Adventures in 3D Printing

Engineering can be an adventure! Students that attended the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s Adventures in 3D Printing Camp, hosted at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) got to spend an entire week experiencing just that. The camp offered students the opportunity to explore engineering through engaging, hands-on activities. 

Participants learned about the engineering design process, designed a product using Autodesk Inventor software, brought it to life using 3D printing technology, and tested it in the engineering workshop.  

The full-day, weeklong camp had 25 middle school-aged participants. Each day, the students met in a computer lab where they spent time designing two projects: a pulley system and a hinge. Once each group completed their designs on Autodesk Inventor, they printed them on the 3D printer in one of the engineering labs on TAMU-CC's campus.  

Aref Mazloum, Assistant Professional Professor in Mechanical Engineering at TAMU-CC, along with student staff, led the students through the week’s activities.  

“So much of engineering is theoretical, and that can be hard for young students to grasp. I enjoy teaching 3D printing because it shows students a practical application of engineering, not just a theoretical one,” said Mazloum. 

Mazloum’s goal for teaching this camp is to show students how engaging and rewarding a career in engineering can be.  

"I want this week to be an eye-opening experience for these students, and I hope that these activities spark a passion for engineering within them,” said Mazloum.