As part of a materials science course at Northwestern University, students are not only working with existing materials but are formulating their own 3D printing resins. The course, Soft Materials, was redesigned under the guidance of Professor Ryan Truby to bridge theoretical foundations of polymer science with practical applications in additive manufacturing. The goal is to deepen students’ understanding of structure–property relationships in polymers through a hands-on design process.
“Those first teaching experiences and my research in 3D printing inspired the idea of having students develop their own 3D printing resins as a materials engineering project,” said Ryan Truby, June and Donald Brewer Junior Professor and assistant professor of materials science and engineering and of mechanical engineering.
At the center of the course are the so-called Resin Design Labs. In small teams, students create their own photopolymer formulations, iteratively optimize them through mechanical testing, and ultimately use them to fabricate functional components with desktop resin 3D printers. In the current course cycle, students were tasked with producing a durable plastic buckle capable of withstanding tensile loads. The work involves not only polymer chemistry but also aspects of rheology, curing behavior, and mechanical characterization.
The assignment requires systematic experimentation, data-driven decision-making, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
“One of the most exciting parts of science is working hands-on. It helps bring science to life – particularly in materials science where intuition and knowledge can be built through the tactile experience of simply manipulating different materials,” said teaching assistant Emmy Markgraf, a PhD student in Ryan Truby’s Robotic Matter Lab. “Having the students experience how changing their resin formulations can lead to stronger or weaker 3D-printed parts not only challenges their problem-solving skills but also bridges that connection from what they learned in lectures.”
“The class greatly surpassed my expectations, offering far more hands-on experience than anticipated,” third-year undergraduate Julia Wiater said. “The lab challenge that structured the entire course was particularly engaging and provided a stimulating learning environment. This class encouraged me to advance my problem-solving approach, strengthened my critical decision-making skills, and prepared me to effectively communicate my ideas to a broader audience,” Wiater said.
“I really loved this class. Working with resin 3D printers was a new experience that was really fun. I felt I had a large amount of control, which was nice as most other lab-based courses focus on one very specific test or experiment,” Hayden Williams, another third-year student in the course, said. “In this course, we were given a specific end goal but had an immense amount of freedom for how to get there.”
“It has been incredibly rewarding to see the growth of the students, going from not knowing what a polymer is to designing resin formulations that you cannot purchase or have never been made before,” said Alex Evenchik, a PhD candidate in Truby’s lab. “The lessons I learned are skills I will carry with me into my future career,” Evenchik said.
The course format offers a practical addition to traditional materials science education. Truby sees the combination of independent development and engineering problem-solving as an essential component in the training of modern materials scientists.
“In all my courses, I strive to create learning opportunities that enable students to form connections between established engineering fundamentals and emerging ones critical to becoming a modern engineer,” Truby said. “I also encourage students to see both success and failure as essential to the learning process. Traditional coursework does not empower students to learn from failures like hands-on projects do.”
The initiative was supported by a fellowship from the Searle Center and funding from the Murphy Society. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience, the course provides a teaching model that prepares students for future challenges in the field of additive manufacturing.
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