In an airy, first floor office in the Nasso Family Science Centre, StFX’s Resin 3D printer in the University Machine Shop seemingly can create things out of thin air—and that’s good news for StFX faculty and students.
“It really opened our eyes to what you can produce,” says Steve MacDonald, Senior Machinist and Design Specialist on the powerful new technology.
The printing technique is Stereolithography (SLA), which refers to a process in which a light source cures liquid resin, hardening it layer by layer.
“SLA 3D printers produce parts with smoother surface finishes, tighter tolerances, and higher dimensional accuracy than other 3D printing technologies,” Mr. MacDonald says. “These printers are ideally suited for functional prototyping, because they can closely match the look and performance of injection-molded parts, as well as for creating end-use products and tooling due to their excellent surface finish and extremely diverse sets of material properties.”
StFX purchased the resin 3D printer, which includes a smaller and a regular size printer, about a year and a half ago and it’s been a welcome addition to the services offered by the Machine Shop. It can print many types of 3D models for professional applications, used for both teaching and research.
For instance, Mr. MacDonald has worked with a biology professor to create a nautilus for research purposes. The Engineering Design and Graphics class has also visited the Machine Shop to learn about the printer. Students then worked with Mr. MacDonald to create 3D models for their design projects.
The printer has also been used to create parts that are obsolete or hard to find. The printer itself has been great in its efficiency: it speeds up everything. This is the second season StFX will be using the printer, and Mr. MacDonald says they had really good response from students.
MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR TEACHING, LEARNING, AND RESEARCH
StFX Dean of Science Dr. Joe Apaloo says he is excited about the availability of a high-quality resin 3D printer in the Faculty of Science.
“Interest in a 3D printer has been expressed by several departments in the Faculty of Science for at least six years. The printer will provide benefits to teaching and learning, and research. Bones, flow cells, robots, and other plastic pieces are examples of material that can be printed for academic purposes in the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science. Another specific area of importance is the opportunity now to print parts that can be used in various engineering courses.”
Dr. Frank Comeau, Chair of Engineering, notes “Practically all engineering schools give their students access to 3D printers because they are such an effective teaching tool. Interpreting drawings and visualizing physical pieces represented by those drawings is an important skill for engineering students to develop.”
Biology Department Chair Dr. Moira Galway as well as anatomy and physiology lab instructors say that replica model bones and muscles are a critical part of the teaching of human anatomy and physiology. The current collection already includes a locally printed 3D skull, and the new 3D printer makes printing of more model bones and muscles possible.
The importance of the technology extends beyond the Faculty of Science, Dr. Apaloo says, and will benefit other faculties and departments at StFX.
