Hello everyone,

Things are moving fast in the 3D Lab.  During most hours of the day, there are quite a number of students hanging out, making things, and having fun together.  The laser engraver arrived early this week; we can’t be more excited about that.  The Maintenance department is busy with preparing the area in the lab to receive it.  All three 3D printers are being used practically all day long.  When a printer misbehaves, our engineering students and lab staff are on the problem immediately.  The 3D Lab really is a group effort in maintaining the lab and helping one another.

Last semester, CerCo LLC (a ceramics company in Shreve, Ohio) received advanced CAD training from Dusty.  Employees learned how to design basic objects (such as water bottles) and advanced parts needed by the company.  We were recently informed that one of their employees used these skills to design a rubber stamp for marking their product.  She  purchased a 3D printer for home, created the design in CAD, and now the stamp is being used by the company!

20141205_164325

The R/C airplane club has taken off since its beginning last semester (pun intended).  The club meets every Monday evening at 6:00 to fly planes in the auditorium.  Feel free to stop-by, you may be given a plane to fly!  It’s an exciting mix of students, staff, and community members sharing a passion for flying.  Some of the model planes are commercially bought, others are designed and fabricated in the 3D Lab.  All are exciting to fly.  One even scored a point in the basketball net! 

IMG_0260[1]

IMG_0262[1]

IMG_0264[1]

 

IMG_0267[1]

We make regular outreach visits to communities, from schools to businesses to community organizations.  Thanks to Kevin Engle, we gave a demonstration of 3D printing and careers in engineering to a large group of people from the Wayne County Kiwanis chapter.  Even that mayor of Wooster was present to see the 3D printer in action.  As usual, there was lots of interest both during and after the presentation.  Thanks, Kevin for this connection!

image

image5

image6

Today, a reporter from the Daily Record interviewed aeronautical engineering student Chris Ryan about the reconstructed jet fighter nosecone project.  We had a lively talk about the project, various faculty & staff joined in the conversation, then followed by interaction with students in the 3D Lab.  We love connecting with community; they become aware that the 3D Lab exists and can introduce new projects for us to work on.

 

3d-printing-news

So you broke your arm, got sent to the emergency room, and while you were there the doctor recommended to acquire a CT scan for good measure. While you wait in the emergency room, it occurs to you that it will be interesting to see a 3D printed model of your broken bone, so you kindly ask the nurse for a copy of the CT Scan.  One fellow did just that!

http://makezine.com/projects/make-42/3d-print-your-medical-scan

 

See how 3D printing helps build upper jaw prosthetic for cancer patient.  The latest groundbreaking treatment involves an Indian cancer patient, who has had his upper jaw replaced with the help of 3D printing:

http://www.gizmag.com/3d-printing-upper-jaw-prosthetic-cancer/34303

 

Until next week,

Tom