The New York University Tisch School of the Arts Makerspace houses three 3D printers serving hundreds of undergraduate and master’s level students – but until recently had a major problem with chaotic usage tracking and maintenance. Waste, inefficiency, and inequity reigned in a lab that should be opening up creative energy.
Used by students from the Interactive Telecommunications Program – which use communications technologies to augment, improve, and bring delight, utility and meaning into people’s lives, the lab had only three printers and no centralised system for tracking usage or maintenance. The makerspace struggled with waste, inequity, and inefficiency.
“It was chaos,” says Phil Caridi, shop manager and faculty advisor. “Students monopolised machines. Material use was unchecked. We had no way to monitor or manage it all.”
By implementing cloud-based data and control solutions from 3DPrinterOS, the lab essentially gained a dedicated full-time staff solution. This has led to an expansion of 3D printers in the Makerspace to 9 machines, predominantly UltiMaker S3s and all integrated to the 3DPrinterOS management system.
Metrics like material usage and project history are now tracked in real-time, helping staff optimise resources in line with busy times and justify budget needs. The lab is also piloting sustainable practices like acrylic and PLA recycling, furthering its commitment to closing the waste loop.
Caridi, a former bicycle mechanic turned educator and engineer, views the makerspace as a crucible for growth—not just in technical skill, but in empathy, design thinking, and collaboration. “Failure here isn’t a setback; it’s part of the process,” he says. “This space gives students the confidence to try, fail, and try again.”
