Depaul Set to Let Imaginations Soar With 3D Printer
Students at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business can now make objects and ideas of the imagination a reality. Business ideas on the backs of napkins can now spring to fully-formed 3D thanks to the latest technological phenomenon to hit— the 3D printer.
Purchased by the Center for Creativity and Innovation (CCI) and housed in the Department of Management at the Driehaus College of Business, the new 3D printer allow users to make three-dimensional figures from digital files stored in iPads. Everything from customized baby spoons to rocket engines even human tissue for medical research and therapeutic use has been made through 3D printing.
The 3D printer at CCI will be used in creating prototypes of students’ product ideas for business classes and pitches. Students working on innovations and prototypes with local businesses will also have access to the device.
“Here at the Creativity Center we work with students to help them turn their ideas into reality,” says Lisa Gundry, management professor and director of CCI. “This printer will help them prototype their ideas and show others what their products will look like. Nearly whatever they can visualize, we can create.”
The printer was bought to support the efforts of the CCI’s new Innovation Labs, set to open this fall. The lab is underwritten by a gift from DePaul alumnus Robert Perrelli (MBA ‘06, BS ‘04), a senior manager at TCF Inventory Finance, Inc. Perrelli is a member of the CCI Advisory Board. Though housed in the CCI office, Gundry said the printer, for a small fee, is available for use by any DePaul student or faculty member.
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Max Pulcini
Max Pulcini is a Philadelphia-based writer and reporter. He has an affinity for Philly sports teams, Super Smash Bros. and cured meats and cheeses. Max has written for Philadelphia-based publications such as Spirit News, Philadelphia City Paper, and Billy Penn, as well as national news outlets like The Daily Beast.
