Highline engineering student Andy Kieu has a productive hobby: 3D printing.
Keiu’s 3D printing journey began last summer, when his parents were looking for a new projector screen. When Kieu’s family went to the seller’s house to pick up the screen, they found out that the family was moving away and selling many other items as well. Among them was a 3D printer.
“Initially it was 30 percent off its MSRP, or Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price,” said Keiu. “But as time went by, the owners became a bit desperate and we ended up buying the 3D Printer at around 80 percent off its MSRP.”
Kieu said he feels lucky to have gotten such a good deal.
“When we took the printer home, I immediately started to search up videos on how to use a 3D printer and learned the faults and uses of it.”
Kieu discovered that 3D printers were a big step up from traditional 2D printers. Instead of ink on a flat piece of paper, 3D printers produce layers of plastic or powder to build a model from the bottom up.
Another difference between 2D and 3D printers is the blueprint that they use to interpret print designs. Rather than a Word document, 3D printers require a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) model.
CAD models help provide important information, like the dimensions and minute details of the design.
When the model is ready, the printer analyzes the CAD model from different angles to create various 2D cross-sections. Together, the cross-sections form new layers to be printed on top of each other, one at a time.
With the help of CAD modeling, Kieu has built a wide array of projects with his printer.
“So far I have made stuff like small models of animals, coat hangers, phone stands, Hot Wheels display stands, a hyperbolic paraboloid, etc.”
Kieu was also moved by the COVID-19 pandemic and used his printing abilities to create mask strap extenders, which relieve stress on the ear when wearing a mask.
“The biggest thing that I have made,” said Kieu, “is a 1:1 scale of a sword from one of my favorite video games, Kingdom Hearts. The sword was designed to be approximately 4 feet in height, but my printer was not capable of printing it all in one take.”
“It took me a while to decipher how to split the sword into smaller pieces and how to connect each individually printed piece together. It was just like putting together a very intricate puzzle with your own sophisticated design.”
If you’re interested in exploring 3D printing, Kieu said it’s important not to give up.
“It will be really frustrating to print stuff properly at first, since you’ll have to calibrate dozens of different things. But, if you have enough patience and Googling skills, the prints will come out smoothly.”
In the future, Kieu hopes to keep building new projects for himself and his friends. He is excited to learn how to build bigger and more complex models.
Catherine Rasgaitis is web editor of the Thunderword.