By Morgan Bryce
Staff Reporter
Downtown Opelika’s entrepreneurial hub, Collaboration Station, will give people a glimpse into the future of manufacturing through a 3-D printing course that will be offered later this month.
The course will be taught by Melina Brown and Sara McKenzie of the non-profit Limb Forge, an organization that produces and distributes prosthetic limbs made by 3-D printing.
Brown, an advocate and educator for 3-D printing, said course participants will use the programming software Tinkercad to conceptualize and design their own models, and through the printer, turn these mental blueprints into physical objects.
“We want to teach them about making basic files that they can print … Tinkercad is very simple to use and has some coursework built into it, so they can go home and practice with it there too. (The class) It’s an introduction … so they see the printers, what they’re good for, what the potential is, and it also puts them in the mindset of what they can do in the future when it comes to jobs,” Brown said. “Things are changing so rapidly, that things that aren’t available now will be in the future, and they might need these skills in their careers.”
Dates for the three-day course are June 28-30, with classes lasting from 6-8 p.m. Only 20 spots are available, so those interested are encouraged to sign up as early as possible. Tickets are $30, and can be reserved by visiting www.eventbrite.com/e/introduction-to-3d-printing-and-design-tickets or emailing info@csopelika.com. Collaboration Station is located at 216 S. 8th St. For more information, call (334) 203-0000.