† H2C dimensions pending verification.
Hover or focus a row to isolate its outline.
§03Approval block
A gift to the Illinois MakerLab.
Five of the seven new printers are the gift of Haoyang Xu, an alumnus of Gies College of Business, and Yuxin Ning, an alumnus of The Grainger College of Engineering.
Dedication · Drawing MKL-2026
The H2C, X2D and X1C units are theGift of Haoyang Xu & Yuxin Ning
The Illinois MakerLab gratefully acknowledges Haoyang Xu and Yuxin Ning for their generous gift of five Bambu Lab printers. Their gift expands the capacity available to Illinois students to learn, make and share.
Donor01
Haoyang Xu
Alumnus, Gies College of Business
Donor02
Yuxin Ning
Alumnus, The Grainger College of Engineering
H2C-01H2C-02X2D-01X2D-02X1C-01
§04Rate table
$4 per print, plus grams.
Upload an STL online, choose options, pick up at the lab — or walk in. Select a row to load it into the calculator.
| User | Walk-in /g | Online /g |
|---|---|---|
| $0.10 | $0.12 | |
| Alumni / Departments | $0.25 | $0.30 |
| $0.35 | $0.42 |
- Base fee
- $4.00 per print
- Multi-color / special filament
- +50% on base prices
- Campus-account payments
- $10 minimum, billed at faculty/staff rates
- Online ordering
- Upload STL → options → pick up. Instant quote available.
Design & prototyping
Work with a MakerLab Guru
30-minute minimum, billed in 30-minute increments plus material. 1-to-1 tutoring for 3D modeling also available.
- Illinois Student$20/hr
- Faculty / Staff$30/hr
- All other users$50/hr
§05Fall 2026
Open weekday afternoons.
Effective Monday, August 31, 2026. Bars drawn to scale on a 12 PM – 8 PM axis.
Weekly total 25 h
Grid: 1 h · All times Central
Flag · Wednesdays
Free 1-hour prints
Every Wednesday during the Fall and Spring semesters. Wednesday hours are 4:00 – 7:00 PM.
Closed
- University holidays
- Spring Break and Thanksgiving week
- Between semesters (May & August)
- Saturdays and Sundays
§06Programs
Workshops, 90 minutes each.
Complete the series to earn the Digital Maker Certificate.
3D Design with Tinkercad
An introduction to 3D design in Tinkercad.
3D Design with Fusion 360
3D design in Autodesk Fusion 360.
Basic 3D Printing
The basics of 3D printing.
No public sessions are scheduled for Fall 2026. Request a workshop for your class or group.
Request a workshopCampsSummer campsWeek-long sessions
PartiesBirthday partiesMake it a maker party
Online · since 2016Coursera specialization3D printing, with Autodesk
CommunitySatellite MakerLabsSouthern Illinois & Chicago's south side
§07Field reports
What people say.
From reviews of the lab's printing service.
5.0
“Great place to make a 3D print. The online ordering option is very convenient!”
“I had a great experience printing my STL files here. Will definitely print more!”
“Staff made the entire printing process super simple and straightforward. Planning to use again for class projects.”
§08Change log
Latest from the lab.
Recent news from the lab.