Henry Zhang’s Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory (MDL) is home to the state’s largest self-built 3-D printer. In fact, it was used to create many of its own pieces.

A 3-D printer is one of the necessities for additive manufacturing. It gives manufacturers the flexibility to produce parts with complicated features and with a lot less expense than casting a part. It is also a convenient way to make a prototype, directly converting a CAD 3-D-modeled design. It has many applications in future manufacturing industry.