A modern, intelligent 3D printing management system that transforms the makerspace experience through AI-driven recommendations, community collaboration, and seamless user workflows.
Built for HackRU 2025 |
Rutgers Makerspace is a comprehensive web application designed to streamline 3D printing workflows at Rutgers University. By combining cutting-edge AI technology with intuitive design, we've created a platform that makes 3D printing accessible, efficient, and collaborative for students, faculty, and makers of all skill levels.
Traditional makerspace management systems are often disconnected, difficult to use, and lack intelligent guidance for users unfamiliar with 3D printing. We built a solution that:
- Reduces barriers to entry for new makers through AI-powered material recommendations
- Optimizes resource allocation with intelligent print queue management
- Fosters community collaboration through project sharing and knowledge exchange
- Provides transparency with real-time cost estimation and print tracking
- Google Gemini Integration - Smart material advisor that recommends optimal materials (PLA, PETG, ABS, TPU) based on project requirements
- Automated Cost Estimation - Real-time pricing calculations considering material, print time, and complexity
- Print Settings Optimization - AI suggests ideal settings for different materials and printer types
- Firebase Authentication with email/password and Google OAuth
- Secure session management and protected routes
- Role-based access control for different user types
- Seamless user experience with persistent login
- Real-time Statistics - Track total requests, completed projects, and spending
- Print History - Complete timeline of all your 3D printing projects
- Request Status Tracking - Monitor prints from submission to completion
- Quick Actions - Fast access to frequently used features
- Public Project Sharing - Share successful prints with the community
- Social Engagement - Like, comment, and download community projects
- Knowledge Base - Learn from others' successes and challenges
- Open Source Collaboration - Foster innovation through shared resources
- Support for multiple printer types (FDM, SLA, Multi-material)
- Material library with detailed specifications and recommendations
- File upload and validation for common 3D formats
- Queue management and priority scheduling
- Automated notifications for print status updates
- Dynamic cost calculation based on material and print parameters
- Pricing tiers for different user types (student, faculty, external)
- Detailed cost breakdowns before submission
- Budget tracking and spending analytics
- React.js - Modern, component-based UI architecture
- Firebase SDK - Seamless authentication and user management
- React Router v6 - Advanced routing with protected routes
- Responsive Design - Mobile-first CSS3 with flexbox/grid
- Node.js + Express - High-performance REST API
- Google Gemini AI - Advanced natural language processing for recommendations
- Winston Logger - Comprehensive logging and monitoring
- Snowflake - Scalable database integration (optional)
- JWT-based authentication with Firebase tokens
- CORS configuration for secure cross-origin requests
- Input validation and sanitization
- Rate limiting on API endpoints
- Optimized build process with code splitting
Get the application running in under 2 minutes:
# Clone the repository
git clone <repository-url>
cd rutgers-makerspace
# Automated setup and start
./setup.sh && ./start-demo.shThe application will be available at:
- Frontend: http://localhost:8085
- API: http://localhost:8080
- API Docs: http://localhost:8080/api/config
# Setup with configuration prompts
./old-scripts/setup-project.sh
# Start frontend only
./start-frontend.sh
# Start API only
./start-api.sh
# Start both services
./start-all.sh# 1. Install dependencies
cd frontend && npm install
cd ../api && npm install
# 2. Configure environment variables (see below)
cp frontend/.env.example frontend/.env
cp api/.env.example api/.env
# 3. Start services
cd frontend && npm start # Port 8085
cd api && npm start # Port 8080REACT_APP_FIREBASE_API_KEY=your_firebase_api_key
REACT_APP_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN=your_project.firebaseapp.com
REACT_APP_FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID=your_project_id
REACT_APP_FIREBASE_STORAGE_BUCKET=your_project.appspot.com
REACT_APP_FIREBASE_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID=your_sender_id
REACT_APP_FIREBASE_APP_ID=your_app_id
REACT_APP_API_BASE_URL=http://localhost:8080GEMINI_API_KEY=your_gemini_api_key
PORT=8080
NODE_ENV=development
LOG_LEVEL=info- Create a new Firebase project at console.firebase.google.com
- Enable Authentication methods:
- Email/Password
- Google OAuth
- Add
localhostto authorized domains - Copy configuration values to
frontend/.env
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/user/print-requests |
Fetch user's print history |
| GET | /api/user/stats |
Get user statistics |
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| POST | /api/print-request |
Submit new print request |
| GET | /api/materials |
List available materials |
| GET | /api/printers |
List available printers |
| POST | /api/estimate-cost |
Calculate print cost |
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/community/print-requests |
Browse public projects |
| POST | /api/community/like |
Like a project |
| POST | /api/community/share |
Share a project |
| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/health |
API health check |
| GET | /api/config |
System configuration |
rutgers-makerspace/
├── frontend/ # React application
│ ├── src/
│ │ ├── pages/ # Page components (Dashboard, Login, etc.)
│ │ ├── components/ # Reusable UI components
│ │ ├── contexts/ # React Context providers
│ │ ├── firebase/ # Firebase configuration
│ │ └── utils/ # Helper functions
│ ├── public/ # Static assets
│ └── package.json
│
├── api/ # Express.js backend
│ ├── src/
│ │ ├── routes/ # API route definitions
│ │ ├── controllers/ # Business logic
│ │ ├── models/ # Data models
│ │ ├── services/ # External service integrations
│ │ └── middleware/ # Custom middleware
│ └── package.json
│
├── setup.sh # Automated setup script
├── start-demo.sh # Quick start script
├── start-all.sh # Start both services
└── README.md # This file
- Submit print requests with AI-guided material selection
- Track project progress and costs
- Learn from community-shared projects
- Build portfolio of completed prints
- Manage classroom printing needs
- Monitor departmental print usage and costs
- Share educational resources with students
- Access priority printing services
- Efficient queue management
- Real-time printer utilization tracking
- User activity monitoring
- Automated cost recovery
- Authentication: Firebase-powered secure authentication with multiple providers
- Authorization: Protected API endpoints with token verification
- Data Privacy: User data isolation and secure storage
- Input Validation: Comprehensive sanitization of all user inputs
- Rate Limiting: Protection against abuse and DOS attacks
- Audit Logging: Complete request/response logging for compliance
./start-all.sh # Local development with hot reload- Frontend: Deploy to Vercel, Netlify, or AWS S3 + CloudFront
- Backend: Deploy to AWS EC2, Google Cloud Run, or Heroku
- Database: Connect to Snowflake or PostgreSQL for persistence
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions workflow included for automated deployment
- Mobile applications (iOS/Android)
- Real-time printer status monitoring with IoT integration
- Advanced analytics dashboard with data visualization
- Multi-language support for international users
- Integration with CAD software for direct uploads
- Machine learning for print failure prediction
- Automated print scheduling optimization
We welcome contributions! Please see our Contributing Guidelines for details.
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add AmazingFeature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/AmazingFeature) - Open a Pull Request
Built with ❤️ for HackRU 2025
This project is licensed under the GPL 3.0 License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Made with passion at Rutgers University • HackRU 2025