Problem
Universities, schools, and enterprises were struggling to manage large fleets of 3D printers across multiple locations and user types. Existing workflows lacked centralized control, making it difficult to scale access while maintaining security, consistency, and operational reliability. Educational institutions needed to provide thousands of students with access to shared printers without risking misuse, while enterprises required a way to operate distributed printer networks across facilities as part of their daily production workflows.
Solution
AstroPrint Enterprise Cloud was designed to centralize 3D printer management into a single, scalable platform. The system enables organizations to connect and share 3D printers across campuses or facilities while enforcing role-based permissions and standardized workflows.
In educational environments, the platform supports campus-wide printer farms, allowing students to submit files to shared group queues while restricting advanced functions such as slicing configuration, printer monitoring, and camera access to lab technicians and administrators. In enterprise settings, AstroPrint enables distributed teams to share printers, printable files, slicing profiles, and workflows in a manner similar to traditional networked 2D printers, but tailored to the complexity of additive manufacturing. This approach allows organizations to scale usage while maintaining control, reliability, and efficiency.
My Role
I played a central role in designing and building the AstroPrint Enterprise Cloud from concept through launch and scale. I led UX research and workflow validation using InVision, testing experiences across multiple user roles to ensure clarity, usability, and strong permission controls across complex organizational environments.
Beyond the core product, I supported adoption and growth through marketing and launch initiatives. I designed and built marketing pages, reusable templates, and visual assets in close collaboration with the marketing team, working across Photoshop, Illustrator, Grav, and InVision. I also produced explainer videos and promotional content using After Effects, Premiere, and Audition to clearly communicate complex workflows to both technical and non-technical audiences. In addition, I designed trade show environments and physical brand assets, ensuring a cohesive and consistent experience between the digital platform and in-person customer interactions.
