Cementitious Composite 3D Printer

       For my Senior Design Project at the Temple University School of Engineering, I, along with a group of other engineers, modified an existing ceramic 3D printer to function with various cementitious composites. We opted to replace the single-axis extrusion mechanism with an auger-based extrusion system. Our group was initially composed of five engineers: two mechanical(myself included), two civil, and one electrical. Unfortunately, the electrical engineer dropped out towards the beginning of the process, which meant that we did not have someone with the proper experience to build and code the microcontroller of our design.

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       Though it was not ideal, I stepped up to take his place. This meant that I had to teach myself how to build a circuit to accommodate a motor controller, tachometer, ammeter, voltmeter, and other necessary elements for laboratory use. As our design process was beginning to take off in early 2020, in-person classes were put on hold indefinitely due to COVID-19, and I was completely on my own to navigate this new field. Just to learn the basics, I loaned textbooks from electrical engineering friends, watched youtube videos, and read blog posts from old professors and hobbyists who were tackling similar problems. It was only then was I able to understand the terminology of scholarly articles regarding microcontroller design. 

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       Ultimately, I am very confident with the work that I put into the project and the final product that resulted. I find it ironic that my contribution to my Senior Design project does is not based on mechanical engineering, which I spent the last four years studying. However, my contribution to this project does show my adaptability in new territories and determination in completing the task at hand.

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