Scouts Learn about 3-D Printing at Highlands College

This Friday, November 20th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Highlands College will host a group of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts in learning about 3-D printers and the software used to design things for those printers. In all, Highlands College faculty member, Allen Hanson, expects about 35 Scouts and their parents.

“I am looking forward to expose the Scouts to some of the basics of design and manufacturing using 3-D printers,” said Allen Hanson, Highlands College instructor of Computer Aided Design and 3-D Printing. “I find it both interesting and funny that as excited as the Scouts are to learn about 3-D printing, my impression is that the parents are even more excited.”

The Scouts will be encouraged to draw something, like a helmet, for example. Mr. Hanson will show them how to “draw” their item on the computer, then transfer the item to the 3-D printing software, and then actually print their personally designed item.   Advanced manufacturing (or industrial robotics as it is sometimes called) uses 3-D printers to create prototypes in relatively inexpensive media to make sure that the prototype “works” before manufacturing the item in much more expensive metal. 3-D printing is also being increasingly utilized in the biomedical field to help patients by using the patients’ own cells to create “parts” needed by the patients.

 “3-D printing is very quickly becoming a must-have skill for those in industries across the spectrum of disciplines,” said Dr. John M. Garic, Dean of Highlands College. “I believe it is both important and valuable to help students to become more digitally literate and 3-D printing is part of that. The future will require digital literacy and, for these young Scouts, their future has already begun.”

For any further information about this event, please contact Mr. Allen Hanson at 406-496-3781 or Dr. John M. Garic at 406-496-3714.