I'd love to know more about your recommendations for the printers and software that worked so well (just a 5% failure rate!) for RRAMI. Do you have video of the printers in action?

Our college of engineering also had a face shield response effort, utilizing our laser cutter and purchased plastic materials: https://www.lipscomb.edu/news/peugeot-center-pi...

Fabulous information!

This is an interesting project and has lots of potential. What did the students learn?  Was this project tied to a specific course? What roles did students play in this process?  Did they design and redesign the product?  Can this be used in project-based learning for students in which they not only have to learn about the technology of the process but also design, business issues and employability skills? 

Your video made me really happy because it was directly targeted at solving a crisis through engineering. The presentation was clear, succinct and didn't need bells and whistles to deliver the thesis. Congratulations. 

Excellent way to promote 3D technology!! Logistically, how were facial shields and masks were delivered to the frontline workers, hospitals, nursing homes, etc.? What are the metrics for  measuring the broader impacts?   Thanks in advance for sharing.

Thank you for your questions!

We quarantined the products for about 3 to 4 days, and then had volunteers to come and pick up boxes of the face shields for delivery. We used social media to handle a lot of the coordination of the incoming materials as well as maintaining regional awareness and targeting needs.

The broader impacts are being tracked through overall statewide student enrollment in our additive literacy courses, the number of sites adopting our curriculum, and site reporting of projects that are occurring through additive manufacturing. 

 We especially use social media to track student employment in the additive field and what former students are doing with the technology once they hit the workforce. 

 Every new product that enters an Etsy store that is 3D printed, every small business that adopts low cost additive manufacturing for product or equipment enhancement, every job posting that we can capture. we try to collect it all through social media and encourage our students to share what they are doing and what they see being done with the technology. 

We will be talking about some of this on 5-14-21 for those interested in virtually attending: 4th Virtual Symposium on Affordable Additive Manufacturing

Link: shorturl.at/szEF4

 The RRAMI project is a great example of innovation and being responsive in the moment. How has this experience influenced the way in which instructors across Kentucky approach their teaching and projects they do with students?