Hello everyone,
It was another fast week at the Wayne College makerspace. New faces keep dropping in, trying out the 3D printers and dabbling in CAD design. We encourage anyone to learn and use the printers, giving them the freedom to use the machines for whatever they like. The technology is not fail-safe and we usually have hardware problems with each model. Like copy machines, we have services plans to keep the printers in regular working order.
Last Friday, kids from the Orrville Boys and Girls Club arrived for their second CAD and 3D printing workshop. We spent two hours learning how to design model rocket fins and an extension tube for the main body. While keeping of childrens’ attention was a challenge, that was relieved when they got hands on experiences with the 3D printers.
We also printed the rocket bodies that the kids designed from the first day of the workshop, complete with their names inscribed on the sides:
Our filament maker (www.filastruder.com) has been running quite a lot last week. We noticed that the filament is created thinner than regular, store-bought filament (1.6mm vs. 1.75mm). While the 3D printers could use the filament, the printed objects were noticeably thinner and somewhat “holey”.
Will removed the nozzle from the extruder and drilled a slightly larger hole. We also reduced the machine’s extruding temperature so that the plastic exits a bit thicker from the nozzle. Now we have properly sized filament!
The Physics Department generously lent some electronics equipment to the makerspace, including an oscilloscope, a waveform generator, and a bench power supply. Dusty discovered that sending music from an iPod to the oscilloscope allows its waveform to be analyzed. The tool is a good way to determine the shape of a signal or analyze the 0’s and 1’s in a digital signal.
Last but not least, Neal found an detailed bust of a T-1000 robot from the Terminator movies. It took 14 hours to print it (on the portable 3D printer). Neal then meticulously removed the support material, repaired imperfections, etc. Being new to electronics, he learned how to replace one of the eyes with a red LED that glows from a resistor and battery. Neal is learning how to solder for the first time, too. It’s quite an impressive model.
Stay tuned as the students for the Tools for Engineering class use 3D printing for its upcoming projects!
You probably knew that Amazon offers 3D printing services of pre-designed objects on their website (see here).
Now UPS is getting in the game, offering 3D printing of any object that you design and provide to them. The details are below! Thanks, Eric, for the link.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/22/technology/innovationnation/ups-3d-printing/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
For past e-mail postings, check-out our blog at:
http://blogs.uakron.edu/waynec3/
Tom