The activity took place at the institution’s Design Studio. The main objective of the event was to expose people to different prototyping techniques, 3D printing in particular. 

The event also served to familiarize participants with other resources that are available to them in the Design Studio, such as the laser cutter, various woodworking tools, and electronics such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers.

During the hands-on workshop, attendees worked through the basic steps of using the 3D printing software on individual laptops. 

All participants manipulated a 3D object and learned how to tune the settings of the 3D printer to suit a particular object.

 As a group, the participants printed a simple 3D object so that they could observe how the printer worked and how to properly set it up and transfer files to it.

The Studio’s Director and organizer of the training, Brittany Allen, said, “We had this function as part of a series of trainings offered by the Design Studio. These trainings will be offered throughout the coming semester on a regular basis (2-4 per month) on different topics like laser cutting, 3D printing, Arduino, sewing, woodworking, etc.” 

She further said the event was open to everyone who wanted to learn 3D printing.

“If interested, applicants must fill out a short registration form and pay a sum of K200,” she said.

One of the participants, an entrepreneur named Dumisani Kaliyati who is also a Polytechnic alumnus, said the function has helped him to learn on how he can control speed when printing the 3D object.

He further said he intends to buy a 3D printer and, as a result of the training, he will not find difficulties in operating it once he buys it.

A first year student of Diploma in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Nyasha Mpinda, said the event has opened his mind to be more creative as far as professionalism is concerned.

The event was sponsored by the University of Malawi, the Lemelson Foundation, and the Rice 360 degrees Institute for Global Health.