Photo Gallery: A 3D Printer is Worth a Thousand Words

A 3D-printed College of Engineering logo stands among other designs from Assistant Professor of Teaching Vivian Vuong. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

UC Davis engineers show passion and creativity with this accessible technology

by Matt Marcure | Engineering Progress Magazine 2024-25

From helping realize augmented reality goggles for improved surgical procedures to cactus pencil holders and a to-scale replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, engineers at the University of California, Davis, are using 3D printers to create forward-thinking solutions and express their creative side.

Explore collections of photos that demonstrate the value of 3D-printed solutions, showcase the College of Engineering’s vibrant community and hint at the creativity and shared humanity underneath all engineering discoveries.

Finding Community

The 3D Printing Club at UC Davis — aka U3D — is a group of students who gather to share in the joy of engineering design and meet like-minded people on campus. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Club meetings often serve as tutorials for folks to improve their 3D printing skills and are open to the entire UC Davis community. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

An example of a project students may work on during a U3D session. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Engineering graduate student Alex Fillman assembles a 3D-printed design. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Making Space for Creativity

Vivian Vuong stands at a table with her designs

Vivian Vuong, assistant professor of teaching in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, presents some of her 3D-printed designs, from a cactus pencil holder to a College of Engineering-topped Christmas tree. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

A sample of Vuong’s 3D-printed work. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

She also loves creating replicas of colleagues’ pets. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Vuong believes it is important for engineers of all disciplines to explore their creativity. (Mario Rodriguez/UC Davis)

Three people work on a device in the shape of a plant

In her class, “Introducing Engineering Design,” Vuong encourages her students to think outside of the box with their projects — often 3D-printed prototypes — and to consider how their products will look just as much as how they will function. "You're not designing for the purpose of the thing," she says. "You're designing for the person who's going to use the technology." (Steven Trinh/UC Davis)

Facilitating Success

A workshop with desks and the word "prototype" painted on the back wall

The Electronics and Rapid Prototyping Lab inside the Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center, or ESDC, has 3D printers that students of all majors can access with an hour of training.

A female student presents a team project in a crowded room

Students can also learn how to use 3D printers to bring their ideas to life at the Student Startup Center, located in the ESDC. Better yet, for students with entrepreneurial aims like those pictured here, the center helps them develop business plans and connect with potential investors to bring their ideas to market. (Jose Luis Villegas/UC Davis)

A man and a woman stand in a room with 3D printers

The college also supports the Translating Engineering Advances to Medicine, or TEAM Lab, led by Valerie Quiroz, left, and Steven Lucero. They provide expert design assistance and fabrication services through 3D printers, machining and more, and are open to support all types of projects in any discipline, from other universities to private individuals. (Michael J. Bannasch/UC Davis)

Part of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the TEAM Lab often provides critical support to biomedical research and medical emergencies at UC Davis Health and UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

A pointer finger presses on a plastic overlay fitted onto a touchscreen device

Another example of the TEAM Lab’s impact is this plastic overlay that guides its user to the desired portion of a touchscreen. It was a collaboration with UC Davis Academic Technology Services to increase the accessibility of a classroom for a professor with a sight impairment. (Rishi Donapati/UC Davis)

The TEAM Lab’s Valerie Quiroz presents a 3D-printed license plate. Not pictured: T-Rexes and a bust of Stephen Colbert. (Michael J. Bannasch/UC Davis)