Terrapin Works! what did i do here?

For my practicum, I've been working with the University of Maryland's 3D printing and rapid prototyping labs, Terrapin Works. Terrapin Works is a largely a student-run organization, with the vast majority of the staff consisting of undergrads, grad students, and UMD alumni. There are 17 different labs that make up the Terrapin Works which allow customers to produce projects through rapid prototyping, advanced manufacturing, and digital design. Terrapin Works conducts work internally with University of Maryland facilities and classes, as well as externally with major companies and corporations like Northrop Grumman.  As such,  there are several teams that employees can join in order to work on larger, "special projects". These teams include the Design Team and the Software Team. 

 While working for Terrapin Works, I became a lab technician (aka Lab Manager or L.M.) in the MakerBot Innovation Center (MIC) and a Lab Manager-in-Training in the Advanced Fabrication Lab (AFL). My job consists of me processing 3D print requests through our MakerBot and Paper-Cut platforms, harvesting prints, conducting maintenance on the printers, and providing customer service.  During the middle of the Spring 2020 semester, I was recruited onto the Terrapin Works Design Team to help reorganize and design some of our older, outdated lab spaces.

Work in the MIC: I most commonly work on our MakerBot Replicator 5th Gen's, Replicator R18's, and Replicator Plus printers while in the MIC.  During the 2020 Winter Semester, I learned how to dismantle and repair the MakerBot extruders. These devices are the main printing components of most 3D printers, as it's the part the heats up the printing material, or filament, and focuses it to a single point for printing. The extruders would often experience a variety of errors, such "Filament Jams", "Heating Errors", and worst of all, "Homing Errors". The filament used in the MIC is made out of a  bio-plastic derived from corn commonly known as PLA. As such, the filament can be recycled. I was one of the L.M.'s responsible for shredding the PLA so that it could be recycled for future use.

Work in the AFL: As an AFL trainee, I've been learning how to process and harvest prints on several printers, 3D modelers, and laser cutters. These devices include: 

• Formlabs 2 and 1+
• Makerforge Mark 2
• Raise3D N2 Plus
• Ultimaker 3
• Hexagon ROMER Absolute Arm
• KERN LaserCELL
• Zortrax M200 and M300
• Dremel 3D45
• Prusa MK3S w/MMU

Due to the current COVID-19 epidemic, I wasn't able to complete my training in the AFL, but in future semesters I will be able to continue my work there.