Curtis Satterfield, Ph.D.
When students walk into my office and see the 3D printed T-Rex skull on my desk (painted pearlescent blue) they usually ask me where I got it. When I tell them I 3D printed the model they often become excited and start asking questions about 3D printing. If the skull isn’t enough I point to the full (miniature) T-Rex skeleton sitting on top of my filing cabinet and say that was 3D printed as well.
I also have 3D printed parts inside of my computer case that will often catch the computer enthusiasts who don’t care as much about 3D printing and I love to tell them how many computer related items I have 3D printed. By the time a student leaves my office they are either; excited and want to learn more about 3D printing, or they change their major in order to avoid hearing me ramble about 3D printing.
I’ve been involved with 3D printing since 2015 when my former department head told me to learn how to use the Stratasys 3D printer in our technology lab. In 2017 We purchased a FormLabs Form 2 printer for the department which introduced me to the world of resin printing. I own several personal FDM and resin printers that I uses at home for a variety of hobbies. I use my printers for designing and printing items for our house, fixing things that are broken, or to improve existing fixtures. I print 3D miniatures and terrain for tabletop games because I’m a huge geek and I love gaming.
I am on the board of a local Makerspace and I enjoy helping people learn about 3D printing. If you are interested in 3D printing but aren’t sure you want to spend the money to get started I recommend looking for a local Makerspace! The people you meet there will be happy to help you learn more about the 3D printing process and give you hands-on experience.
I’m glad that you found my page and I hope that it helps you learn and become excited about 3D printing!