Hello everyone,
The 3D printing initiative at Wayne College continues to garner awareness from the community. The Daily Record posted an article a couple of weeks ago and folks reported hearing about us on the radio, too. Community members are requesting to see and use the lab for various projects this summer.
Also raising awareness is our summer camp, already halfway through its 10-week run. The radio controlled planes are assembled, now kids and instructors are working on mounting motors and connecting linkages that control the ailerons and rudders. As the planes near completion, kids practiced flight control by connecting their controllers to a computer simulator. This reduces the chance of crashing their actual planes at the end of summer camp. Chris (our instructor) was impressed how well they handled their virtual planes. In the spare time, they used the 3D printers to create objects and laser engraver to engrave glasses.
Many thanks to Chris, Nathan, and their colleagues for teaching this camp and doing all of the legwork to make it successful.
Earlier last month, a bench was placed and dedicated in the honor of Karl F. Stroh, first graduate of Wayne College. It was an important mile marker in the history of the college accompanied with a ceremony to honor the occasion. The 3D lab was involved with the creation of a dedication plaque.
We used the laser engraver to create the plaque. The lasered text was not dark enough due to the plaque’s light colored inner material (MDF). By applying wood stain with a paper towel, the stain soaked into the engraved areas and wiped off the rest of the plaque, the latter being protected with polyurethane. It turned out beautifully!
The weekend before last, Smucker’s offered its Strawberry Jelly-Jamboree at the J.M. Smucker Company Store. A number of vendors showcased their wares with plenty of food, music, and activities for adults and kids. Wayne College had a presence at the event where we also demonstrated 3D printing. We brought the portable 3D printer along for the show (courtesy of the Romich Foundation) and printed small strawberries as handouts. The attraction was a hit; I talked non-stop for five hours. People of all ages were interested in 3D printing and that Wayne College offered its use for budding engineers and the community alike. Thanks to Nonya for the event invitation!
Lastly, our original 3D printer (courtesy of the Laura B. Frick Charitable Trust – PNC Bank, Trustee) was having problems with filament jamming in the middle of a print – no melted filament would come out of the nozzle. Thanks to the yearly service plan that we have through Makerbot, the company sent replacement extruder nozzles, heater blocks, and cooling fans. Not afraid of a challenge, Anthony did a wonderful job tearing the printer apart to install the replacements. Now our printer works perfectly again!
3D printing continues to invade areas of fabrication that goes beyond plastic. See how you can build a ceramic 3D printer for $700:
http://makezine.com/2014/08/13/build-a-700-ceramic-spitting-delta-3d-printer
You’ll be amazed how a robotic 3D printer will soon create a metal bridge over water in Amsterdam:
http://www.cnet.com/news/gravity-defying-3d-printer-to-print-bridge-over-water-in-amsterdam
Until next week,
Tom