Printing with a Purpose: Saber Data Partners with 3DPrinterOS to Help Nonprofits for Free

Nothing warms my heart more than the 3D printing community coming together to help others. Technology and IT services firm Saber Data, a division of the TyRex Group of advanced manufacturing companies, specializes in software development and digital innovation. But it also leads the group’s nonprofit 3D printing initiative, called Printing with a Purpose, which is working with 3DPrinterOS to change the game for how nonprofits can access, and benefit from, 3D printing.

On a day-to-day basis, Saber Data supports the TyRex Group’s commercial manufacturing projects, including partnerships with the U.S. Navy, Rice University, and a variety of commercial companies that need custom parts with less lead time. But Printing with a Purpose, which is delivered through the RecognizeGood.org platform, is completely non-commercial. Internal resources are used to sustain the initiative and the outreach work it does. By now, you might be wondering what exactly that work is.

Printing with a Purpose enables community and nonprofit organizations to design and order personalized, meaningful 3D printed items, such as tiles, coasters, safety coins, and medallions. And thanks to 3DPrinterOS and its proprietary cloud-based software, Saber Data has been able to build an end-to-end, remote 3D printing solution for this purpose. Plus, no worries if the organization doesn’t have someone who knows how to use CAD, slicers, or 3D printers. Saber Data’s system automates the entire process—all the way from design to delivery—using Bambu Lab 3D printers and the 3DPrinterOS API. Even better: it’s all free of charge for the nonprofits.

“We’ve created a seamless experience for nonprofits. They never have to touch a printer or learn a new tool,” explained Satwinder Kahlon, technical leader at Saber Data. “Our software handles everything—design customization, slicing, and remote printing.”

Printing with a Purpose doesn’t skimp on quality, using multicolor 3D printers like the Bambu Lab A1 Mini and X1-Carbon so its nonprofit partners can get nicely detailed, customized and branded items. The whole workflow is decentralized, with the 3D printers located on Saber Data’s intern stations. Plus, donated equipment is enabling the initiative to spread to remote locations as well, reaching even more nonprofits. So not only is it driving societal good, but it’s also growing into a scalable, distributed printing network.

San Francisco-based 3D Control Systems is an automated, end-to-end software solution provider for AM. Its 3DPrinterOS product seamlessly connects 3D printers, users, and data on a single platform, offering easy printer fleet management and centralized control. As Saber Data looks for ways to automate more of its product catalog and reach a wider network of nonprofits by expanding remote printing, it will continue to use 3DPrinterOS for its backend job management.

“3DPrinterOS was one of the only platforms that offered robust APIs and remote job queuing. Their team has been responsive and collaborative from day one,” Kahlon stated.

Saber Data has removed all of what 3DPrinterOS refers to as “technical barriers,” so nonprofits can celebrate milestones and engage their communities in easy but meaningful ways. The company reports that it’s already seeing the impact the initiative is making. Austin Sunshine Camps in Texas offers traditional summer camp sessions that are free for kids ages 8-15 who are in foster care or qualify for free/reduced school lunches. It worked with Saber Data last year to print 1,400 personalized medallions for the campers to take home as a permanent and customized reminder of their summer fun.

For another partner, Saber Data printed and distributed red, octagonal “safety coins” with embedded QR codes, which linked to emergency resources such as defibrillator instructions. The company has now actually filed a patent for a method that can print scannable QR codes on a single layer in a 3D printed object, which has real-world applications in consumer engagement, manufacturing, and logistics.

In our busy world, amidst the hustle and bustle of manufacturing for defense and automotive and everything else under the sun, it’s easy to forget the simple joy a small 3D printed toy or coaster can bring.