Entering the Third Dimension
Carlson says students are the main users of the 3D printer to produce samples of projects they have designed. Other notable 3D jobs:
- The psychology department faculty asked the in-plant to produce a tray to be used for studying water worms, and they were so pleased with the result, they ordered 10 more.
- SDSU Parking Services asked the in-plant to replicate an internal plastic piece that had broken on one of its handheld ticketing devices. A student worker measured the broken part, designed a new one and used the 3D printer to create it. It fit perfectly.
At the University of Nebraska, the in-plant's first paying 3D job was the creation of 200 letter N's (for Nebraska) to be given to grade school students. The shop has printed battery tubes, iPhone cases, pendants, animal figures, furniture prototypes, a topographical map of the Ashfall Fossil Beds dig site and numerous student class projects. Many customers get their designs from MakerBot's Thingiverse website.
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
