3D Printing

Think you could create a 3-Dimensional object using a printer? The Dimension BST 768 does just that with about the same effort it takes to send a text file to a home printer.

The model’s design is all done within a CAD program. Once the design is complete, the related information file is ready to be sent to the printer. The system then builds the 3-D model of highly durable ABS plastic, starting from the bottom of the model and moving up to the top with each model printing out one layer at a time.

The printer helps dramatically lower the cost of creating models because users can test and retest without having to wait weeks to see results. The inks housed within the machines are blue, green, yellow, red, black and white. Any kind of model can be made with the BST 768: cars, puzzles, game controller covers, jars, airplane models and even 3-D print outs of human faces.

Honeywell security systems purchased a 3-D printer to create models for their home system’s casing. After running a test model through the printer they realized that the casing was too small. But by using the 3-D printer, they were able to retest the models more quickly without having to send them out for rendering by other companies. This technology helped them save more than $100,000.

How can they be used on campus? To advance students’ and teachers’ engineering experiences and help them acquire the skills they needed to further succeed in the world of business technology.