I found out about this course from an email I received from the Zicklin School which was an email with a list of special courses being offered during the following semester. When I received this email, I had already signed up for all the courses I intended to take during the Fall 2014 semester. However, since I am majoring in Business Management – Entrepreneurship and minoring in Art, adding this course to my course load was a no brainer for me. I was excited about taking this course, but I had no background in 3D printing when I signed up for the course so I was not exactly sure what to expect.
Prior to the first day of class, I had no exposure to 3D printing so the video clip that was shown on the first day was an eye opening experience for me. The possibilities of 3D printing that the video clip touched upon were like ideas I was used to seeing in science fiction movies. Although the future that 3D printing was said to hold in the video was inspiring, the ideas all seemed unrealistic to me. However, this changed when I started to read “Fabricated.” By learning the processes involved in 3D printing and reading about what has already been done and the ways in which the existing technologies can be applied to future technologies, the endless possibilities of 3D printing has become more and more of a reality for me.
The most interesting part of the course for me thus far has been the utilization of SketchUp to create the actual design files. Using the software has given me the opportunity to experience the limitations mentioned in “Fabricated” first hand relating to converting a 3D design idea into a physical 3D printed object. It has given me the opportunity to experience the difficulty of converting a 3D design idea into an actual 3D design file. However, despite the difficulties involved, the studio exercise assignments are what I have found myself most indulged in and I have found myself spending hours trying to make small details in a particular design “just right.” I am intrigued by SketchUp giving me the ability to create intricately detailed design files that can actually be printed into final products and I hope to further develop my skills in 3D design through the reminder of this course.