American Society of Mechanical Engineers Club at SJSU Turn to MatterHackers PRO Series Filament to Stand Out

For the past year, the San Jose State University chapter of ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineering) has been utilizing MatterHackers’ PRO Series Filament to print numerous projects, several of which have been recognized in national and international competitions. Whether it be PLA, TPU, FLEX, or Tough PLA, SJSU ASME is finding ways to utilize MatterHackers' unique filament materials to produce innovative parts that are helping teach students some of the applications and practical uses of additive manufacturing.

“Getting our students engaged through 3D printing has always been the forefront of our club, but the abilities we’ve gained through access to Matterhackers’ Pro Series filament styles has allowed our club members to tackle complex parts with ease and has truly expanded our 3D printing portfolio!” says Tyler Erwin, Vice President of SJSU ASME.

This month four SJSU ASME members’ projects have won in Autodesk’s Instructables’ 3D Printing Challenge making use of PRO Series filaments! These projects show how Matterhackers’ filaments can support development and innovation in the engineering field. They include a desktop stand made with generative design and an electric vehicle charging robot! SJSU ASME members plan to continue to expand their knowledge and experience this coming academic year with the PRO Series NYLON and PETG materials.

One such application was found during the early fabrication stages of a human powered vehicle for ASME’s international competition. Designed as a welded tube frame, the vehicle would require numerous tube assemblies to be welded precisely to ensure that the final assembly would fit together correctly. An old optics lab table provided a flat surface with a regular pattern of threaded holes, however it still lacked a way to secure the round tubing down. Thus a simple part with one hole to secure it to the table, and an arch to press the tubing down was made. The parts quick print time allowed numerous to be made as needed with the hole and arch offset the correct distance to secure each tube until they were securely welded in place. MatterHackers’ PRO series PLA filament proved reliable, with few melted or distorted parts, despite being mere inches from the welding torch!

The San Jose State University chapter of ASME strives to carry on the goals and objectives of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering community. Their mission as a student chapter is to reinforce knowledge and hard skills by application, strengthen interclub relations through collaboration, and promote the importance of soft skills through teamwork. The organization also provides information to our students on the academic opportunities available on and outside of campus and promotes interaction between students and representatives from industry in order to further their professional development within the field.

Explore MatterHackers PRO Series Materials and start creating today!