Revolutionary 3D Printer Introduces Queensborough Students to Transformational Healthcare Technology
Dental molds, anatomical hearts and arms, architectural models, Robotics, set design, props, costumes and much more. These are just a few powerful examples of what can be manufactured with the breakthrough technology of the Stratasys J750 Printer. Queensborough is one of very few institutions in the U.S. to have the 3D printer.
“We want our students to become 'Workforce Ready' graduates. One way to accomplish that is to give our students access to industry-level technology,” said Michael D. Lawrence, a Lecturer in the Engineering Technology Department at Queensborough.
The Engineering Technology 3-D Lab is funded by a CUNY2020 grant which focuses on helping local businesses gain a competitive advantage through exposure to and training in the latest manufacturing technologies and techniques. The success of engineering technology students in their courses and the workforce depends on the knowledge and training they receive from the exercises and experiments they perform in the laboratory, as well as the theories they are taught in the classroom. Because of the constant changing of technology, the laboratory equipment must be kept up to date and upgraded to today’s industrial standards. With the latest equipment students have a unique opportunity to master the topics and the materials of the engineering technology industry.
“The momentum of 3-D printing to transform manufacturing means industries will need employees who understand how to use the new technology. The grant will support the students as they train to become highly skilled at using 3-D printers and computer drafting software,” said Stuart M. Asser, Professor and Chairperson, Engineering Technology. Professor Asser, Principal Investigator of the proposal, added that 3-D printing has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything. 3-D printing is giving our students the ability to imagine new products and designs and then create them. Queensborough’s Engineering Technology faculty has been researching, teaching and developing the potential of 3-D printing for years.
“We hope to encourage rich collaborations between faculty, students and local businesses that will solve manufacturing problems and lead to job opportunities. We encourage students from all departments to leverage the lab resources in external competitions as several of our students did for the Capital One Entrepreneurship Competition. Also, we encourage faculty members from all departments to leverage the lab resources for research,” said Mr. Lawrence.
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