Dive Brief:
- In its first year, the State University of New York at New Paltz’s 3D printing center has won a $10 million state grant and $850,000 in funding for a new 3D printing laboratory.
- SUNY New Paltz was the first of several university centers that MakerBot has outfitted with 3D printers and supporting devices.
- The university center has also inspired workshops for K-12 educators and a two-semester course in digital design and fabrication for community members, eCampus News reported.
Dive Insight:
For the university’s School of Science and Engineering, the 3D printing center contributes to the digital design and fabrication class. About 50 businesses and entrepreneurs utilize the digital design and fabrication expertise supported by the center. Innovations that have resulted include an industrial venting system, a motorcycle grip that allows drivers to honk a horn without taking their eyes off the road, and a robotic hand that allows a boy without fingers on his left hand to grasp objects.