Additive Manufacturing Lab

Catalog description

Explore various aspects of 3D printing. Topics will vary by semester, depending on the current technology and advancements in the field. This laboratory course provides an integrated approach to additive manufacturing and reverse engineering. The course introduces basic operating procedures for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printers and gives instruction on repair, troubleshooting, and print optimization techniques. The laboratory examines the important relationships between 3D printing parameters and the final object¿s material properties. In addition, reverse engineering and rapid prototyping topics are covered. The laboratory exercises provide students with a broad appreciation of the current technological capabilities of FDM 3D printing and an understanding of when to implement the technology over a traditional manufacturing technique. Written technical and research reports and proposals, Inventor models, and 3D printed models are the primary basis for grading.