Kinetic Vision boot camp takes over UC’s 1819 Makerspace
In a groundbreaking collaboration, the University of Cincinnati's Ground Floor Makerspace and the visionary minds at Kinetic Vision combined their creative forces to pioneer an immersive makerspace bootcamp — tailor-made for UC co-ops destined to shape the future.
The five-day adventure of the Kinetic Vision co-op makerspace bootcamp took command of the UC Ground Floor Makerspace, immersing participants in a whirlwind of innovation toward several goals. These include cultivating a deeper understanding of manufacturing design through laser cutting, 3D printing and computer numerical control (CNC) machining, gaining experience in a new computer-aided design language, going through safety training, working with equipment and enjoying camaraderie with other co-ops.
Surrounded by advanced technical tools, engineering and industrial design co-op students seamlessly blended into the hands-on training sessions. Navigating state-of-the-art digital fabrication prototyping equipment inside the makerspace, they felt right at home embracing innovation.
“These students were already hand selected by Kinetic Vision because they were at the top of their skill levels, so we simply gave them the opportunity to work on a project collaboratively over the course of that week,” says Benjamin Jones, director of the 1819 Ground Floor Makerspace. “We gave them hands-on training in the makerspace, which is largely translatable to what they will do at Kinetic Vision, but more importantly, we gave them that week to jump start their relationships and become colleagues.”
Justin Rost, lead design engineer at Kinetic Vision, recognized the pivotal significance of student bond-building endeavors. “It was great for students to be able to collaborate with their peers, build rapport with one another and learn how to work as a team in a challenging environment.”
Throughout the boot camp, UC students embarked on a deep dive into the theory and safe handling of digital fabrication tools, spotlighting the world of CO2 laser engraving. As the week unfolded, participants conquered the realms of desktop and industrial fusion deposition modeling.
“Partnering with the 1819 Innovation Hub for this bootcamp allowed students to not only design parts for CNC machining, but also work directly with the machinist to learn first-hand the impact their design choices have,” Rost says.
While the students had access to technical guidance to ensure that what they were doing made sense and was practical, Jones says the creative problem-solving was their own.
Guided by Jones, Rost and a team of makerspace staff, co-op students not only gained technical skills but also learned safety principles while developing self-efficacy, resilience, communication finesse and unwavering attention to detail.
“One of the goals we were after was not to create machine operators, but to create designers who are well versed in the technologies for which they are designing,” Jones says. “The point was not to turn them all into CNC machinists, but to develop a practical knowledge of what is involved with these processes, giving them a deeper understanding of costs and opportunities inherent in their decisions as designers.”
With a focus on practical, real-world applications, the bootcamp equipped participants with valuable skills, preparing them for the challenges of the ever-evolving field of digital fabrication and design for manufacturing.
Kinetic Vision is one of UC's largest co-op employers, and Rost says Bearcat students have been imperative to the company's success. “We are always looking for ways to improve our co-op program and provide more valuable experiences to students, and we’re happy to say that the bootcamp has been a resounding success," Rost says. "I’m looking forward to continuing to build and improve the event and provide this experience to many more co-ops for semesters to come.”
Featured image at top: UC co-op students discussing innovative design for manufacturing during the makerspace bootcamp. Photo/Aidan Wallace/UC 1819 Innovation Hub
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