{"id":4370,"date":"2026-06-30T23:28:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyode.com\/blog\/?page_id=4370"},"modified":"2026-06-30T23:28:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T03:28:22","slug":"3d-printer-use-policy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/diyode.com\/blog\/3d-printer-use-policy\/","title":{"rendered":"3D Printer Use Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Purpose<\/strong>
This policy establishes the rules for safe, fair, and sustainable use of Diyode Community Workshop 3D printers. Diyode is a volunteer-run community workshop, so printer access depends on shared responsibility, volunteer availability, equipment condition, and limited supplies of organization-purchased filament.
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Scope<\/strong>
This policy applies to all volunteers, print stewards, designated trainers, and board members, and anyone using or requesting use of a Diyode 3D printer, related tools, slicer profiles, and Diyode-supplied filament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General Principles<\/strong>
3D printers are shared community equipment and must be used safely, respectfully, and fairly. Access may be limited by availability, maintenance needs, ventilation requirements, supply levels, or training capacity. Diyode may restrict prints by size, duration, material type, queue volume, or complexity to keep the service workable for the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

User Eligibility<\/strong>
Only members in good standing may independently use a 3D printer after completing Diyode orientation or machine-specific approval. New users must receive training on the specific printer, slicer workflow, startup checks, bed preparation, print removal, and shutdown procedure before printing alone. Guests and non-approved users may only print under the supervision of an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member.
Users under 18 may use 3D printers only when: A parent or guardian has signed the acknowledgment and waiver form on their behalf, and they are under the direct supervision of an approved volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member at all times.

*Diyode may set a minimum age for 3D printer use.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Training and Authorization<\/strong>
Before first use, users must complete a basic orientation with a designated trainer <\/a>covering equipment hazards, hot-end and bed safety, ventilation expectations, acceptable materials, and failure response.
Diyode may require users to begin with standard Polylactic Acid (\u201cPLA\u201d) prints before being approved for other materials or more complex jobs. PLA is the safest common filament – it prints at lower temperatures, gives off fewer fumes, and is less likely to cause equipment problems. Starting with PLA lets new users build skills before moving to materials that need more experience.
Approval to use one machine or one material does not automatically grant approval for all printer types, profiles, or materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Booking and Print Queue<\/strong>
Diyode may set maximum booking lengths, weekly print-hour limits, number-of-job limits, or hold periods to ensure fair access.
Prints expected to exceed six hours may require advance approval from an authorized volunteer, print steward, a designated trainer, or a board member. Please use Slack first to communicate and then lastly info@diyode.com<\/a> to reach out to the board of directors.
Members may only run one printer at a time unless an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member approves otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supervision<\/strong>
Users must remain in the building for the first portion of a print until the job is clearly stable, unless an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member approves otherwise. Diyode may require attendance for the full print when a job is experimental, unusually large, or more likely to fail. Authorized volunteers, members, print steward, designated trainer, or board member may stop or cancel any print that appears unsafe, damaging, non-compliant, or clearly likely to fail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Materials and Filament<\/strong>
Diyode may supply only a limited range of approved filament, primarily standard materials and colours selected by the organization. Diyode-supplied filament is shared community stock and is not guaranteed in any specific colour, brand, finish, or quantity. Only approved or manufacturer-recommended materials may be used in each printer. Diyode may limit general use to standard PLA unless another material is specifically approved. Specialty filaments, engineering materials, abrasive filaments, unknown materials, or damaged filament may not be used without explicit approval. Members may be required to provide their own approved filament for large prints, colour-specific jobs, or specialty-material projects.
Diyode may refuse any member-supplied filament that is unlabeled, wet, contaminated, incompatible, or likely to harm equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost Recovery<\/strong>
Diyode may charge for organization-supplied filament, machine time, failed prints that consumed material, or excessive machine wear in order to recover costs and sustain service. A per-gram pricing model is simple and aligns with common cost-recovery approaches used in shared print services. When a fee schedule is in place, Diyode will make it available to members. Check with an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member for current costs before starting a larger print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended Material Access Rule<\/strong>
Diyode may provide basic PLA in limited colours for small and medium community-use prints. Members requesting exact colours, specialty materials, or high-volume prints may be asked to supply their own approved filament. Diyode reserves the right to substitute an available colour, defer a print, or decline a job when stock is low.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Print Limits<\/strong>
Diyode may set maximum print duration, maximum material use, and maximum part dimensions for routine jobs. As a default operating rule, routine member prints should generally stay under four to six hours unless an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member approves otherwise. Very large, highly iterative, or low-priority projects may be deferred, split into smaller jobs, or moved to member-supplied materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acceptable Use<\/strong>
All prints must comply with applicable law, safety rules, and Diyode\u2019s broader code of conduct. Users may not print illegal items, unsafe items, prohibited weapons, weapon parts, or realistic weapon replicas. Users are responsible for ensuring that their files, scans, and designs do not infringe copyright, trademark, patent, or other intellectual property rights. Diyode may refuse any print that is unsafe, unlawful, discriminatory, or inconsistent with the organization\u2019s mission and community standards. 3D printed items are not food safe. Do not use printed objects to hold, serve, or store food or drinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Safety and Care<\/strong>
Users must follow all posted machine procedures and instructions.
Users must not touch hot nozzles, heated beds, belts, or moving components while a machine is operating. Printers must not be modified, re-wired, re-flashed, repaired, recalibrated, or disassembled without authorization. Users must immediately report nozzle jams, bed damage, abnormal noises, sensor issues, ventilation concerns, or repeated failures, please use Slack to reach out initially to a print steward, print trainer, or director. Print removal and cleanup must be done using approved tools and methods to avoid damage to beds, hotends, enclosures, and motion systems. These will be covered in the 3D printer training, if additional questions arise or you need more information please contact via Slack an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member and then lastly info@diyode.com<\/a> to reach out to the board of directors. Tie back long hair and avoid loose clothing, jewellery, or lanyards when working near printers. Use scrapers and print removal tools carefully. Always push the tool away from your body, not toward it. Know where the fire extinguisher is before you start a print. Do not eat or drink while working directly with a running printer. Do not touch the beds directly to use tools, as skin oils\/keratin can damage beds and impair adhesion. 3D printers may only be used when ventilation is working and adequate for the number of printers running. If ventilation is not working, or you are not sure whether it is, do not start a print. Please use Slack first to communicate to an authorized volunteer, print steward, designated trainer, or board member and then lastly info@diyode.com<\/a> to reach out to the board of directors. Diyode may limit the number of printers running at the same time based on ventilation capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Failed Prints and Pickup<\/strong>
Diyode does not guarantee successful prints or perfect results and is not responsible for dimensional inaccuracy, surface defects, or failed prints. A volunteer may stop any job that is failing, wasting material, interfering with other users, or presenting a safety concern. Finished prints must be picked up within 7 days. After that, Diyode may discard, recycle, or repurpose unclaimed prints to keep the printing area usable. Removed prints are to be left near the 3D that it was removed from, if that is not possible please keep the removed 3D printed item in the clean room and placed in a visible location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risks<\/strong>
3D printing involves real safety risks. By using Diyode\u2019s printers, you confirm that you understand these risks and will follow all safety rules.<\/em>

Burns:<\/strong> Printer nozzles can reach over 200\u00b0C and heated beds can exceed 60\u00b0C. Contact with these surfaces causes serious burns.
Fumes and small particles:<\/strong> Melting plastic releases fine particles and fumes into the air. Some materials give off more harmful emissions than others. Only print when ventilation is working, and never block or disable the ventilation system.
Fire:<\/strong> 3D printers use high temperatures and electrical components. In rare cases, faults, jams, or material buildup can cause fires. Ensure the first 5 layers of the print are supervised to ensure proper bed adhesion. This is the most critical phase of the print and issues that arise during this period can often cause printer damage. Know where the fire extinguisher is.
Moving parts:<\/strong> Printers have parts that move during operation. These can pinch, catch hair or clothing, or cause injury if you reach into the machine during a print.
Cuts and scrapes:<\/strong> Removing prints from build plates involves sharp tools. Always push scrapers away from your body, not toward it.
Material hazards:<\/strong> Some filaments, cleaning chemicals, or post-processing steps can irritate skin, eyes, or lungs. Follow the handling instructions received with the material you use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incident Reporting<\/strong>
Any injury, burn, equipment fire, near-miss, or safety concern must be reported to a volunteer or board member as soon as possible. Diyode will keep a record of reported incidents. These records help us improve safety and are important for insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enforcement<\/strong>
Authorized volunteers, print stewards, designated trainers, or board members may deny, pause, or cancel any print that does not comply with this policy. Repeated misuse may result in retraining, temporary suspension of printer privileges, cost recovery charges, or further action under Diyode\u2019s compliance policies.<\/a>

Enforcement follows a progressive approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n