Clemson graphics and packaging students ended the spring semester strong with a flurry of final projects prototyped at the Sonoco Institute. One class led by Dr. Shu Chang, associate professor in Graphic Communications, studies the workflow of 3D printing, making use of the Mimaki 3DUJ-553 full-color, commercial 3D printer placed in the institute’s packaging computer lab. One of the class’s final projects this semester was to creatively design and print a small vase using the knowledge they learned throughout the semester.
“There are two ways to introduce colors with the Mimaki 3D color printer,” said Chang. “One is to wrap the image on to a 3D object and the second is to separate different pieces in 3D modeling and then assign colors to each separated piece. The vase project had two aims: to conduct free-form modeling and to wrap a color image.”
Jaime Martinez, an applications specialist with Mimaki, helped teach the students how to introduce colors. The vases shown below are modeled in AutoDesk Fusion 360 and then image-wrapped with Adobe Dimensions.
Another fun thing students learn to do in Chang’s class is explore how to insert objects into their 3D prints. Chang calls this the “What comes first, the duck or the egg?” assignment. In this Instagram reel, see the outcome of how a duck can be inserted in an egg, or vice versa, during a singular print run. This is one of Chang’s favorite assignments because it showcases the versatility of 3D printing.
Clemson University thanks Mimaki for their support. Click here to learn more about the capabilities at the Sonoco Institute.
