Case Study: Purdue University achieves accelerated applied research and hands-on 3D learning with Stratasys PolyJet 3D printing

Three Dimensional World Opens up to Purdue University Students

Purdue University needed a way to move students and researchers beyond 2D concepts into rapid, hands‑on 3D prototyping for applied research — from custom surgical tools to studies of topologically interlocked materials, Kinetogami, and biomimetic structures inspired by the mantis shrimp. To meet that challenge they partnered with Stratasys and adopted Stratasys PolyJet technology to give students an intuitive, iterative design and fabrication workflow.

With Stratasys PolyJet 3D printing, Purdue teams produced functional prototypes with structural integrity, accelerated design iterations, and ran experimental studies (for example, relating printed part size to strength and failure modes and reproducing complex helicoidal fiber architectures). The Stratasys solution boosted student engagement, enabled hypothesis testing across multiple projects, and revealed practical application opportunities—such as energy‑absorbing helmet designs and earthquake‑protection concepts—that would have been difficult to fabricate otherwise.

Purdue University

David Cappelleri

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering