From July 12-23, 18 Dayton Public School students will be participating in the Digital Manufacturing Workshop, a one-of-a-kind program that will teach the students how to use 3D printers. Students will be participating in the workshop virtually.
The Digital Manufacturing Workshop is led by Greg Loughnane, a University of Dayton professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Three-dimensional printing is a manufacturing process that creates a physical object from a digital design. Essentially, students can create many objects by laying down thin layers of material, like liquid, powdered plastic, metal and cement that fuse together to follow a digital design. As Loughnane pointed out to the students in his workshop, 3D printing will play a major role in the future of manufacturing. Therefore, it's a useful skill to teach students nearly ready to enter the workforce or collegiate universe beyond high school.
"We are going to learn 3D printing, but we are going to treat it like a microcosm of everything the 21st century is going to demand from you," Loughnane told students last month. "As you get into the workforce, and as you try to make an impact on the world, you might find it's not as easy as it used to be. But if you focus on just the things you're most interested in, you can absolutely change the world in your own way."
The 3D printers were donated to the program by Tom Lasley, program manager for policy and attainment and CEO Emeritus of Learn to Earn Dayton. Each week of the program, students will participate in individual and team projects using the 3D printers.
After participating in the workshop, Loughnane hopes that students will be able to take the skills they have learned and apply them to future internships and apprentices with local manufacturers. Several students involved in the workshop have already stated they would like to become engineers in the future.
More information about the Digital Manufacturing Workshop can be found by visiting the Dayton Public School's website.
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