Feb 9 2015
Xavier University has opened a MakerBot Innovation Center on its campus. The grand opening event was on 4th February, 2014.
The center was planned in association with MakerBot, the global leader in desktop 3D printing technology. The university has become the first private university in the US and the first university in the Midwest to take part in this initiative.
The Center for Innovation is preparing our students for jobs that have yet to be created. This partnership with MakerBot is a differentiator for Xavier as well as the business community in Cincinnati.
Michael J. Graham, Xavier University President
Xavier’s MakerBot Innovation Center consists of an innovative 3D printing software link used in printers to facilitate remote access, a number of 3D scanners, 31 MakerBot 3D printers, print queuing and mass production of 3D prints, besides having 3500lb of materials dedicated to the students in the campus to transform the way they study.
The center is established with an aim to enlighten the students and faculty on generating prototypes, small-scale creative and manufacturing projects and model making processes. It is provided with sufficient space for networking and start-ups, attracting researchers, innovators and other local entrepreneurs.
The center also acts as a hub for innovation, combining students of different disciplines and providing them a new platform to collaborate.
The MakerBot Innovation Center has garnered huge interest since we first introduced the concept last year, and we’re excited that Xavier University has decided to work with us to unleash the creative potential of 3D printing on its campus and in the Cincinnati area.
Jenny Lawton, CEO of MakerBot
“We’re particularly thrilled to provide MakerBot consulting services to work with the team at Xavier to help develop a curriculum that integrates 3D printing. This is an important step that will introduce more students to the idea of 3D printing and how this technology can help them visualize and memorize complex theoretical concepts, gain hands-on experience and unleash their creativity,” Lawton said.