Inkjet & Digital Printing

Mcor Technologies Gives Vincennes University Students Unlimited Access to Professional-class 3D Printing Technology

Tuesday 22. April 2014 - Mcor Technologies Ltd, manufacturer of the only line of desktop paper-based 3D printers, announced today that Vincennes University is using Mcor 3D printing technology to provide its students with unlimited access to professional-class 3D printing and rapid prototyping technology.

Vincennes faculty intended to purchase their industrial technology students an expensive 3D printer that produces plastic models. However, they came upon an Mcor 3D printer that uses a radically different material than most 3D printers do – ordinary sheets of paper.
It wasn’t creating origami; these were solid, wood-like, durable physical models. “When we saw that, we said, ‘We have to have it,'” said Tom Danielsen, interim coordinator of the product design and production processes program at Vincennes University. “The affordability drove us right to the Mcor Matrix.
The university realized it needed an industrial-class 3D printer that was affordable enough to operate that students could use it every day. The Mcor Matrix is now a prominent member of Vincennes tool kit of 3D printers.
“Some schools buy the most expensive 3D printer on the market, then don’t let their students get their hands on it because it costs too much to print models,” said Danielsen. “Our tradition is hands on. We want students using the machine, learning how it works and what they can do with it. Because the material, paper, is so affordable, the Mcor Matrix is most definitely a hands-on machine.”
In every case, Vincennes University students find ways to slash the cost of part prototypes. A pulley system, for example, costs $35 in materials from a plastics-based 3D printer but only one-seventh the cost – or $5 – with the Mcor Matrix, according to Danielsen. Finding cost savings of this magnitude is something employers deeply appreciate.
Another benefit is sustainability. “The Mcor Matrix produces models that, when their useful life is over, are as recyclable as paper,” said Danielsen. “That’s because they are paper. Since the sheets are bound together, however, these recyclable models are as tough as wood. Students understand and appreciate the sustainability advantage. It’s important to them.”
The Mcor 3D printing process takes place constantly in the Vincennes University fabrication lab, presenting a fascinating and impressive sight to prospective students who visit the school. “Students want to know they’ll be learning exciting new technology here that will make them more competitive when applying for jobs or additional educational programs after graduation,” says Danielsen. Vincennes is a pipeline to some of the biggest employers in manufacturing and technology.
And though the technology is sophisticated, it’s not difficult: “The Mcor Matrix has been very easy to use, and we’ve had no issues at all,” he says. In addition to fabricating parts, the Mcor Matrix also makes patterns for casting.
“We haven’t come across anything it can’t do,” says Danielsen. “Companies evaluating a machine on a material-cost-per-printed-part basis will see the Matrix is very cost-effective, just as we did. Add in the green factor and it’s a no-brainer.”