Location
Constraints
- Budget constraints:Our project is limited by a tight budget that restricts purchases of metal powders, build plates, PPE, and other essential materials.
- Schedule constraints:The project timeline is constrained by shared access to the metal 3D printer, long lead times for powder procurement and machining, and fixed academic deadlines.
- Site or environmental constraints:Operations must comply with IDEA Lab space limitations, ventilation and negative-pressure requirements, and environmental rules governing powder containment and disposal.
- Operational and safety constraints:Strict safety regulations for handling reactive metal powders and operating the MLab 100R limit who can perform tasks and how frequently printing can occur.
- Technical constraints:The build volume, surface-finish limitations, and parameter restrictions of the metal 3D printer constrain part geometry, tolerances, and design choices.
Tasks
- We successfully commissioned the metal 3D printer and produced the first diagnostic part, establishing a complete workflow from powder preparation to post-processing.
- We designed a transparent, negative-pressure enclosure to ensure powder safety and maintain clear visibility for demonstrations and training.
- We selected three representative parts to showcase structural design and basic FEA for teaching and outreach.
Schedule
Budget
