In the Engineering Building on Friday, Oct. 13, the 3D Printing Club held a Halloween-themed 3D printing competition. Participants were tasked with designing a 3D-printed pumpkin on their laptops through the CAD program OnShape. Judging will be completely design-based when the club leadership prints the designs and presents them for voting at the next meeting. Multiple categories will be voted on, including best overall design and funniest pumpkin.

Michael Morgan is a mechanical engineering major and the president of the club.

“We taught people in the last meeting, how to design but now you can really use the creativity that people have that might get initially squandered… creativity isn’t as well expanded upon in colleges as one might hope. But I feel like in this club… creativity can be really, it can really be expanded on,” said Morgan.

Morgan was working on his own design, as well as the pedestal the winner will be placed on once the voting is over. The pedestal for first place will be a pair of legs, curved at the top so the winning pumpkin can stably sit atop it. 

As the competition began, the club officers emphasized to those in attendance that designs with flat bottoms would print the easiest, though this was not a requirement of the designs. The officers also explained their own designs and how they had created them, so the competitors could use the guidance as a starting point for their own creations. Competitors were also encouraged to choose any color and type of filament they thought would best fit their designs. 

David Theuma is a chemical engineering major and secretary of the club.

“3D printing has been a huge part of my life since I was actually a founding member of the 3D printing club… it’s honestly been amazing to see how much the club has grown and to see the love of 3D printing and CAD designing, not only for engineering but for all majors was really cool… really it’s for everyone to make whatever they want. So this club focuses on exploring the limits you know, defining basically the no limits of 3D printing and just having a good time connecting with each other,” said Theuma.

Some participants made regular pumpkins in all different shapes and sizes, while others formed a pumpkin shape and added a face to create Jack O’ Lanterns. Devonte Bishop is an engineering entrepreneurship major and member of the club.

“I’m just working on the eyes and cutting holes into the pumpkin so that I can actually make it look like a hollow pumpkin face on it,” said Bishop. 

Halloween candy, bags of pretzels, and sodas were supplied on the centermost table of the room to those in attendance. Theme-appropriate music was played throughout the event, including “Ghostbusters,” “Thriller,” and “Monster Mash.” One of the tables had keychains in the shape of white ghosts and orange pumpkins, as well as flat, orange ghosts made from a filament that changes color when exposed to heat.

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