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Makerspace Intern at Katapult Makespace

I joined the Katapult team as Makerspace intern for the fall term in 2020. Each semester, the Makerspace invited students to participate in a Makebox design competition which culminated in a Shark Tank style pitch competition, with the winning concept going into the next months Makebox. I was selected to opt out of this competition and finish a solar car project started by a previous intern to be the first production run of a quarterly Makebox. I remained at Katapult for the following spring term to serve in a mentorship position to provide advice and assist new interns with their Makebox development. Finally, I stayed for a full-time summer position to focus on managing, maintaining, and upgrading their 3D printer fleet.

Group

Formerly Katapult Makerspace, managed by Katapult Engineering

Date

September 2020 -

August 2021

Location

Dillsburg, PA

Objective

Design a DIY STEM subscription box "MakeBox" (similar to Kiwi-Co & CrunchLab BuildBox) for children ranged 8-15 to teach science and engineering concepts. Each box had to be produced for under $10 and fit into a 8" x 4" x 6" package.

Solar Car Makebox

I was presented with the challenge to redesign the existing solar car project from the ground up. I took inspiration from the real solar cars developed for the IEF Solar Car Racing design competition. A 12V solar cell directly powers a DC motor to "drive the car". The chassis is constructed out of foam and adhesive composite, constructed by the eventual kit builder. In the instructions, I focussed on teaching the STEM concepts of how solar cells work, aerodynamic principles, and basic composite laminate theory.

3D Printing Overhaul

As the dedicated 3D printing intern, I was responsible for upgrading the existing Ender 3 Pro and Prusa printers by integrating IoT control using Octoprint running on Raspberry Pi's. I added webcams and BLtouch modules to the Enders. I frequently maintained and troubleshot issues to minimize printer downtime. I also managed and prioritized prints for other intern's projects. Finally, I designed a custom set of desks to better fit the 3D printing area and optimize available space for maximum printers. 

Role

I took on the roles of an engineering/rapid prototyping design intern, an instructor / resource for other interns, and a 3D printing manager. As an "teaching intern", I helped interns iterate through their design concepts, improve design for manufacture, and train interns on various shop machines and company practices.

Reflection

I gained a wealth of knowledge about 3D printing and troubleshooting complex machines. I learned about the world of IoT devices and how they interact through designing remote sensors and helping with other interns' projects. I believe the most fulfilling work I did was when I worked as a resource and teacher for new interns. I improved my communication skills, refined my ideation techniques, and enjoyed helping bring other people's ideas to fruition. This experience enhanced my ability to collaborate and multitask on several projects, on top of my work managing the 3D printers.

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