HSLIC News

Pharmacy Student Uses HSLIC’s 3D Printer for Prize-Winning Poster Project

In Fall 2022, HSLIC obtained a 3D printer for general use. The printer, an Ultimaker S5, allows for printing in two colors, using filaments such as PLA and PVA. Located on the 2nd Floor, near the public computing stations, Library users can send a print to the Ultimaker S5 from those workstations or bring their file on a USB drive. All files must be sliced in Ultimaker’s software, Cura, which is installed on all the 2nd Floor public computing workstations.  

In Spring 2023, Mohammad Razmjoo, a UNM College of Pharmacy student, practiced using the 3D printer to create a variety of laboratory equipment and objects. He says that his 3D-printed pipette holder has been especially useful for lab work. After completing a few prints, Mohammad felt comfortable enough with the 3D printing technology to integrate it into his poster project for the College of Pharmacy’s Research Day on April 17th. The project, titled “Revolutionize Respiratory Disease Treatment Using a Smart Dry Powder Inhaler,” utilized HSLIC’s 3D printer to produce inhaler components designed in collaboration with students at UNM’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Medicine. The Smart Adaptor makes significant improvements over traditional inhalers, such as better feedback and more precise dosage.  

Mohammad’s poster won Best Poster at the Research Day. Regarding his experience at Research Day, Mohammad said, “It was very unusual for a poster presenter to have a physical model to demonstrate, so the 3D printing really set this poster apart. I had a large audience for the whole time.” 

This initial use case demonstrates how a 3D printer can be utilized to deepen educational experiences for students. Mohammad reports that his classmates were hesitant about using the 3D printer, but he routinely assures them, “It’s really not that complicated.” 

If you are interested in exploring how 3D printing can enhance your work at HSC, we welcome the opportunity to work with you. We invite you to explore our 3D Printing Research Guide and to contact us at reflib@salud.unm.edu. Come try it out!