Summer Makerspace workshops at the Libraries!

The Libraries is proud to offer a variety of Makerspace workshops throughout the summer. Members of the NC State community can get a basic introduction to 3D printing and design, basic electronics and programming, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

No experience is necessary to sign up for any of the Makerspace workshops. However, you will have to attend an orientation before using the Makerspace outside of the workshop.

The full workshop schedule is listed below:

Getting Started with 3D Printing
Tuesday, July 17, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. Makerspace
Are you interested in learning about 3D Printing but aren't sure where to start? This workshop will cover the basics of how 3D printing works, including hands-on time to learn with the Hill Makerspace’s MakerBot and Lulzbot 3D printers. We'll also discuss the implications of this powerful tool as well as how to use the Hunt and Hill Makerspaces to bring your designs to life.

Getting Started with 3D Design
Wednesday, July 18, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. Makerspace
This workshop will cover the basics of using 3D design software and creating designs suitable for 3D printing at the D. H. Hill Jr. or Hunt Library Makerspaces. Participants will learn options available for 3D design, download and modify free online 3D designs, and get hands-on practice with Tinkercad, a free, easy-to-use software.
Prerequisite: Please register for a free Tinkercad account to access the software for this workshop.

Getting Started with Photogrametry
Thursday, July 19, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. 3D Scanning Studio
Learn how to create digital 3D models of physical objects using photogrammetry, the process of using a series of 2D images to extract 3D data. Gain experience in the basics of Agisoft Photoscan, a program which uses a version of photogrammetry called Structure from Motion.  Learn the workflow from getting good photographs to getting the finished model ready to print or display in a digital application. No prior experience with 3D modelling or photography is required.
Prerequisite: Participants should install the program on their laptops before the workshop, using the one-month trial at http://www.agisoft.com/.

Getting Started with the Raspberry Pi: Building and Controlling Beginner Projects
Monday, July 23, 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. Makerspace
Come learn the basics of Raspberry Pi, a full computer that costs $35. It’s an easy platform for prototyping and controlling electronics, art projects, and science equipment. The Pi powers projects from craft brewing to data collection and visualization; from interactive art installations to supercomputers. Working in Scratch and Python, you will learn to code and control an LED, program a stop light, and take pictures with the Raspberry Pi's camera.
Prerequisite: Beginning coders may want to prepare by taking a lesson or two of the Code Academy Python course.

Introduction to Arduino
Friday, July 27, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. Makerspace
Do you want to build a robot that interacts with Twitter or your own wearable electronics project? This workshop will cover the basics of Arduino—a microcontroller circuit designed to make creating interactions between computers and the physical world easy for everyone. In this workshop, we'll create some simple example circuits and talk about how to check out electronics kits from the Libraries. Arduino Inventor Kits are available for one-week checkout from both Hill and Hunt, so participants will be able to take a kit home with them after the workshop to continue exploring and experimenting (based on kit availability).
Note: Laptops will be available for participants, but bring your own if you want to save and edit your projects after the workshop.

Getting Started with 3D Scanning
Friday, July 27, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. 3D Scanning Studio
Learn how toscan physical objects and create digital files you can send to a 3D printer. In this workshop you'll get hands-on experience with a number of 3D scanning technologies available at the Libraries and learn how to edit and refine your scans using Meshmixer.

Getting Started with 3D Scanning
Wednesday, August 15, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. 3D Scanning Studio
Workshop details forthcoming.

Getting Started with the Internet of Things
Friday, August 17, 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the D. H. Hill Jr. Makerspace
Workshop details forthcoming.