3D Printing Open House
Friday, April 20, 12:30pm-3pm
Tyler Haynes Commons Game Room
| 12:30PM | Printing Demo (see the printer, software, and how it prints) |
| 12:45PM | Designing Demo (briefly see some of the software such as Google SketchUp) that can be used for design and export to the printer) |
| 1:00PM | In the Sciences (especially for natural, physical, mathematical, computer, and social sciences – see examples of how science software can create output for printing as well as the results of some faculty collaborations) |
| 1:30PM | In the Arts (humanities and fine arts – see an example of use in a current art course) |
| 2:00PM | Student 3D printing (sharing from students who acquired a similar printer and presented a poster at the A&S student symposium last week and possibly from those in the course that worked with the CTLT printer also) |
| 2:15PM | 3D Printer Choices (the CTLT and students bought different technologies and there are several other choices – what should people look for in a printer and what printing services exist for people not wanting their own printer?) |
| 2:30PM | Printing Demo (show the printer, software, and how it prints) |
| 2:45PM | Prize Drawing (drop your name and contact info in the bowl for a chance of getting the printed things from the CTLT printer) |
Seeing 3D printing (at least low-cost 3D printing) as an emerging technology, the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology purchased a Makerbot Thing-O-Matic printer to explore what the interest might be for it to enrich courses. It has been running since December, and we have experimented with its use with a handful of faculty for both teaching and research (click on the Printing Examples tab on this site to see some of them). Obviously, it has its pros and cons but that helps to find the boundaries for its best use.
This open house is meant to share what has been going on with the printer and help people see what is possible and a glimpse of what it will be like when 3D printers are commonplace.
There were not a lot of considerations for timing this open house because late April was the first time that worked across multiple schedules. Even though it is the last day of classes and there are many competitions for time, especially final deadlines for projects and upcoming final exams, we hope people can take a short break and take a peek at this thing and what people are doing with it. In fact, a group have students acquired a similar 3D printer and are beginning their own experimentation now (see open house schedule in the flyer below).
If you’re reading this, we hope to see you at the Tyler Haynes Game Room this Friday afternoon to see the printer and give us feedback.