3D printing offers great flexibility and precision in transforming computer-aided design (CAD) models into physical reality. This innovative additive manufacturing technology makes it possible to design and prototype instrumentation with capabilities unlike conventional models. However, 3D printing remains a relatively slow process, often requiring hours to fabricate reasonably sized objects. Complex instrument designs often require over ten hours to produce a single instrument. Traditional, subtractive manufacturing techniques, such as computer numerical control (CNC) instruments, remain versatile tools for instrument production. Creative design of cross-sectional, 2D digital models can lead to simple and inexpensive instrument designs. A cross-sectional design strategy was used to develop models produced with a 90 Watt CO<sub>2</sub> laser. Moreover, these designs can be produced in under twenty minutes using a laser cutter and engraver. The simple and inexpensive colorimeter design shared here was developed and prototyped using this approach. These colorimeters are excellent candidates for use in middle schools, high school, and science outreach activities. Furthermore, these designs proved to offer performance comparable to research grade instrumentation for many analytes.

Prototyping a simple and inexpensive colorimeter from 2D designs via laser cutting and engraving

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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