3D Scanning and Printing @ NPHS!
Technology and Engineering Education Department

Towamencin, PA - North Penn High School Engineering Academy seniors, Julia Santos and TJ Schmidt, are “scanning” a new path to designing and creating materials!  

In manufacturing, many materials require a top-down manufacturing process.  They often start out as a large pieces of raw material that are processed with various tools and machines to ultimately create the final product.  

In the NP Engineering Academy, students are creating a new “bottom up” process for developing materials.  With guidance from Mr. Reichwein, Engineering Academy instructor, the students are utilizing an XBox Kinect game console to scan objects, import them into software and replicate them with one of the department’s 3D printers!

To date, the scanner has been utilized to create models of people; however, the scanner will soon be utilized by a team of research students in Mr. Boyer’s Engineering Design And Development class.  His students plan to use the 3D scanner to accelerate the design of objects for use in virtual learning environments.  They plan to scan and import objects into a custom designed HTC Vive Virtual Reality environment where they will create advanced learning environments for students from kindergarten through senior year and beyond!

Please check back often for updates!