[3D Printing News] Shaping the Future of 3D Printing at Clemson University
The 3D printing course established at Clemson University has some impressive and design-conscious examples that the artists behind it can share.
Decorative background design
Insun Kwon understands the value of every step in the digital art and 3D printing process. Insun is a professor at Clemson University with a Master of Arts degree in Animation and many years of experience mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students.
He incorporates his sculptural background into digital spaces and classrooms as a hobby, creating some truly exceptional 3D designs—like his this year's...
The "Ultimate Warrior" sculpture displayed at the Construct3D conference.
Insun's 3D print of Ultimate Warrior - a close-up of Ultimate Warrior.
After more than a decade of experience in traditional sculpting, which ignited his passion for art, Professor Insun Kwon switched to digital modeling after moving to the United States. Insun wants to share this process with his students.
"I remember being incredibly excited when I was able to create my first 3D print from my digital model. "
He said, "It feels very different from creating digital images. I hope my students can create a physical model through their CG artwork and inspire the same interest."
Insun's goal is to let each student see their work completed from start to finish, because he has found that this motivates them to do better in the design process. He learned from the high level of interest shown by his students that they really wanted Clemson to offer 3D printing courses, and Professor Insun Kwon also hopes to offer them immediately. 
Insun's Ultimate Warrior sculpture with intricate details
While Insun previously focused on creating beautiful images from 3D models, he now concentrates on creating exciting 3D prints, demonstrating his abilities as a designer in complex forms. For this, he needs a reliable 3D printer.
Bring 3D models to life with Ultimaker
When Insun decided how to create the complex digital model, he found that a resin printer was an expensive option due to the price of materials. By choosing Ultimaker,
He can now print high-quality models using inexpensive materials, saving both cost and time.
He started using Ultimaker 2+ for 3D printing, and then switched to Ultimaker 3 , which required him to print 24 hours a day when creating complex models.
"Ultimaker is easy to use and offers high-quality, low-cost materials. I think it's perfect for educational purposes. "
Professor Kwon experimented with various materials — ABS , PLA , and elastic wires like TPU —although his primary choice was PLA, as he found it best suited his needs.
When he uses the Ultimaker 3 for personal projects, such as stunning 3D printed models, like a Tyrannosaurus Rex perched on a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull, Insun says that Clemson students can use the school's printers as needed.
3D printed dinosaur models designed and manufactured by Insun
Clemson has integrated 3D printing into several departments of its curriculum, from art to architecture and digital manufacturing.
Although there is no formal 3D printing course yet , Professor Kwon enjoys sharing his personal printing experience with students and colleagues.
Importing models into the "print preparation" stage is a very important concept in Insun's teaching, much like helping students build materials for their design work.
Insun's 3D printed dinosaur close-up
From Clemson graduation to job preparation
Professor Kwon said that easy access to the printer and fast printing times are crucial for an educational environment. He hopes to teach Clemson students the importance of investing time and effort in creating high-quality models, highlighting an example from his last printing – which took approximately 700 hours to print 100 different parts.
"I believe that understanding how to use 3D printing will provide students with more future employment opportunities," Insun said. Looking ahead, more industries will utilize 3D printing...
Printing is seen as a cost- and time-saving option, and this crucial knowledge is extremely important for young people getting into the workflow!
Original source: https://ultimaker.com/en/stories/50333-sculpting-the-future-of-3d-printing-at-clemson-university