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Written by TechBrick's founder after shooting more than 100 JrFLL, FLL, FTC, and FRC events!
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November 8, 2012: We Become a Stratysis 3D Printer Student-Site. How cool is this this this? Thank you!

Stratasys has loaned a U-Print system for the Army STEM activities at Aberdeen Proving Ground. This program explores how students can implement 3D printing into the design process. TechBrick will be using it this fall and winter and the GEMS program will use it next summer.

TechBrick will use the system to prototype components of the FRC and FTC robots to shorten design and concept time and save money on final materials.

Please visit STRATASYS  today to learn more about their amazing technologies.

• http://www.stratasys.com
• http://www.uprint3dprinting.com/
• http://www.uprint3dprinting.com/3d-printers/3d-printer-video.aspx

Here are our first tests of the printer:

To test the various software functions we designed a jet plan. Multiple functions were combined to create the shape, wings, nozzles etc. In addition it was used to practice creating a model with minimal support material that must be removed. In the capture below the red is the material itself, and the white is the support material. The less support material one needs the faster the model will print.
In this model Jonathan recreated the FALCON 9 space craft. Notice the fine detail of the nozzles.
Here is the custom trophy we created for the Champion's award our an FLL Qualifier. It was created in two pieces. You can see the designs below and the final output on the platform along with small version we made to test the design. Note that the final trophy, about 7" tall, took more than 14 hours to print even in low-density mode. However, there would no other way to make such a custom trophy.