New 3D printing course adding layers of hands-on experience
Published: Apr 25, 2024 8:00 AM
By Jeremy Henderson
A new introductory course held in the state-of-the-art 11,000-square-foot makerspace on the ground floor of the Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center is delivering solid layers of 3D printing experience to Auburn engineering students.
"Fundamentals of 3D Printing" allows students exposure to the theory, technologies, modeling software and hardware of additive manufacturing through both lectures and lab sessions. Topics covered include the strengths and limitations of 3D printing, sourcing and creating 3D models, processing files for printing, applying advanced slicing techniques and evaluating part quality.
"But throughout, students are also working in teams to design and print a functional object they create themselves," course instructor and makerspace director Bob Ashurst, Uthault Family Associate Professor of chemical engineering, said. "The idea is for them to fulfill an unmet need or address some deficiency in an existing object."
And they have. Ashurst says he's impressed with the designs and final prints produced during the course's first semester.
"It's an immersive project that allows students to experience the entire 3D-printing workflow," he said "It's been really rewarding to see them combine creativity with some practical engineering skills. That's the sort of hands-on experience that makes the makerspace such a great resource for equipping students with the skills to really shape the future. It's definitely been a success."
Senior chemical engineering student Grace Kovakas agrees.
Kovakas, the makerspace assistant in charge of the prototype shop and its dozens of Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printers (which run practically 24 hours a day) since her sophomore year, actually helped devise ENGR 2030.
"It's hard to cram in everything users need to know in an hour-long workshop because you just need that repitition," Kovakas said. "I can't remember who said it first but I was just like 'can we make this an actual class?'
"So, we sat down and designed it and then submitted it as an official course proposal and it got approved. I wanted people to have the confidence of understanding the basic principles of the 3D printer and how to slice very well. And now they're truly getting that."
Grace Kovakas, a senior in chemical engineering in charge of the Design and Innovation Center's prototype shop, helped devise a course that introduces students to 3D printing.
