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Lehigh University

31/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2024 01:20

Lehigh Expands 3D Printing Capabilities with New Hub at Mountaintop Campus

To meet the growing demand for 3D printing resources, Lehigh's Design Labshas established a new 3D printing hub on the Mountaintop campus. Located in Building C's 'crescent' in the former PSECU storefront, the new hub is centrally located making it convenient for those on Mountaintop campus and easy to find.

The 3D printing hub is the newest addition to Design Labs, which boasts five main lab spaces across two locations. In Wilbur, there is the MakerSpace, Additive Manufacturing Lab (3D printing lab) and Electronics Design Studio. Meanwhile, in Building C, the Design Lab operates a woodshop, a metal shop and various digital fabrication technologies, including CNC plasma cutters, CNC routers and laser cutting tools.

"As the Design Labs continue to grow and collaborate with more departments, student clubs, and campus organizations, enhancing hands-on experiential learning across all of Lehigh's colleges, we need to ensure these resources are as available and accessible as possible," Brian Slocum, director of the Design Labs, says. "Adding this 3D print hub at Mountaintop will complement our existing facilities and make the work flow more efficient to students and faculty who spend most of their time at the Mountaintop campus."

The hub at the Mountaintop campus joins the existing facilities at Wilbur, which feature 30 networked filament printers, high-resolution SLA printers, a powder bed nylon printer and direct metal printing capabilities. Filament printers, commonly known as FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) printers, use thermoplastic filaments to create objects layer by layer, while high-resolution SLA (Stereolithography) printers use a laser to cure liquid resin into hardened plastic, providing finer details and smoother finishes. Over its decade-long operation, the 3D printing facilities at Wilbur have accumulated more than 120,000 print hours across 40,000 projects, serving students from various disciplines.

Simeon Krizan, a graduate assistant in the Lehigh Design Lab, works at the 3D Printing Hub.

The Mountaintop hub adds 10 more filament printers and an advanced, larger-scale SLA printer. This strategic enhancement aims to reduce the high traffic and wait times experienced at Wilbur during peak times and encourages greater student engagement at Building C.

Mike Moore, the manager of Design Labs at Mountaintop, says the hub welcomes students from all colleges and majors, with or without 3D printing experience.

"Staffed throughout the day by knowledgeable Design LabsTech Fellows willing and able to help everyone make use of this amazing technology, the 3D print hub is accessible to even the most novice user, Moore says. "Additionally, all the printers are networked, allowing students to send their designs to the printer from their dorms and then come to pick up the final product"

Nicholas Sawicki, an associate professor and chair of department art, architecture, and design (AAD) appreciates the new 3D printers as essential tools for rapid prototyping in research and teaching. He says these devices enable students and faculty to quickly develop and physically realize designed objects.

"AAD is heavily integrated with 3D printing in our curriculum. Our students frequently utilize these technologies in the classroom for various assignments and projects," he says. "The new lab will not only benefit our department but will also support a diverse range of disciplines and extracurricular clubs that utilize the existing studios, labs, and shops at the Mountaintop Campus."

He also notes the increasing demand from students as a driving force behind the new lab's establishment.

"The Mountaintop Campus is gaining recognition as a center for innovation, increasingly drawing students from diverse departments and programs," Sawicki says.

In alignment with the objectives of Lehigh's strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers, the 3D printing hub has been funded by the Future Maker Grants.

Chris Cook, interim vice president for finance and administration, emphasizes the transformative impact of the new hub on the Mountaintop campus.

"At Lehigh University, students are the future makers," Cook says. "Our new 3D printing hub exemplifies our commitment to fostering an environment of innovation and creativity. This expansion not only enhances our facilities but also significantly bolsters our capacity to support students' development through hands-on, experiential learning. The Mountaintop campus is becoming a central hub for innovation, drawing students from diverse disciplines to collaborate and bring their ambitious projects to life."

Story by Haidan Hu