Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT Enhances Architectural Learning and Research Using a Z Corp. 3D Printer
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT Enhances Architectural Learning and Research
Using a Z Corp. 3D Printer
Massachusetts Institute of Technology manual skills and a level of craftsmanship
School of Architecture and Planning, not directly related to architectural ability;
Department of Architecture and cannot adequately represent complex
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology buildings or ornate architectural features.”
(MIT) is an independent, privately endowed
educational institution committed to Sass speaks from personal experience. As
teaching and research. MIT is world- a Ph.D. student at MIT in the late 1990s,
renowned, with eight Nobel Prize winners he undertook as a research project the
on its faculty, and comprises five schools completion of Palladio’s Italian Villas.
and one college encompassing 34 academic Andrea Palladio, who is revered today
departments, divisions, and degree- as the greatest architect who ever lived,
granting programs, as well as numerous revolutionized Western architecture in the
interdisciplinary centers, laboratories, 16th century by authoring definitive texts
■ MIT – World-renowned educational and programs whose work cuts across that remain valid today. The principles
institution traditional departmental boundaries. The Palladio set forth are evidenced in the 40
Department of Architecture, within the villas he designed for rich, powerful nobles
■ Challenge – Produce architectural
School of Architecture and Planning, was in the Veneto area of Italy, which surrounds
models quickly for teaching and
research established in 1865 and is the oldest the island city of Venice. While Palladio
architecture department in the United designed floor plans for all 40 villas, only
■ Solution – Purchasing a 3D Printer States. The department offers degree 19 were actually built.
from Z Corp. programs in Architectural Design, Building
■ Results – Completed research on Technology, Computation, History, Theory When Sass set out to construct models of
Palladio’s unfinished villas and and Criticism, and Visual Arts. Palladio’s unfinished villas, he discovered
developed a graduate course on that the ornate columns, cornices, and
digital fabrication in architecture moldings were difficult to model by hand,
Challenge especially within the time allotted for his
Accelerating Architectural project. Sass suggested that MIT purchase
“From the time of Michelangelo Model Development a rapid prototyping system that could
produce the model components needed to
up through the current day, The Department of Architecture at MIT is
complete his research on Palladio’s villas,
the oldest and one of the most highly
architects have always used support future architectural researchers,
respected architectural programs in the
models to represent important United States. For years, faculty and
and enhance the school’s educational
experience by accelerating the development
buildings. The Z Corp. 3D students employed manual modeling
of architectural models.
techniques, using a variety of materials
Printer enables us to create ranging from paper and cardboard to
clean models and components foam board and plastic, to create scaled, Solution
architectural models. However, manual
quickly and easily and allows Z Corp. 3D Printer Produces Fast,
modeling carries drawbacks that from a
us to expose the architects practical standpoint limit its actual use Clean Architectural Components
of tomorrow to cutting-edge in architectural courses and MIT-related The requirements for a rapid fabrication
research projects, according to Lawrence system devoted solely to the production
modeling and fabricating Sass, assistant professor in MIT’s of components for architectural models
technology.” Department of Architecture. are similar to the criteria for machines
used to prototype consumer and
– Lawrence Sass
“Models are important for visualizing, industrial products. The system had
Assistant Professor imprinting, and sharing architectural ideas to be fast, so that many students and
Department of Architecture, MIT and concepts,” Sass says. “But manual educators could access it; had to produce
modeling takes too much time; requires complex geometries, to represent ornate
architectural features; had to produce clean Results
models, without internal support systems
or breakaway parts; and had to operate in Cutting-edge Course in
a classroom setting, without the need for Architectural Design, ™
specialized laboratories and/or operators. Ties with Top Firms
These selection criteria narrowed the choice By installing the Z Corp. 3D Printer, MIT’s
down to a 3D Printer, and MIT did not have Department of Architecture not only
to look far to find the system best suited helped Sass to complete his research by
to its needs. constructing accurate, scaled models of
Palladio’s unfinished villas but also to
Sass and his department advisors at MIT implement a cutting-edge architectural
chose a Z Corporation 3D Printer to meet course in digital fabrication that has
its architectural modeling needs because garnered the notice of leading architectural
it was the fastest 3D printer available, firms. “The class has been a huge
produced clean models with no internal success,” Sass stresses. “The students
support structures, produced models with enjoy the collaboration process, learn a lot,
complex shapes, could be operated in the and establish contacts that can help them
classroom, and utilized technology first build professional careers.”
“As a Ph.D. student, I saw the developed at MIT. “As a Ph.D. student, I
saw the benefits of using a 3D printer to
benefits of using a 3D printer Students in the heavily over-subscribed
produce architectural models to complete course had the opportunity to present
to produce architectural my Palladio project,” Sass recalls. “As a their tower models to representatives of
future member of the faculty, I saw even
models to complete my the Computer Modeling Group at Norman
greater benefits for using the Z Corp. Foster and Partners, a leading architectural
Palladio project,” Sass recalls. 3D printer to improve the educational firm based in the United Kingdom, during
experience of students.”
“As a future member of the a class trip to London. Another top firm
— New York-based Kohn Pederson Fox
faculty, I saw even greater After successfully completing his Ph.D. Associates — is already working to apply
dissertation with the help of the Z Corp.
benefits for using the Z Corp. some of the concepts developed in the
models of Palladio’s unfinished villas, Sass class by incorporating aspects of building
3D printer to improve the later joined the faculty of the Department prototyping into their professional practice.
of Architecture and began thinking about
educational experience
ways for students to use the 3D printer in “From the time of Michelangelo up through
of students.” an actual course. Because the 3D printer the current day, architects have always
handled the complex geometries involved used models to represent important
– Lawrence Sass with the Palladio’s work well, Sass realized buildings. The Z Corp. 3D Printer enables
Assistant Professor it was more than sufficient for producing us to create clean models and components
Department of Architecture, MIT more modern architectural concepts. The quickly and easily and allows us to expose
graduate-level “Advanced Course in Digital the architects of tomorrow to cutting-edge
Fabrication” that Sass developed in 2002 modeling and fabricating technology,” Sass
was the first architectural course of its says.
kind. Its purpose is to teach students about
how to apply rapid prototyping techniques
to architectural design. During the course,
■ Introduced cutting-edge modeling students collaborate within design teams
technology into the Architecture to produce a skyscraper or tower design as
program both a digital model, using solid modeling
software, and an actual physical model,
■ Successfully produced complex using the Z Corp. 3D printer.
models of Palladio’s unfinished
villas “We want our architectural students to
stretch the limits of their creativity, which
■ Applied rapid prototyping
usually results in complex geometrical Massachusetts Institute of Technology
technology to building design
shapes that you simply cannot build with Cambridge, MA
■ Fostered collaborative work your bare hands,” Sass explains. www.architecture.mit.edu
environment among students
■ Attracted the notice and regard Worldwide Headquarters All company and product names are trademarks or
Z Corporation registered trademarks of their respective owners.
of leading architectural firms
32 Second Avenue ©2005 Z Corporation. All rights reserved.
Burlington, MA 01803 USA
781-852-5005
™
www.zcorp.com
™
Ontario High School
‘3D Printing’ brings design full circle for
Ohio high school students
■ Ontario High School – A 500-student
high school in Mansfield, Ohio, USA,
50 miles north of Columbus
■ Challenge – Giving students all
possible advantages for success in
higher education and career
■ Solution - Using the Z Corp. Spectrum
ZTM510 color 3D printer to enhance
students’ design education
■ Results
• Priceless real-world training
• ‘Closing the loop’ by letting students
hold in their hands the objects
they’ve designed on their computers.
• Giving students distinct advantages
in higher education admissions and
hiring
• Inspiring students to go further
in fields like mechanical design,
architecture and computer graphics
• Quick, one-build production of 3D
physical models for an entire class Little is more important for college-bound high
Challenge
• Better community understanding of school seniors than getting into the university
public projects like the school district of their choice. Technically minded students Access to High Tech Equipment
bus garage attending Ontario High School in Mansfield, Ohio, Essential to Design Training
• Valuable business experience for USA, have a distinct advantage in this quest.
Ontario High is no different than other cash-
students who are producing strapped school districts – except for the fact
Like most public schools, Ontario High strives to
prototypes for auto industry suppliers that computer drafting instructor Bruce Weirich
give students access to the highest technologies,
but funding is always a challenge. Many schools and the business community found a creative
in this position just make do with what they way to overcome the financing obstacle for
“Students get an idea, sketch have. They rely on teachers to tell students advanced technology.
it out, develop it in Rhino, about emerging technologies that are changing In 2006, Weirich, a former high school football
business and industry rather than let them coach, attended a workshop in Columbus, OH,
animate it, print it, and then experience it. and discovered his former starting quarterback
hold it in their hands. Until This just isn’t good enough for Ontario High
rapt by a “3D printer” in action. After a hearty
reunion, Weirich immediately recognized 3D
then it’s all conceptual, computer drafting students. For a proper
printing’s power to close that long-incomplete
education, the school believes it’s essential
virtual and 2D. Completing to recreate an educational environment that
design-to-production circle, calling 3D CAD
the circle is important ―
software and 3D printing a “match made in
faithfully simulates the real-world workplace,
heaven.”
where designs undergo numerous iterations,
it turns kids on” become prototypes, and are further refined A 3D printer is an output device for 3D CAD
before ultimately becoming products you can data in the same way that a 2D printer is an
– Bruce Weirich hold in your hand. After overcoming some output device for the words and pictures on your
Computer Drafting Instructor financial obstacles, that’s exactly what the school computer screen. The primary difference is that a
Ontario High School
has created, giving students priceless experience 3D printer outputs three-dimensional models and
Mansfield, Ohio, USA
for the workforce and higher education. prototypes in composite material. 3D printing is
gaining ground as equipment follows the pattern of build. The two-hour turnaround would make many
2D printers: capabilities are increasing as prices fall. manufacturing companies envious.
Weirich’s design students are just one user group.
Solution Ontario High School’s art department is using the ™
printer to produce computer-designed sculptures,
Public-Private Partnership and industrial arts classes are using the printer
Lacking a stockpile of cash for new technology, to prototype furniture in miniature. Middle school
Weirich creatively sewed some budget money students are just beginning to learn design with
together with financing help from Jay Plastics, Rhino software, and the 3D printer will close the
a nearby auto industry parts supplier. In return loop for those students as well, says Weirich.
for the financial support, Weirich’s students print Students’ 3D printing work has gained widespread
out prototypes for Jay Plastics in support of its notice. Once the plans for the Ontario district’s
headlight parts contract for the Ford F150. In bus garage renovations and additions were
addition to bringing state-of-the-art prototyping approved, Weirich’s classes took the design, made
technology to Weirich’s students, 3D printing has an architectural color 3D model of the site plans,
given them invaluable experience dealing with added color 3D models of buses, parked them
“Colleges and universities business and industry. in garage bays, and transported these models to
public meetings. This enabled the public to better
who visit us are learning a visualize and understand the plan. “Our models
Results are answering questions that a lot of people in
little about the possibilities
Dynamic Learning Across Multiple the community may have, and they are easer to
of college prep in public Departments see compared to trying to read a blueprint,” says
Weirich.
education ... And when Ontario High students can now take the 3D designs
The 3D printer is part of a well-equipped,
they’ve developed in their RhinoTM CAD software
students show up at and hold the 3D physical prototypes in their hands
comprehensive technology curriculum that Weirich
says gives his students a leg up when they apply
a couple of short hours later. Both the students
interviews with colorful and Jay Plastics are maximizing the unique color
for admission and scholarships, and when they
begin their college classes.
models to pass around the potential of Spectrum ZTM510 color 3D printer from
Z Corporation, still the only company to produce “Ontario High School design students are
table, that makes a big multicolor 3D printers. Jay’s engineers are using well-versed in areas of study that colleges and
ZEditTM software to mark up physical models with universities are just beginning to explore,” Weirich
impact on whether they’re color and notes – for instance, to flag a part for says. “Students are going to college and finding it
structural analysis or show where the fastener
admitted or hired.” attaches.
very very easy to develop their skills at that level
because of the advanced foundation they received
here. Likewise, I think colleges and universities who
Access to 3D printing is giving Ontario students
– Bruce Weirich visit us are learning a little about the possibilities
experience in the entire product design cycle,
Computer Drafting Instructor of college prep in public education,” Weirich says.
from concept to production, without leaving the
Ontario High School “And when students show up at interviews with
classroom. “Students get an idea, sketch it out,
Mansfield, Ohio, USA colorful models to pass around the table, that
develop it in Rhino, animate it, print it, and then
makes a big impact on whether they’re admitted or
hold it in their hands,” says Weirich. “When they
hired.”
hold it in their hands, they’re closing the loop,
which really brings the value of the exercise home. Weirich expects 3D printing to expand throughout
Until then, it’s all conceptual, virtual and 2D. the district, and he’s looking forward to expanding
Completing the circle is important. It turns kids on.” students’ technology horizons with 3D scanning.
Then students could learn to scan objects, capture
The 3D printer in Weirich’s classroom is pumping
the design on their PCs, develop them in Rhino and
out models “twenty-four seven” he says. Students
print the reverse-engineered models. Says Weirich,
print mechanical designs, architectural models
“That would be yet another way to close the
and art objects, including ducks, masks, cars, Big
loop and provide the educational advantages our
Ben, Mount Rushmore, the Lincoln Memorial and
students – and all students – deserve.”
a sleek spaceship straight out of Star Wars. All of
these are in bold color, which closes the loop on
another level: students don’t have to imagine their
monochrome parts as colored, or repaint them
offline. They come straight out of the printer in
high-fidelity 24-bit colors
No 3D printer is faster than the Spectrum Z510, a
critical capability for schools, especially when it’s
time to print class projects en masse. A class of 25 Ontario High School
students can print models, all unique, in a single Mansfield, Ohio
www.ontario.k12.oh.us
Worldwide Headquarters All company and product names are trademarks or
Z Corporation registered trademarks of their respective owners.
32 Second Avenue
Burlington, MA 01803 USA ©2007 Z Corporation. All rights reserved.
781-852-5005
™
www.zcorp.com
™
University of Huddersfield
3D Printing Opens Educational Doors
for the School of Art & Design
■ The University of Huddersfield – The
UK’s top “new” university for student
satisfaction. The University currently
welcomes 22,000 students.
■ Challenge – Giving students an
advantage in education, career
advancement and job performance
■ Solution – Incorporating 3D printing
into all disciplines in the university’s
School of Design
■ Results
• Producing parts and prototypes for
entire classes in a single day, or in
some cases, a single build
(impossible with most technologies)
• Creating final projects in hours
instead of weeks
• Gaining exposure to technologies that
students will use in their careers
• Acquiring professional-class
prototypes that improve prospects for University of Huddersfield student designs incorporating 3D printed parts, and features
employment and advanced education developed using 3D printed prototypes
• Improving university recruitment with At the University of Huddersfield, the UK’s top Conceiving and refining designs are the key
high technologies on display “new” university for student satisfaction1, the competencies of design education, not the
• Leveraging the fastest and most pinnacle of a design student’s career is the crafting required to present ideas. Handcrafting
final project. Alongside the thesis, it reflects also exposed students to dangerous machinery
affordable way to create 3D physical
everything students have learned over the course like power saws, and it resulted in finished
models from CAD data of their education. The final project can thus be objects that weren’t true to the designs.
a key factor in winning a job or admission for
The university needed a way to use time more
post-graduate learning.
“Students are learning to For a transportation design student, the final
wisely, to ensure student safety, to produce
accurate models, and, perhaps most importantly,
use the very latest project could be creating a next-generation car, to expose students to the same technologies
boat, bike or train. For a product design student, they will use in their design careers.
[3D printing] technology it could be developing any sort of innovative
machine or merchandise. For an architecture
even before some of their student, it could be planning a futuristic building Solution
or a city. For an interior designer, it could be
future employers have it ... creating a dazzling room. These are the most Printing their CAD Designs in 3D
And they’re emerging from important statements that students will make
before moving on to careers or further education. The institution began meeting these goals three
years ago when it began “printing” 3D physical
the process inspired, and models directly from the electronic designs
with artifacts that can Challenge students created in their computer-aided design
software.
make a profound impact Time Invested in Handcrafting
This automated process employs a 3D printer,
Design Project Models
on admissions and hiring which is an output device for 3D CAD data in the
Presenting the final project at Huddersfield has same way that a 2D printer is an output device
decisions.” traditionally required students to invest weeks for the words and pictures on your computer
of painstaking hand construction into their 3D screen. The primary difference is that a 3D printer
– Chris Charlesworth
models. In the eyes of educators, it was time produces three-dimensional physical models in
Mgr. of 3D Design Workshop
that could be better spent on core learning. solid composite material.
University of Huddersfield
3D printing is the fastest way to make a highly area of 254 mm x 356 mm x 203 mm (10 inches X
accurate prototype of a 3D design. It’s becoming 14 inches X 8 inches).
more common in universities as 3D printers follow
“Multiple colors will give students a whole new
the pattern set by 2D printers: capabilities are
perspective on their creations, both viscerally
increasing, prices are falling, and machines are ™
and objectively,” says Charlesworth. “They will be
becoming more classroom-friendly.
able to label, annotate or apply texture maps to
Students at the University of Huddersfield first their creations. They will also be able to highlight
create their designs in SolidWorks®, AutoCAD®, regions of their parts that are subject to high stress
Alias®, 3ds Max® or RhinoTM software. The printer or heat.”
accepts that data and produces a 3D physical
3D printing has addressed some university health
model students can hold in their hands.
and safety concerns. With students making more
“Students love watching it work, and they use of 3D print technology they are less exposed
love watching their parts come to life,” says to band saws and other heavy machinery, resulting
Chris Charlesworth, Technical Team Leader at in a safer working environment. Producing final
the University of Huddersfield School of Art projects is now easy, clean and green – one just
& Design and manager of the university’s 3D presses the print button. Z Corp. continues to refine
Design Workshop. “They’re very intrigued by the the technology to improve automation and reduce
“Students love watching technology, which allows them to produce parts
they wouldn’t have the time or skills to craft by
materials handling.
Experience with 3D printing is helping students
it work, and they love hand.”
win prized jobs at companies like Dyson, Lego
watching their parts The University of Huddersfield purchased its first 3D
printer in 2004, a ZPrinter® 310 monochrome printer
and Black & Decker, as well as admission to
exclusive higher education institutions like the
come to life ... They’re from Z Corporation of Burlington, Mass., USA. After Royal College of Art, says Charlesworth. Once there,
a comprehensive months-long evaluation process, former students distinguish themselves with their
very intrigued by the the university chose the ZPrinter 310 because of experience.
its superior speed, cost-effectiveness and ease of
technology, which allows use compared with a fused deposition modeling
In fact, the university’s 3D Design Workshop has
been hired to create product prototypes for ex-
system from Stratasys Inc. Says Charlesworth, “We
them to produce parts they hit the ground running. We didn’t want a machine
students now working as highly paid professionals
and receives frequent enquiries from other external
wouldn’t have the time so complex, slow and costly it would gather dust.
As it turns out, we obtained one that’s easy, fast
clients.
or skills to craft by hand.” and affordable to operate without making any In addition to capturing the imagination of current
trade-offs.” and former students, the 3D printing program
makes a powerful recruitment tool for prospective
One design student, Marcus Hartley, used the
– Chris Charlesworth design students. When they tour the campus,
ZPrinter 310 to print the pattern for a revolutionary
Mgr. of 3D Design Workshop they stop by to see the 3D printer churning out
hammer design that won him a James Dyson
University of Huddersfield prototypes, including some of great complexity.
Foundation Award for Product Design 2004. The
James Dyson Award is an annual design competition “3D printing has opened some important new
which recognizes young designers and engineers doors for our educational community,” Charlesworth
who demonstrate acclaimed vacuum cleaner maker says. “Students are learning to use the very
Dyson’s design philosophy – the ability to think latest technology even before some of their
differently, persist in the face of setbacks and create future employers have it. They’re saving weeks of
functional, innovative products that improve the potentially dangerous labor that isn’t at the core
way we live. of their design work. And they’re emerging from
the process inspired, and with artifacts that can
make a profound impact on admissions and hiring
Results decisions.”
High-Performance 3D Printing, 1
According to the United Kingdom’s National Student
Career Advantage Satisfaction Survey
Z Corp. printers produce high-definition parts five
to 10 times faster than other technologies at the
lowest cost per part, with the unique ability of
printing multiple prototypes in a single job. Printing
costs only $2 - $3 USD per cubic inch, or $10 USD
for a typical handheld part.
University of Huddersfield
The ZPrinter 310 has worked so successfully that
Queensgate
the university in 2007 invested in a high-definition
color 3D printer, the Spectrum ZTM510 from Z Corp., Huddersfield
still the only company that produces multicolor 3D HD1 3DH
printers. The Spectrum Z510 prints in 24-bit color at United Kingdom
a 600 x 540 dpi resolution with an impressive build www.hud.ac.uk
Worldwide Headquarters All company and product names are trademarks or
Z Corporation registered trademarks of their respective owners.
32 Second Avenue
Burlington, MA 01803 USA ©2007 Z Corporation. All rights reserved.
781-852-5005
™
www.zcorp.com
™
3 Secrets to Building Model Students
Model Students are easy to recognize, but difficult to mold. When it comes to teaching design, engineering,
or computer-aided design (CAD), Z Corporation has three great ways to help teachers build Model Students.
Model Students Engage
Keeping students engaged in learning is the ultimate challenge.
Everywhere students look, they are distracted by visual and audio media
on TVs, computers, or cell phones. ZPrinters – 3D printers that turn a
student’s 3D CAD or design data into a physical model that they can
hold in their hands – are new and engaging enough to compete. They
create a level of enthusiasm and excitement that is hard to contain, and a
motivation to learn that reinforces all classroom activities.
Model Students Learn
Using a ZPrinter to enhance design and engineering education allows students to develop
a deeper understanding of the material. Using 3D printed models to collect feedback is a
critical part of the iterative design process that reinforces classroom learning and results
in better designs.
“Students are learning “As a Ph.D. student, I saw the benefits of using a 3D printer to produce architectural
models to complete my Palladio project. As a future member of the faculty, I saw even
to use the very latest greater benefits for using the Z Corporation 3D printer to improve the educational
technology, even before experience of students.”
– Lawrence Sass, Asst. Professor, Department of Architecture
some of their future Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
employers have it... and
they are emerging from Model Students Advance
Whether students seek competitive jobs or higher levels of education, being able
the process inspired.” to present recruiters with physical examples of their design work makes a powerful
impression. Students can explain their learning and passion in a tangible and
– Chris Charlesworth, Manager, differentiating way, enabling their success at many levels.
3D Design Workshop
University of Huddersfield, UK “When students show up at interviews with colorful models to pass around the table, it
makes a big impact on whether they are admitted or hired.”
– Bruce Weirich, CAD Instructor
Helping engineering and design Ontario High School, Mansfield, Ohio, USA
students engage, learn, and
advance is easy with a Z Corporation
3D printer. ZPrinters are the only
devices capable of building
parts fast enough to meet the
needs of an entire classroom
(5 to 10 times faster than
others) – at a cost that any
school can afford.
Worldwide Headquarters
Educational Discounts Available Z Corporation – 32 Second Avenue – Burlington, MA 01803 USA – 781-852-5005 – www.zcorp.com
©2007 Z Corporation. All rights reserved.
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