JMU's 3-D Printing Club Teaches Students More about the Developing Technology

For students who have taken a class inside the 3-D printing lab in Burruss Hall, watching layers of filament form into a small object of their own design is nothing new. Examples of objects that have been made in the lab are on display there, including knots, molecules and other objects the students have designed themselves.

One professor used the lab to study knots. A chemistry class once visited the lab to print models of molecules. A cube with the JMU letters on it, was printed during the first meeting last Thursday of the brand new 3-D Printing Club.

The club is a dream come true for students who want to try their hand at designing and printing models. It will allow access to printers for students interested in learning how to use one — a privilege which was previously only available to students taking a class in the lab.

As part of the College of Science and Mathematics, 3-Space, the lab that the club is affiliated with, was started by Laura Taalman, a mathematics professor. Now several classes are taught there, including GSCI 104, Scientific Perspectives, a lab course that can fulfill a general education requirement.

This lab is one of three 3-D printing labs on campus, but the only one that’s open to students of all majors — the first of its kind at JMU. 

However, consumer-level 3-D printing technology is still developing, and isn’t necessarily user-friendly yet.

“It’s not like an iPhone, where you have all your things, and they’re all in the right place and you know how to do them,” Rebecca Field, an associate professor of mathematics and faculty adviser to the club, said. 

Since only a few classes have been scheduled in the lab so far, there was some hope that the space could be utilized more — especially by underclassmen who often find it hard to win a seat in the classes that take place there. This aspiration led Field to offer her GSCI 104 students an opportunity to look into founding a club in the lab as their final project. 

“The idea is … to make the process easier on people, making it so you don’t have to go out and search out these opportunities, but they’re there for you,” Field said. “The idea is to create a knowledgeable techie community that can nurture itself.”  

The club will also offer those who previously took a class in the lab an opportunity to continue experimenting with 3-D printing.

“[The club] expands the kinds of horizons of what people can do,” Patrick Moran, a sophomore computer information systems major and lab technician of the club, said. “It allows them to be more inventive.”

A few of the possible activities of the new club include learning about the maintenance of the machines, buying older machines in order to alter their hardware and exploring printing with new materials, such as chocolate. Since classes have more restriction on what they can do in the lab, these activities will be new for most members, whether they took GSCI 104 or not.

The club will begin recruiting new members in the fall and doing safety and general information workshops in order to teach new members the ropes. Not all of the founding members of the club have had experience with 3-D printing yet, but they are excited to learn more and meet others who are interested in the topic.

“I want a lot of people to join,” Derek Wilus, a junior mathematics and statistics double major and treasurer of the club, said. “I feel like it’d be a great experience for anyone.” 

According to the president of the club, Robert Hedrick, a senior intelligence analysis major, there are benefits to the club being open to different majors.

“I think that’s what is great about it,” Hedrick said. “When you get more people from different backgrounds to come together, then you’re going to come up with new ideas.” 

The experienced members of the club are happy to share their knowledge of 3-D printing with others.

“I’m excited about getting the word out about 3-D printing, providing students with the opportunity to come in here and design anything they want to,” Hedrick said. “It’s just kind of amazing that you can come in here, pull anything out of your imagination, and then see it built in front of you.”