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Students and faculty can now immediately assess the integrity and strength of 3D printed parts, among other improvements, thanks to a grant from DENSO Corporation. 

The equipment purchases include an X-ray CT Scanner and an Electronics 3D Printer. The existing 3D printers, such as the metal 3D printer acquired with a 2018 DENSO grant, can be used to fabricate next-generation parts for automotive and other applications. 

The Fortune 500 global developer and manufacturer of automotive components as well as robotics equipment, and its philanthropic arm DENSO North America Foundation, have a long history of supporting project-based learning in manufacturing at ��ɫ����. 

Leveraging new infrastructure as part of the Beach Launch Pad facilities renovations, this equipment will fuel faculty research and student projects in the College of Engineering’s multidisciplinary lab spaces. 

Despite their strength, 3D printed parts are subject to quality variation, with issues like inconsistent core density contributing to durability issues. Once part is printed, however, it can be challenging to assess the core’s quality.  

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The CT scanner will provide imaging of the internal geometry of 3D printed products, providing effective and meticulous assessment, and leading to higher durability and safety. This type of quality assessment is essential for automotive-related design, which can complement the shortcomings of additive manufacturing to be utilized in real applications. 

The Electronics 3D Printer uses nano-metallic ink to create conductive electronic traces in microarray technology and polymer electronics. With its impressive 5µm positioning and resolution capabilities, it ensures the exact deposition of pico-liter volumes, guaranteeing uniformity in feature size and ink volume distribution on substrates. 

This could pave the way for so many exciting new possibilities: Biomedical Engineering faculty can use the technology to create customizable components for disabled and differently-abled drivers. Professors in the Electrical Engineering Department already propose to use it for research on wearable electronics, microfluidics, and organ-on-chip applications.  

“We are well-positioned to make the most of this equipment with a major renovation about to begin of our project-based learning facilities, including an Advanced Manufacturing Lab,” said Dean Jinny Rhee. 

Project-based learning a critical – and even more so for the demographic of students we serve. Long-term retention of content is cited to be 5% when learned through passive lectures; it increases to 75%-85% for content learned through a lecture, which is then applied to a project.  

With almost 60% of our students being the first in their families to graduate from college, and 55% of them being Pell Grant eligible, it is especially important for our curriculum to provide a comprehensive understanding of the material and the faculty mentorship that comes with project supervision, since they are less likely to have parents or mentors in the field who could provide such context.   

DENSO North America Foundation’s support for advanced manufacturing equipment will support our college’s strategy to level up project-based learning to produce the graduates needed by industry.