Problems of Automating a 3D Printer for Public Vending – Problem Analysis and Research

Advancements in technology have made 3D printing easily accessible to a large audience while maintaining the ability to create highly detailed products. Capitalizing on this, research was done into the possibility of automating a 3D printer and operating it in a public setting. It was discovered that in order to combat the main problems a 3D printer experiences throughout its lifetime research would be focused onto two primary research subjects, minimizing human interaction and enacting proactive measures to prevent future errors. From there many systems within the vending machine were analyzed to find ways to reduce human interaction and design a cost effective solution for that problem. As a prototype design was finalized, it was determined that focusing on lowering regular maintenance with some automation is more efficient than completely automating the system. As a result, the current design includes linear actuators for part transfer into and out of storage, a storage carousel to hold finished prints until pick-up, and a live-feed camera to monitor the status of the printer. Looking forward, the current plan is to investigate to what degree the 3D printer can be automated beyond the necessary mechanism and streamline the process of public printing via the use of digital tools

Local sensing of absolute refractive index during protein-binding using microlasers with spectral encoding

Funding: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - EP/P030017/1; Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung; European Research Council - 640012; Royal Society - DH160102.Multiplexed, specific, and sensitive detection of antigens is critical for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of disease and the informed development of personalized treatment plans. Here, it is shown that polymer microsphere lasers can be used as photonic sensors to monitor and quantify direct surface binding of biomolecules via changes in the refractive index. The unique spectral signature of each individual laser can be used to find their size and effective refractive index which adds a new encoding dimension when compared to conventional fluorescent beads. Antibody-functionalized microlasers selectively detect protein binding, as demonstrated for Immunoglobulin G and C-reactive protein, and have the ability to resolve different stages of the multilayer surface modification. Moreover, by continuously monitoring single lasers, the possibility of real-time monitoring of binding dynamics between antigens in solution phase and the immobilized antibodies is demonstrated. For multiplexed detection, the microlasers are employed in a flow cytometer configuration, with fast spectral detection and identification of microlasers with and without antigen binding. It is envisioned that by combining microlasers with well-established surface modification chemistries and flow geometries, the multiplexing ability of microbead immunoassays can be strongly increased while also opening avenues for single-cell profiling within heterogeneous cell populations.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Project Daedalus: An Additive Manufacturing Vending Machine

The project was a research endeavor focused on designing and building a vending machine for 3D-printed parts. It also had the secondary objective of catalyzing leadership qualities among its membership by emphasizing individual responsibility and forward thinking. The project began in the spring of 2015, when the topic of autonomous 3D-printing was chosen, funding was secured, and the majority of the leadership was brought on. Over the summer and into the fall semester the team developed project requirements and infrastructure, and gathered members from the parent organization. By December of 2015 most of the machine design had been completed, and the parts were en route so that building could be started in the spring semester. Due to a combination of time constraints, underestimated difficulty, and unforeseen logistical circumstances, the project was not able to achieve its primary goal of having a working prototype by May 2016. However, it is the belief of the project’s leadership and many of the members that it succeeded in its secondary goal of creating competent and confident leaders, several of whom went on to lead projects of their own