3D Printing Waterproof Geocache Containers
Disciplines
Geographic Information Sciences | Geography
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, universities have struggled with achieving strong student engagement; this has had a number of detrimental effects on the students. One solution which has shown strong results in helping increase student engagement, as well as a wide range of other benefits, is geocaching. In practice, it would work as a system of scavenger hunts around campus. A limiting factor to the number of campuses that can adopt this technology is longevity of the containers designed to be found in the scavenger hunts. Often, they are flooded due to poor waterproofing and their contents ruined, leading many to abandon trying to use them entirely. Our research question focuses on determining how we can design waterproof 3D-printed containers and determining which qualities, such as print settings, shape, and material contribute most to waterproofness. One method used to test waterproofness was found by weighing the containers before and after being submerged in water for a week. The containers were submerged in a bucket and rocks were put in the containers to keep them under water. Another method used was filling the containers with dyed water to see where the water was leaking out. Our results indicate that there are methods we can follow to make PLA printed containers waterproof or at least water-resistant, so that these containers can be used for geocaching purposes. These results are based on different materials, models, settings, and slicing parameters.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Uli Ingram
3D Printing Waterproof Geocache Containers
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, universities have struggled with achieving strong student engagement; this has had a number of detrimental effects on the students. One solution which has shown strong results in helping increase student engagement, as well as a wide range of other benefits, is geocaching. In practice, it would work as a system of scavenger hunts around campus. A limiting factor to the number of campuses that can adopt this technology is longevity of the containers designed to be found in the scavenger hunts. Often, they are flooded due to poor waterproofing and their contents ruined, leading many to abandon trying to use them entirely. Our research question focuses on determining how we can design waterproof 3D-printed containers and determining which qualities, such as print settings, shape, and material contribute most to waterproofness. One method used to test waterproofness was found by weighing the containers before and after being submerged in water for a week. The containers were submerged in a bucket and rocks were put in the containers to keep them under water. Another method used was filling the containers with dyed water to see where the water was leaking out. Our results indicate that there are methods we can follow to make PLA printed containers waterproof or at least water-resistant, so that these containers can be used for geocaching purposes. These results are based on different materials, models, settings, and slicing parameters.