This document summarizes how 3D printing is being used to inspire student designs at the university level. It provides examples of projects from Columbia University and the Savannah College of Art and Design where students used 3D printing for senior design projects involving a pan flute, drum tuner, robotic manipulator, and automatic bicycle gear shifting. It also discusses how 3D printing has supported engineering competition teams for designs involving Formula race cars, model airplanes, and solar-powered boats. Throughout, it highlights the benefits of 3D printing for prototyping complex parts and designs that would be difficult to make through other means.

1. Building Big Ideas
with 3D Printing:
Inspiring Student Designs
at the University Level

2. Welcome
• Host
 Jesse Roitenberg, Education Manager,
Stratasys, Inc.
• Presenters
 Robert Stark, Columbia University
• Lab Manager, Dept of Mechanical Engineering
 Justin Hopkins, Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD)
• Rapid Prototyping Lab Manager

3. Who is Stratasys
FDM Technology

4. Stratasys in Education
• Bishop Strachan School
• Air Academy High School
• King High School
• Niles Township High School
• Timken Senior High School
• Evanston High School
• Alpine Valley School District
• Sea-Tac Career Center
• Franklin County Tech Center
• Cornell University
• Columbia University
• Savannah College of Art &
Design
• Texas A&M University
• Pennsylvania State University
• Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
• Clemson University
• Virginia Military Institute
Middle / High Schools Colleges / Universities
Over 3,500 systems in classrooms globally!

5. Bob Stark
Lab Manager
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Columbia University
New York City
Columbia University

6. Integration of 3D Printing Into
Curriculum
• Gateway Course: Freshman course, an introduction into
engineering. Limited lab space and lack of training prevents the use
of CNC machining. Student’s designs are limited to laser cutting and
3D printing.
• Senior Capstone Design Course: Student groups choose their
own projects. Design, fabrication, testing, and presenting take place
in one semester. CNC machines, laser cutters, 3D printers, TIG and
MIG welding available to students. Even EDM if necessary.
• Engineering Competitions: SAE Formula One, AIAA Model
Airplane, FIRST Robotics, Solar Splash

7. Pan Flute Piano
(Senior Design Project 2011)
Project: fabricate an instrument that is played like a piano but is really a pan flute.
Challenge: How to bio-mimic the human mouth so that you can get the pipe to sound right.

8. Pan Flute
Pipe ends retrofitted with adjustable caps to allow tuning. Internal parts are FDM.

9. Pan Flute
These FDM “lips” were made on a Fortus 360. Made of ABS, they are based on a CAD
model of the human lips whose position is that of a pan flute player.

10. Pan Flute
View: looking into one of the “lips”

11. Drum Tuner
(Senior Design Project 2009)
Project: To design and fabricate a device that would be attached to a drum and could
automatically tune it. (As Bugs Bunny would say, “Ambitious, ain’t it?”)

12. Drum Tuner
Amazingly designed motor driven drum wrench. Stepper motor-worm drive.
Housing: all FDM parts. Note: pizeo-electric film senses drum vibration

13. Drum Tuner
Piezeo-electric film for sensing drum vibration

14. Drum Tuner
Solenoid hammer taps on drum during tuning.

15. Drum Tuner
By pulling up on handle, the worm gear mechanism is released
and you can attach the wrench to drum’s key.

16. Robotic Manipulator
(Senior Design 2010/On-Going Research)
Project: To fabricate a simple and inexpensive robotic manipulator
capable of grasping a wide variety of objects.

17. Robotic Manipulator
Complete with force sensors, one motor swivels the thumb.
The other motor pulls tension on the cable system, closing the fingers.

18. Robotic Manipulator
Latest generation hand

19. Robotic Manipulator
The motor pulls the cable tension while the force sensors measure the gripping force.

20. Automatic Gear Shifting for Bicycle
(Senior Design Project 2011)
Project: To design a device that will automatically switch the gears to the ideal
setting using various sensors and linear actuators to pull the derailleur cables.

21. Automatic Gear Shifting for
Bicycle
View shows the two linear actuators. Note quality of finish. It was obtained through sanding,
followed by several coats of primer, more sanding, and then two coats of enamel paint.

22. Automatic Gear Shifting for
Bicycle
Display also made from all FDM parts, including the captive push buttons.

23. SAE Formula One
Intake manifold (largest part to date made on our Fortus machine, 40 hours)

24. SAE Formula One
Competition rules require the air must be restricted through a small hole. FDM technology allows
designing into the part a precise and geometrically complex Venturi nozzle to minimize losses.

25. SAE Formula One
Internal ribs give great strength with minimum weight.

26. SAE Formula One
More parts for the engine.
These runners are not fun to fabricate out of steel tubing…believe me!

27. SAE Formula One
Made on an FDM 2000. Air Plenum for the 2009 car. Note the poor fiber-glassing job.

28. AIAA Model Airplane
Competition
Part of the fuselage (left) and wing joining hardware (right)

29. AIAA Model Airplane
Competition
Completed Hatch

30. AIAA Model Airplane
Competition
Hatch shown with motor mounted to front end.

31. AIAA Model Airplane
Competition
Rudder and vertical stabilizer all FDM parts

32. AIAA Model Airplane
Competition
Cross-section of fuselage. Note: plane had to carry tennis balls, hence the shape.

33. Wish I Had an FDM Machine
Back in 2000
Endurance propeller for Solar Splash boat 2000 competition. This is a 17 foot-long craft
piloted by one student. Material is Balsa wood and fiberglass. Made on a 3-axis CNC Milling
Machine, FADAL VMC-15. Believe me, this was a great experience but not easy to make this
propeller.

34. Solar Splash 2000
If I had to make this again I would rapid prototype it out of polycarbonate
and if necessary, fiberglass it for strength.

35. Cool Part
This human skull was modeled from actual MRI scans of someone’s skull.
Scaled down to 50% to save material. Made by Roger Goldman.

46. Extreme Redesign Challenge
• Contest for students
• Submit designs in engineering or art &
architecture
• 1st
place winners receive $2500
scholarships
• 2nd
& 3rd
place winners receive $1000
• Additional prizes for top 10 and
instructors of winning students
• Show school spirit for a possible
bonus prize
• Everyone gets a t-shirt!
• dimensionprinting.com/extremeredesign

47. More Information
• www.stratasys.com/fortus_education
 Download presentation
 Get sample part
 Read other customer stories
• Visit us at an upcoming
educational trade show

48. Questions?
More information:
www.stratasys.com/fortus_education