3D Printing/Laser Cutting-Etching/Fabrication Applications in Chemistry
Welcome to the MACTLAC 3D Printing Breakout Session
About the workshop leader, Lon Porter, Ph.D
Professor Porter received his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has enjoyed teaching chemistry at Wabash College for 15 years, where he established the Wabash College 3D Printing & Fabrication Center (3D-PFC). His most recent CAD and 3D fabrication work appears in the Journal of Chemical Education.
Workshop Overview
User-Friendly Digital Instrument Plans for STEM Educators: 3D Printable Resources for Student Exploration of Instrument Design and Performance
While much has been accomplished in developing low-cost instruments using children’s building blocks and household items, greater access to 3D printing via community makerspaces and university fabrication centers allows educators to transcend the limitations of conventional tooling. The recent and accelerating advances in computer-aided design (CAD) and 3D printing methods provide access to innovative approaches in the development of new educational tools. While this evolving technology offers great potential, the barrier to entry is often intimidating for those unfamiliar with CAD software and fabrication equipment. This workshop will guide participants in the digital design of a colorimeter or fluorimeter instrument for lab use. Participants will also be provided access to a user-friendly set of computer-aided design (CAD) models and stereolithography (STL) files is shared for the production of simple and inexpensive 3D printed analytical instruments. These designs allow educators to provide active learners with tools for constructing instruments in activities aimed at exploring the technology and fundamental principles related to quantitative analysis. The digital models described here are flexible in design, printed quickly, and each requires less than a dollar’s worth of plastic filament. Once printed, the resulting instruments perform very well when compared to commercially available tools.