GeoFabLab: The Geological Fabrication Laboratory
GeoFabLab makes things geological! We design and build tangible, 3-D models of geology to communicate geological concepts and to help learn new things (that is, "research").
Equipment:
- FormLabs Form2 3-D Printer (laser-liquid-goo printer)
- Stereolithography, where a laser solidifies liquid resin in the shape of the design
- High resolution (25-100 µm layers)
- Prusa Mk3S 3-D Printer (computer-controlled-hot-glue-gun printer)
- Fused Deposition Modeling, where a plastic filament is melted and re-solidified in the shape of the design
- Multi-Material Unit for printing up to 5 colors at once (MMU2S)
- Lower resolution (100-300 µm layers), but faster
- TouchTerrain (touchterrain.geol.iastate.edu)
- Web-service that uses a Google-Maps-style interface to download 3D-printable terrain models of anywhere on Earth (including the ocean floor)
- Once you pick your area, model is generated in less than 1 minute
- Large areas can be tiled to fit onto smaller printers
- Resolution of data can be adjusted to fit resolution of 3D printer