The Advanced Output Center is The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s printing and prototyping lab specializing in digital input and output. The AOC’s facilities include laser cutting, large format 2D scanning and 3D printing and scanning.

The AOC is run by the Computer Resources and Information Technologies department, but works very closely with AIADO.

 

 

Announcements

Clearance Event!

We're planning on buying a new Dimension 3D printer but our current material is not compatible! We're cutting prices on material to reduce waste. Once a color is gone, it's gone for good! $2.50 for model material and $3.50 for support. Get a quote today!
New event!Sign up for our first equipment demonstration. On March 13th we'll do a short demo at 12:30pm to show off the new Trotec camera and how it can be used to register printed media. Click here to sign up!. The link will ask you to join a Canvas page called AOC Demo Schedule which will show you any available events.
Objet price changes:We now receive Objet materials from Stratasys at a reduced cost. We're passing this savings on to you. We're also reducing material choice to clear. This removes the excessive purge required for material changes. This further brings the cost down to $0.30/gram from the previous $0.50/gram. You'll see the impact immediately.

Get Certified for Laser Cutting

Get Certified for 3D Scanning

View Resource Schedule

Hours
Front Lab:24 Hours
Staffed Lab: Spring Schedule: January 24 - May 12
Monday to Thursday
Friday
Saturday and Sunday		8:45am to 9:00pm
8:45am to 5:00pm
10:00am to 4:00pm
Summer Schedule: May 13 - August 27
Monday to Friday
Saturday and Sunday		8:45am to 5:00pm
Closed
Upcoming Holiday Closures:
Spring Break
Memorial Day
Independence Day 		March 14th to 17th
May 27th
July 4th

Access

With very few stipulations, the AOC’s services and facilities are available to currently enrolled students, active faculty and staff at SAIC; some services are open to alumni as well. Please see the individual resource sections for details.

All users must attend an certification prior to using the laser cutters or 3D scanners. The devices are self-service and are available for use during regular operating hours. See the Laser Access Policy or 3D Scanner Access Policy page for details.

Certifications

Certifications are available online and can take about 30 to 45 minutes to complete. Certifications are good for two calendar years at both the Advanced Output Center and the Columbus Digital Fabrication Studio.

To request a class tour, contact the AOC at advancedoutput@saic.edu or 312.629.6688.