DIY on steroids

MEDICINE: UB’s Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) is using 3-D printing to create complex structures known as vascular phantoms. The structures are a breakthrough tool for surgeons, according to Ciprian Ionita (PhD ’05), a research assistant professor in the CTRC, because the material closely resembles human tissue. “Imagine having a department of biomedical engineers in your hospital who within five hours can give you a model of a patient to test on before you see that patient,” Ionita says. “For these kinds of complex vessels, we are unique. There are maybe four or five centers around the world that can print what we make here.”

ENGINEERING: 3-D printers can print the tiniest objects with mind-boggling precision. This hand, created at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, is only slightly larger than a dime.

ENGINEERING: Engineering researchers at UB are employing 3-D printing to blend nanoparticles into materials, like this photopolymer, to make them self-sensing. “In the future, we may want to print small batteries or capacitors,” explains Chi Zhou, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering. “To make it compact, we can directly print the battery onto the object itself. We won’t need the casing and everything else.”

ENGINEERING: While engineering faculty and students are using 3-D printers to create some pretty technical stuff, they’re also conceptualizing and printing things that have everyday applications. These parts, when connected, make furniture stronger and more durable.

ENGINEERING: While engineering faculty and students are using 3-D printers to create some pretty technical stuff, they’re also conceptualizing and printing things that have everyday applications. These parts, when connected, make furniture stronger and more durable.

ENGINEERING: Chi Zhou, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, and Rahul Rai, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, are working with local industry to advance 3-D printing of tiny sensors, such as this one. The sensors’ small size makes them suitable for biomedical and telecommunication devices, wearable electronics and more.

ENGINEERING: Chi Zhou, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, and his team designed their own 3-D printer to create lightweight objects that can be used to test tensile strength, a measurement of the force required to pull something to its breaking point. Such research is especially useful in bridge, automobile and aerospace design applications.

ENGINEERING: Chi Zhou, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, and his team designed their own 3-D printer to create lightweight objects that can be used to test tensile strength, a measurement of the force required to pull something to its breaking point. Such research is especially useful in bridge, automobile and aerospace design applications.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.

ARCHITECTURE: Architecture students at UB use 3-D printers to test their design ideas. “We used to make models by hand, which is very time consuming,” says Assistant Professor of Architecture Michael Silver. “3-D printing allows students to quickly study different variations of forms that would have been impossible to create in the past.” This object is a study of form and space and was created in the school’s “Fab Lab” in Parker Hall.