FORT COLLINS, Colo. — An idea can come to life thanks to 3D printers at the Idea2Product (I2P) lab at Colorado State University, and more students are following their passion to learn the tools and complete trainings to work in the lab.
The lab was previously located in the basement of the Engineering Building, but this semester, students are thriving in the new space and working on more printers.
Caroline Van Tiggelen, I2P program coordinator, explained that while the core of the lab usage comes from engineering students, there are still a variety of students who come, including both undergraduate and graduate students. Evidently, with more Rams coming to use the lab, it was clear many were eager to explore this technology.
Maggy Wolanske
“I2P has been a growing program since it started a decade ago, and the interest has definitely grown,” said Van Tiggelen. “But not only has the interest grown, it’s become super easy for anybody to use. So with that, we have had a lot more usage of it in space and so we needed to expand.”
Students purchase a $23 semester lab pass and get unlimited access to all the equipment and materials. Van Tiggelen explained that students with classes involved with I2P do not have to pay this fee.
- Watch two students working in the lab in the video player below:
Students work at the Idea2Product lab at CSU
Van Tiggelen said they have trained over 800 students this semester and have 950 printed name cards, which indicates that a student has completed the training, which exceeds previous years.
“The amount of students that we’ve trained this semester matches the amount of students that were trained in the last two years of I2P previously,” Van Tiggelen said.
Now in the new space, Van Tiggelen said they were able to double the number of printers and purchase other items they needed. There is also an innovative way to help reduce the waste made from 3D printing.
Maggy Wolanske
“Well, 3D printing definitely produces waste, I think the statistics are close to 30% of the filament you use is actually waste through like support materials that are not useful or field prints. So all of that waste we sort, we granulate, dehydrate, and then we put through an injection molding machine so we can make them into new products,” Van Tiggelen said.
Daniel Berning could be spotted working on a design in the lab. He is a senior studying mechanical engineering, and said he has come to the lab every semester.
“3D printing is an awesome way to learn more about how something will function,” said Berning. “We’re getting to the point where at some point, you might see more 3D printed things in your life, but yeah, there’s a lot of things you can do with 3D printing.”
Maggy Wolanske
While many Rams let their creativity soar in the lab, Sung Kang easily stood out as he was working on the ensemble for ODST from Halo 3. He was inspired to take on this “side project” around Labor Day, but as Halloween started to approach, he knew he had to complete it in time.
“Essentially, everything that isn’t basically fabric, I made here in the lab, the visor, resin printed, helmet, armor, everything, all from the lab,” Kang said.
While the outfit Kang made was for Halloween, he did say he would “maybe” wear it again for “funsies,” but “can’t imagine this to be a regular thing.”
However, no matter the season or creation, these students recognize that innovation prints endless possibilities.
Denver7
