3D printing is a wonderful tool to give your prototype a high-fidelity look and feel. It works by adding layer after layer of molten plastic out of a thin nozzle until the object is complete. 3D printing is most suitable if you need a hollow object or if you have delicate or organic shapes that are hard to produce with other prototyping tools.
In order to print an object you have to create it in a 3D modelling software, like Rhino or Fusion360. The 3D printer will take the model, slice it up into layers and add support structures where needed, since it can't print in the air and always needs a starting point. You can set on the printer, how accurate the print should be. A finer print needs more time and the other way around.
One issue with 3D printing is that it takes a lot of time, even on a lower fidelity, and that the printers at IO are almost always in high demand, which makes this tool not always recommendable for rapid prototyping. It's recommendable to first think about if there is another, faster prototyping method that fits your current needs.
How to specifically create a printable object will depend on your choice of 3D modelling software. Just search for the name of your software together with "3D printing" and there will be some tutorials that pop up.
The PMB staff is an excellent help when you have questions regarding 3D printing. You have to reserve a time slot on the printer itself and upload your file to the printer's SD card by using the available computer at PMB. A list of the recommended settings is also provided, but if you never used a printer before it doesn't hurt to just ask the staff for help.
The models that come out of the printer are seldom pretty or by any means finished. Objects created with a 3D printers have a distinct look to themselves, where the different layers print layers are still visible, varying in strength depending on the resolution of your print or still connected to the support structure.
Luckily there are wonderful methods to give your object a proper finish, often starting from sanding the model and then paining it in one or the other way. Here again you can ask the PMB staff for advice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLoB52nPuao
PMB Quick starting guide to 3D Printing
Thingiverse - Digital Designs for Physical Objects
The maker community is amazing and often offer their created models for free, for instance here on Thingiverse
Getting started with an Ultimaker | Ultimaker
There are a lot of little tricks when it comes to 3D printing – some of them listed on the