UAWC3 Lab (Page 19)

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 computerRead More →

Hello everyone, It was another busy week in the 3D Lab which is amazing for the summer session.  We are teaching staff and community members how to use the laser engraver for a variety of needs.  It is also a way to observe how it is used, aiding in developing usage and safety procedures.  The summer break provides time to write documentation, signs, and posters to make the lab easier to use.  Our first 3D printer (the Makerbot Replicator 2X) is in need of repair, so that is a project as well.  There is always something that needs improved or fixed in that lab; thoughRead More →

Hello everyone, We are into our third week of the 3D Lab summer camp where kids from the Orrville Area Boys and Girls Club build radio controlled airplanes using laser cutters, 3D printers, and other technology.  Anthony is learning the ins and outs of the new resin 3D printer, while Kaleb is laser engraving items for the first time.  It’s amazing to see how busy the 3D Lab is, even in the middle of summer. Last week, Chris (our camp instructor) showed the kids how to laser cut their planes from a single sheet of foam board.  He created an amazing setup where the laserRead More →

Hello everyone, It’s been an exciting week in the 3D Lab.  Even though the lab sees less use by students during the summer, our staff is making good use of the equipment.  Various employees are learning the laser engraver which involves studying a safety guide, taking a written safety & use test, and demonstrating proper use.  This technology is more approachable and easier to use than 3D printing; it allows people to become interested in making and inventing with basic computer skills. Our summer camp is into its second week and is a big success.  Last week, kids from the Orrville Area Boys and GirlsRead More →

Hello everyone, Our kids summer camp is off to a good start.  Not only did the Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club fly radio controlled aircraft for the first time, members of the Wayne County R/C Flight Club joined us!  It was an exciting time for the kids with Chris and Nathan as camp instructors.  We’ll report more on this next week. The big news in the 3D Lab is the laser engraver is now fully operational!  The Maintenance Department connected the exhaust fan (to remove smoke/fumes), the air compressor feed (to reduce flare-ups while cutting), and T.S.S. connected the engraver to our network. WeRead More →

Hello everyone, The 3D Lab at Wayne College is undergoing equipment upgrades and improvements over the summer, so we certainly have our hands busy.  We are happy to announce that two additional 3D printers have been awarded by Carl E. Congdon, Jr. and Susanna Congdon McIntyre Memorial Fund, a component of the Wayne County Community Foundation.  This equipment will help us alleviate the heavy use of our existing printers and reducing wait times of students wanting to use them.  This is especially important during “crunch times” when student projects are due. The new printers (Lulzbot Taz 5) support multi-material printing, including rubber filament (wheels, gaskets,Read More →

With summer classes starting this week, the 3D Lab is taking a break to recover from a hectic Spring semester.  We have a lot of work planned to improve the room and prepare for the coming semester.  Some of the larger projects involve the installation of the laser engraver and resin 3D printer, improvements of our filament recycling system, and preparing for summer camp with the Orrville Area Boys and Girls Club.  We are thankful to have staff in the 3D Lab over the summer to help with these endeavors. Early last month, the Replay for Kids organization hosted a workshop at Wayne College. VolunteersRead More →

Hello everyone, With the spring semester officially ending this Saturday, activity is temporarily winding down in the 3D Lab.  We have a lot planned for this summer’s work.  The laser engraver will be fully installed as well as a new resin printer and up to three more 3D printers to setup and learn.  These will better handle the printing demand during the upcoming fall semester.  With our summer community outreach, we plan to present at the OHECC conference at Miami University about our experiences in building a makerspace.  And starting soon is a 10-week summer camp that teaches kids from the Orrville Boys and GirlsRead More →

With finals being underway this week, students use the 3D Lab to complete homework, tutor each other, study for finals, 3D print items of interest, and just “hang-out”.  It is a wonderful place for collaboration for disciplines of many types, not just engineering. Even as the semester draws to a close, plans are already in the works for an exciting summer, especially for the Orrville Boys and Girls Club.  We are organizing a summer camp where kids will build model R/C airplanes from scratch.  This project involves most technology in the room, including laser cutting, 3D printing, electronics, and vinyl cutting.  Stay tuned for moreRead More →

Hello everyone, This was an exciting week for engineering students in the Dynamics class.  Having finished calculating, designing, and fabricating model rockets (most of them 3D printed), students and onlookers withstood a cold, windy Monday morning to watch their rockets take flight.  Most rockets flew straight and true, quickly lost in the low hanging clouds above.  There were some interesting designs including a triple-engine rocket that regrettably ran haywire from one engine that failed to ignite.  Some parachutes deployed and some did not as students scoured the surrounding field when the rockets hit ground. Rocket nosecones, including the huge triple-engine nosecone Preparing rockets for launchRead More →