Weber State University accelerates its educational 3D printing capabilities with a Stratasys F370^®CR composite 3D printer.

About Weber State University

The Advanced Research and Solutions Center at Weber State University serves as an innovation and collaboration space for local industry, primarily in the aerospace, defense, and advanced materials sectors. In addition, the center provides access to R&D resources that include additive manufacturing while offering educational and practical opportunities for students.

The Challenge

Providing students and local industry with the best opportunities for success requires access to current and emerging technologies, including additive manufacturing. However, existing Weber State additive capabilities relied on older 3D printers, which were slow and costly to operate, with few material options. This situation limited Weber State’s Advanced Research and Solution Centers ability to meet student and local industry needs.

The Solution: Composite 3D Printing

To strengthen its 3D printing capabilities, the university added a Stratasys composite 3D Printer to complement its manufacturing and fabrication equipment.

The F370CR operates with two composite materials and several other engineering-grade thermoplastics. The composite 3D printing materials include FDM^® Nylon-CF10 and ABS-CF10, which incorporate 10% chopped carbon fiber for added strength and rigidity.

Composite 3D Printing at Weber State University

Adding the F370CR printer gives Weber State University the capabilities of a current-technology 3D printer with more material options, including advanced composite polymers. The F370CR 3D printer’s ease of use and consistent printing performance gives users a faster, more reliable means of developing 3D printed solutions.

Ultimately helping WSU achieve the facility’s goal of providing innovative and leading-edge tools for its current and future students and customers.

This case study was written by our strategic additive manufacturing partner, Stratasys.