For the second year in a row, the Ruth Lilly Medical Library Makerspace welcomed anesthesiology students for an immersive workshop on 3D printing. Led by the Makerspace manager, Cassandra Jones-VanMieghem, the session gave 20 students hands-on experience and insight into the potential of 3D printing technology in healthcare.

Students embarked on a journey through the 3D printing process, from selecting a suitable model to preparing it for printing using our Slicing software. A Slicer is a piece of software used in 3D printing to convert digital 3D models into instructions that a 3D printer can understand, by slicing the model into thin layers and mapping out a path for the printer to follow. Students learned to navigate the Slicing software to optimize the 3D model for printing, learning crucial techniques along the way. Once the model was ready for printing, Cassandra showed the students how to load material into the 3D printers and send the file to print.

 

The highlight of the workshop was handing out a 3D-printed larynx model to each student, serving as a trophy of their newly acquired skills. These replicas not only symbolize their learning journey in the Makerspace but also provide a valuable educational resource as a study aid.

If you are interested in learning to 3D print, contact the RLML Makerspace via email at rlmltech@iu.edu or walk-in to talk with the staff members, Cassandra and Amanda, during their open hours (Monday – Friday: 10am – 4pm).