Antje Cramer Capstone
Accessibility in the Shop
For my capstone project, I created resources to help new engineers in SLA get their footing. I started by labeling each machine with easy to read, laminated cards. Then, I focused on the laser cutter, which was about to endure the Rube Goldberg project, which uses it heavily. The guide that already existed was bare-bones, so I added a lot more detail. After the laser cutter guide was finished, I was unsure of what to do next. That’s when mr. Kamal introduced me to the wonderful world of 3D printing. Over a few months, I wrote tutorials for all four printer models in the shop. Each tutorial is connected to a 3D printing master document. It has a set of stats comparing each printer alongside recommended uses. For example, the Form 2 is arduous to use and clean, but the result is beautifully smooth. Alongside the master document, I printed the same model on each printer. I chose 3DBenchy as the example model, which is a small cartoon boat commonly used to calibrate printers. I then mounted them side by side. Using the mount, a beginner can scan the QR code and reference the example prints to decide which printer to use. Overall, this project was engaging the whole way through. I never thought I’d be interested in 3D printing; it always seemed too limited to be useful. I’m more excited than ever to learn more, and maybe even get a printer of my own in the future.
Above are the example prints and the 3D printing master document.
