STRATASYS 3D PRINTING LAB
In 2014, Queensborough Community College (QCC) received a CUNY 2020 grant to help accelerate local economic development. The grant mandated that the recipients connect academic programs with businesses. QCC chose to focus on building a world-class 3D printing lab where students and businesses collaborate on 3D printed parts.
Michael Lawrence, an educator in the engineering department at QCC, explains “To maximize our budget and impact we focused on the most sophisticated 3D printers possible. If we don’t have state-of-the-art equipment, there’s no reason for businesses to come to us.”
QCC now has a Fortus 450mc, which can create rugged, impact-resistant, functional parts in production-grade thermoplastics, and has the ability to build with biocompatible materials; and the Stratasys J750 3D Printer, which yields high-resolution models for design verification or ultra-realistic models. The complimentary functionality and unmatched capabilities of both FDM and PolyJet technology ensures the lab and it’s technology will remain relevant for years to come.
With 3D printing, QCC undergraduates can transfer project experience directly to career paths through working relationships with potential employers and hands-on experience with actual business cases. Lawrence says: “The experience is symbiotic. Our students get real-world experience working on meaningful projects and see the interworking of organizations. This is an excellent way to align formal internships and build relationships with hiring managers.”
