CTEC’s industrial-sized 3D printer is producing 49 frames for shields overnight

3D computer printing face shield frames at  CTEC

A week after Yavapai Community College’s Matt Mintzmyer reprogrammed the College’s 3D printers to create face shields and PPE for frontline health care workers, it has been able to significantly increase production, according to a story posted on the College news website written by Michael Grady.

A portion of the story by Mr. Grady follows:

“We have printed 220 face shields for PPE now, and yesterday, the big printer was finally set up in the new lab.” John Morgan, Yavapai College’s Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTEC) explained. After a day full of mechanical calibration and software tweaks, CTEC’s industrial-sized 3D printer is now “cranking” out the plastic frames, producing 49 units overnight. “Before, we were printing our PPE one at a time in each of our Maker Bots. This big printer is a game changer.”

Face shields are one of the critical pieces of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that healthcare workers require to safely treat patients with the highly contagious coronavirus. Its rapid spread across the country has all but drained the country’s already-depleted supply of surgical masks, face shields and other protective gear. Two weeks ago, Matt Mintzmyer, CTEC’s Professor of Aerospace Science, got the idea to re-engineer the College’s 3D Maker Bots to make PPE instead of drone parts. “We have all this capability,” he said. “Why not try to help?”

With visor production ramping up, the College still needed to find clear plastic for the shields and 5/8” inch elastic bands to hold the headgear in place. Here, the Yavapai College Foundation jumped into action, making bulk purchases of .050 mil clear plexiglass for the shields as well as elastic for the head bands.

“So far, we’ve acquired shields and elastic for 400 pieces,” Yavapai College Foundation Executive Director Paul Kirchgraber said. “It’s important work because we’re producing it for Yavapai County Emergency Management.” The umbrella organization, which oversees Yavapai County’s coronavirus response, has been requesting 40 face shields a day. “They will direct the distribution of the shields to first responders and wherever the equipment is most needed.”

Mintzmyer and the CTEC program are also working with FDA guidelines to produce nasal swabs for testing centers. Anyone with leads on raw materials or any kind of production support is encouraged to contact CTEC at (928) 717-7375 or (928) 910-9099.

Source:  https://www.yc.edu/v6/news/2020/04/ppe-shields.html

Producing 15 a day; County need is 40; seeking additional components; working collaboratively with ASU

Yavapai Community College’s Career and Technical Education (CTEC)  Program is using its equipment to produce plastic face shields for County health workers.  According to the College, the need for face shields is 40 a day in Yavapai County.  However, the equipment at CTEC can produce only 15.

Moreover, it is finding it challenging to find the kind of plastic material to use in its 3d printers to meet the demand.

Following below is the April 13  press release from the College describing the project.

COLLEGE PRESS RELEASE

As the coronavirus spreads, healthcare workers have become our front-line defenders – waging war against COVID-19 in emergency rooms, triage centers and screening locations across the United States.

   At Yavapai College, instructors at the Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) are using equipment and ingenuity to give those health care workers more to fight with.

   “We have all this capability,” YC’s Matt Mintzmyer said. “Why not try to help?”

   Professor of Aerospace Science and Naval Reservist Matt Mintzmyer heads Yavapai College’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, which uses 3D printers to create components for drones. Last week, Mintzmyer began refitting the 3D printer to produce personal protective equipment (PPEs) for healthcare workers, specifically the clear face-shields that are currently in short supply.

   “We’re still kind of at the beginning of everything,” he said. “[Last] Monday, ASU reached out to us to see if we wanted to work collaboratively.” YC got the face shield design from Arizona State, which is working with several partners to provide the PPEs to southern Arizona. “But Northern Arizona and Yavapai County were not being serviced,” he said. So Mintzmyer coordinated with local Emergency Management officials to create PPEs for Yavapai County.

   “Yavapai County Emergency Management is requesting around 40 face masks a day.” Mintzmyer said. He made setting modifications so YC’s 3D printers can accommodate the design and produce one mask frame every three hours. “We can print 15 a day on the Makerbots that we have. So we’ll do what we can.”

   YC is still seeking additional components for the masks. “We still need the clear plastic for the sheath,” Mintzmyer said. The best material would be .050 mil plexiglass, but the plastic from school notebook dividers would work in the mask frames, as well. “Any sort of sheet plastic that’s clear. We’re looking for donations from office supply stories.” They are also seeking elastic for the headbands.

More centralized, especially for Camp Verde; idea is to see if concept works; no deal yet, only in negotiating phase

The Community College, in response to Community urging, is exploring the possibility of executing a five-year lease on a building on Highway 260 located at 600 East Curry, Camp Verde. If an agreement can be reached, the facility will be renovated to house a Career and Technical Education Center for the east side of Yavapai County.  The facility has 40,000 square feet and the idea is to lease space over a five year period in three phases beginning initially with 10,000 square feet.

The location is more centralized on the east side of the County than the Verde Campus, especially for students at Camp Verde High School who are expected to attend classes at the College facility. Five years will allow the facility time to prove that this is the best location for a CTE training facility and can meet the demands of the Verde Valley population.

The College has tentatively set aside $873,000 in the coming budget to pay one year on a possible five-year lease and to make improvements so it can be used as a Career and Technical Education facility. The College will consider an outright purchase if the terms are  extremely  favorable. It is hoped, but not yet guaranteed, that a lease agreement can be reached. Moreover, without an outright purchase, the College would seek a lease-purchase arrangement.  This is what it did when it purchased the CTE Campus on the west side of the County at the Prescott airport back in 2007.

Posted below is a six-minute video clip containing  the entire conversation at the Tuesday, March 3 Governing Board meeting where the project was explained.

Three short videos from Mudbots company visited by Community College discuss operation and potential; two others discuss projects in and outside the United States where machines used

The Blog has selected three short videos from Mudblots, the Utah company visited by the Community College team, that manufactures 3d cement printing machines to help readers better understand how they work.  In addition, there are two other videos describing how similar machines may be used in other projects around the world.

Video #1:  Mudbots, Utah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEkSq3fyjTs

Video #2:  Mudbots, Utah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smZMGT9XWzM

Video #3:  Mudbots, Utah. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO8iclXJveo

Video #4:  3d construction of home in Austin, Texas and plans for an entire village in El Salvador. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCzS2FZoB-I

Video#5:  Projects in Italy and the Netherlands.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SK7sptcpNA I

First program to begin at Chino Valley Center this fall; may reduce construction costs from 40 to 70% on a home

The Yavapai Community College District Governing Board has authorized the College to spend a half million dollars on purchasing a futuristic 3d construction printer that can be used to print out construction materials and use the materials to construct a building with minimal labor. It is estimated that, according to information supplied the College, the machine may reduce construction costs from 40 to 70% on some structures.  

The first Community College experimental program is set to open at the Chino Valley Center in the fall.  There the machine will be used to build a small manufactured home owned by the College that is need of repair.

It appears that the initial courses on how to operate the machine will be offered at the Career and Technical Education Center that is  adjacent the Prescott airport.   At some point, there is the possibility of using the machine and developing courses for operating it on the Verde Campus. 

With this futuristic machine and curriculum, the College hopes to attract a new group of students for its construction program. It has a long-term desire to partner with a builder.

You may view the interesting presentation on the half million dollar investment  below.

Yavapai Community College projects of a similar nature have received large donations and partnerships; McCasland suggests similar commitments are needed before this facility can be birthed

“Hello Friends,

“Some thoughts to consider. Historically many new projects for Yavapai College have started from one person or organization taking the lead and committing financial and fundraising support.

“The Performance Hall and music and art classrooms were the vision of President Paul Walker. He garnered approval from the state Community College Board,  support from the Foundation, community leaders, bond passage, and a $250,000 challenge grant donor to obtain the successful outcome. 

“The vision for the Family Enrichment Center started with a $8,000 donation from a retiring secretary earmarked for a childcare center. The Foundation took on the project, found other partners including Del E Webb Foundation and local Lions Clubs, other donors and it became a reality.

“The tennis court renovations started with Chris Howard and the Prescott Area Tennis Association offering to raise half the cost of improving the tennis courts. The foundation took on the project, it was classified as maintenance and now we have a new expanded facility. Unfortunately, for our taxpayers the tennis association only raised about $125,000 of the pledged $500,000.

“The Marcusen sculpture garden started by donations and support from the YC Friends of Art and has grown with partnerships from other groups including the Yavapai Prescott Indian Tribe, Prescott Area Iris Society, and many private donations.

“Bob Oliphant and the Verde Valley affiliate of the YC Foundation had the vision for the Southwest Winery finding supporting partners and donors to successfully start the award winning educational program.

“I suggest that we help find the partners and donors to assist in funding a Hwy 260 location for a CTE/Educational Center. I have been told that the hottest new growth area for Yavapai County is along I-17. Consider an Educational Center with CTE, OLLI, Community Ed, computer labs with tutors, satellite classrooms to supplement distance learning, and child care. Could NACOG, Osher Foundation, HeadStart, VACTE, other government programs and private businesses, and donors get behind this concept? 

“This location would open up educational opportunities for the entire eastern portion of Yavapai County from Village of Oak Creek and Rim Rock to Black Canyon City and Mayer with easy access via I-17.
Our newly expanded Prescott Valley Panther Path Center has been expanded to offer more services and opportunities for our students. It houses Allied Health, Radiology, counseling and enrollment services, REDC, satellite classrooms, tutors and more.  Excellent examples of meeting the local educational needs. 

“The time to help is now. Dr. Rhine is exploring options for a Hwy 260 location; however, major money and big financial partners are needed to cover the anticipated multi-million dollar cost difference. Dream with me and help YC expand their educational outreach to more Yavapai county residents.
Deb”

Central CTE Campus in Cottonwood enrolled 110 students in fall 2019; enrolled only 30 three years ago

The Valley Academy Career and Technology Education (VACTE)Superintendent Bob Wier thanked the College Governing Board and President for the ongoing, improving  relationship between the two institutions. He stressed the need for a centralized Community College Career and Technology Center that would work closely and cooperatively with VACTE and the other schools in the East Region of Yavapai County.

Wier reported that VACTE enrolled a record number of 110 students in its central campus in fall 2019.  This he compared with just 30 students three years ago.

He also reported that there are 24 students enrolled in the new fall construction program who will receive 16 credits upon completion of the training.  He also reported that sports medicine was a course being offered as a part of the dual enrollment program with the Community College.  He said that this was a program that he had hoped would be established for more than a dozen years.

You may view all of Superintendent Wier’s report to the October 8, 2019 Governing Board in the video below.

Eight members are West Region Prescott based College Representatives; 14 community members from East Region of County (Ninth College member, Verde Executive Dean, lives in West Region)

In an article written by Bill Helm and appearing in the Verde Independent, Friday, September 6, 2019 the Yavapai Community College announced that a 23 member Skilled Trades Center task force had been formed. Executive Dean James Perey told Mr. Helm during an interview that the taskforce has been created to “help the college review current economic, educational and workforce data.”
The taskforce is expected to meet seven times from now through March 2020. According to Mr. Helm, the committee first met on August 23 to discuss the structure of a Community College skilled trades center on the east side of Yavapai County.
The Taskforce is the initiative of new Yavapai Community College President Lisa Rhine. She was greeted by an outpouring of east region (Verde Valley) residents at the April 2019 Governing Board meeting on the Verde Campus who advocated that she seriously explore the need for a dedicated Community College Career and Technical Education facility on that side of the County. The Taskforce is at least in part a response to those residents who spoke at that meeting.

                                    Taskforce members from the West Region representing the College are:

Lisa Rhine, Yavapai College president.
Clint Ewell, Yavapai College vice president for finance and administrative services. 
Richard Hernandez, Yavapai College director for regional economic development center.
Tom Hughes, Yavapai College director for institutional effectiveness and research. 

Rodney Jenkins, Yavapai College vice president for community relations.
Ron Liss, Yavapai College vice president for instruction and student development.
John Morgan, Yavapai College dean for career and technical education.
*James Perey, Yavapai College executive dean and campus executive officer for Verde Valley campus (lives in west region).
Diane Ryan, Yavapai College vice president of strategic initiatives.

                                 Taskforce Community members from the East Region are:

Kerry Barrett, CTI, Inc.
John Bassous, Tierra Verde Builders.
Dennis Dearden, superintendent, Sedona-Oak Creek Unified School District.
Norela Harrington, Bent River Machine, Inc.
Danny Howe, administrator-in-charge, Camp Verde Unified School District.
Bill Jackson, Jackson/Kinsi Constructors.
Bill Jump, Out of Africa.
Vince Lansink, Vince’s Auto Body.
Linda Martinez, Shrader and Martinez Construction.
Ignacio Mesa, Clear Creek Vineyard and Winery.
Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer, Alcora Marble.
Jane Russell-Winiecki, Yavapai-Apache Nation.
Bob Weir, superintendent, Valley Academy of Career and Technology Education.
Mike Westcott, superintendent, Mingus Union High School District.

Souce:  Bill Helm, Verde Independent, September 5, 2019