Rapid prototyping, 3d printing, & Computer Aided Design
Welcome!
Hi there! My name is Joy Nash. I am currently a 2nd year Materials Engineering major, and a member of the Media, Self, & Society College Park Scholars Program. In my two years at UMD, I've found myself to be apart of many different groups and organizations, not including Terrapin Works. With the job market being so competitive, I've made it a point to experience as much as possible during my time in college. As of right now, I'm a member of:
- UMD's LSAMP Bridge Program
- the Women in Engineering FLEXUS Program
- the UMD Chapter of National Society of Black Engineering (NSBE, aka BES)
- College Park Scholars "Real Talk"
While it can sometimes be a lot to manage at times, I can honestly say that my college experience has only been improved by my participation in these groups.
I'm a Student Coordinator for the Scholars "Real Talk" dialogue group, which is meant to be a space for minority scholars students to voice any questions or concerns they might have about campus life, and to connect with people they might not meet otherwise since we have such a large campus. If you're interested, click the link below!
Practicum overview
My Job
Practical Practicum Applications
Things I Learned
For my practicum I decided to start working for the student-run, 3D printing and rapid prototyping labs known as Terrapin Works. My official job title is MIC Lab Manager, and AFL Lab Manager-in-Training.
My job's chain-of-command for a Lab Manager such as myself goes as followed:
For a more detailed job description, click below!
Things I Learned
Practical Practicum Applications
Things I Learned
One of my biggest takeaways from Terrapin Works in terms of skills has been my technical aptitude. All Lab Managers are trained on a variety of machines, such as the MakerBots in the MIC and power tools like the Jet Drill Press and Drill in the IFL. I've learned how to use a variety of CAD programs as well, including:
- Meshmixer
- MakerBot Print
- Prusa Slicer
- Z-Suite
- ...and many more!
Gaining this technical experience has really built up my confidence as an engineer because these are skills that a lot of employers look for. It's also helped me figure out what methods of learning work best for me. I've realized that working hands on (like in a lab) is how I learn things the most efficiently. For more on my experience, click below!
Practical Practicum Applications
Practical Practicum Applications
Practical Practicum Applications
As a Materials Engineering major, I have a wide variety of potential career fields that I could follow. From research in material prototyping and formulation, to systems engineering or even architecture, it's been hard to figure out what I might want to do. After having worked at Terrapin Works, I've been able to narrow down my interests, and hope to one day use my interests.
My first Experience 3D Printing
This video is from my freshman year, when I had to use 3D printing to make a Kinetic Claw for my ENES100 class's Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) project. Here you can see our O.S.V. in action during the trail stage as we use the claw to pick up our objective. I used the Terrapin Works MakerBot Innovation Center to process my print. It was this project that sparked my interest in 3D printing and Terrapin Works!