3D printers support everyone's innovation at Boston University's Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) and build the future.

Posted by FIT THAI on July 21, 2026

Boston University's EPIC lab houses 10 Formlabs printers, used for instruction, research, student clubs, and personal projects.

In an open-plan space in a low-rise building near the heart of Boston University's campus, 3D printers hum softly in rows. Outside the long wall of windows, a light rail train passes by. Inside, researchers, specialized staff, and students make the most of cutting-edge technology.

Boston University's Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a 15,000-square-foot facility filled with manufacturing equipment, from milling machines to robotics and, of course, 3D printers. The lab is closely associated with the College of Engineering but is accessible to the entire Boston University community. EPIC's mission is to provide students with both practical skills and inspiration to succeed in engineering, design, and manufacturing. Students are given the opportunity to connect theory with practice through project-based learning and continuously evolving curricula.

How is the innovation center used within the university?

Dr. Anna Thornton, Professor of Practice in Mechanical Engineering and Director of EPIC, stated that there are four primary reasons why students and faculty use 3D printers and other manufacturing equipment within the EPIC facility:

Coursework:

From the Medical School to Mechanical Engineering, departments across the university bring students to EPIC for hands-on projects. In these classes, mechanical engineering students learn about the process from prototype to final product, which is often overlooked in engineering education. Topics such as DFM (Design for Manufacturability), validation testing, and cost-benefit analysis between outsourcing and in-house production are taught. In these classes, students often use Formlabs 3D printers within the EPIC lab to produce tools for their product designs.

Research:

Researchers, research assistants, and students come to EPIC with creative ideas for applying 3D printing to their research, such as manufacturing parts for testing and fixtures. While the format varies by lab, EPIC staff, including students, can lend their expertise to advise on manufacturing technologies.

Clubs:

From robotics to rocketry, student clubs constantly put EPIC's equipment to practical use. Racing teams, such as Formula Student, are often among the most advanced users of maker spaces or innovation centers on university campuses, as they produce and test actual performance parts.

Personal Projects:

Some students come to EPIC to laser-cut gifts for their families, while others come to develop product ideas into prototypes through the BUild Lab, the university's entrepreneurship center. Regardless of the motivation, these projects allow students to think about skills with results in mind and apply project-based learning in practice.

Dr. Thornton said that even if projects within EPIC are not class-related, students still feel a connection through real-world applications. For example, designing a mold applies fluid mechanics knowledge and reinforces it, while casting practices thermodynamics. Giving students the opportunity to make these connections themselves between coursework and practical projects helps them permanently and concretely remember theoretical concepts.

EPIC staff fabricate parts upon request from students and faculty across all university departments.

The Connection Between Formlabs and EPIC

Formlabs is headquartered just a few miles from BU, and the two organizations have several connections. BU students intern or work full-time at Formlabs, and one BU professor was previously a mechanical engineering team lead at Formlabs before returning to teaching, regularly using EPIC's facilities with his students.

EPIC houses 10 Formlabs printers. Within the main lab space, there are 5 SLA Form 2 printers and 2 Form 3 printers. In an extension building in the basement, there are 3 additional printers, used for additive manufacturing graduate courses and soft robotics courses.

Additionally, printers are installed in private workspaces within research groups across campus that prefer to have a printer in their own labs.

Within EPIC's main area, Clear Resin, Grey Pro Resin, and Durable Resin are primarily used for student prototypes and molds. In the extension building on the ground floor, Elastic 50A Resin is extensively used for soft robotics courses.

The lab also stocks various other materials and specialized resins for specific student projects that require advanced mechanical properties, such as heat resistance.

The EPIC lab has a large stock of Formlabs materials. When students and staff need certain properties, such as translucency, they often choose Formlabs over other types of 3D printers.

When students and staff need parts with smooth surfaces and want to minimize post-processing steps, they tend to choose Formlabs products over others. They often use Formlabs 3D printers to prototype functional parts that will eventually be machined with the lab's various milling machines, or to 3D print molds and master prototypes for use in casting processes.

Dr. Thornton stated that students choose Formlabs 3D printers "when product concepts need to be tested, or when part geometries are too complex to produce with traditional machining methods."

Social Change by Looking to the Next Generation

In addition to permanent staff and an advisory board composed of industry experts, EPIC also has a student advisory board. Dr. Thornton praised this diverse group of graduate and undergraduate students for implementing several initiatives to make the space more comfortable for students.

She said, "They are dedicated to helping reduce any sense of intimidation or hesitation students might have about coming into the space. They help us engage with individuals representing various groups across campus much more effectively."

Efforts like these involve both physical and programmatic changes.

One example of a physical improvement is the student advisory board's push for the installation of a gender-neutral restroom near the lab, so that students of all genders can work on projects for hours without inconvenience.

They also suggested removing the opaque partitions at the lab entrance and replacing them with low-height cabinets.

Student lab staff and the student advisory board play a crucial role in closely connecting EPIC with students.

In terms of programmatic changes, the student advisory board suggested creating workshops that focus on outcomes rather than processes. For example, instead of attending a workshop to learn how to operate a milling machine, students are encouraged to design and build their own fidget toys.

Focusing on outcomes helps even those who never thought of themselves as engineers feel that learning new technology is more accessible. The pride of creating something with one's own hands is more universal.

Dr. Thornton and her colleagues are deeply aware of the importance of reducing gender and racial disparities in engineering and manufacturing for the next generation. From their own industry experience, they have witnessed these issues, and students expect proactive efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It can be challenging to know what support activities to pursue for student groups who have not traditionally been encouraged to study engineering or technology, but this is where the student advisory board proves invaluable.

"Students tell us, in their own language, how we should connect with them and their peers."

Supporting Non-Traditional Paths to Graduate Engineering

BU also stands out by offering advantageous career paths in engineering and manufacturing to those who did not complete an undergraduate degree in engineering.

BU offers a master's program called the Late Entry Accelerated Program (LEAP) for working professionals in their 20s and 30s who hold undergraduate degrees in fields other than engineering.

These students take core courses alongside undergraduates to fulfill prerequisites, then can continue their studies to earn a master's degree in engineering.

BU has a program for graduate engineering students who did not study engineering at the undergraduate level.

All LEAP students become familiar with EPIC through their classes, and even after classes end, they continue to seek out and utilize the resources available at EPIC.

Dr. Thornton said, "I love LEAP students because they are so excited to be here, and they seize every opportunity to get involved."

Especially for these students, EPIC helps them build close relationships with faculty and staff, and supports networking during the job search process.

Dr. Thornton said, "Their academic backgrounds may not follow traditional paths, but they possess excellent skills."

Fostering Innovation and Preparing for the Future

The demand for professionals skilled in 3D design and 3D printing is growing exponentially each year.

Through programs like LEAP and traditional curricula like BU's engineering programs, graduates apply skills developed in CAD, design for additive manufacturing, interdisciplinary thinking, and optimizing 3D printing processes, entering the workforce prepared to make meaningful contributions through new, innovative methods.

Just as BU's EPIC has done, utilizing Formlabs printers enables the widest range of 3D printing applications, with a diverse material library, end-use-quality surface finishes, and robust mechanical properties.

As the proportion of these 3D-skilled professionals increases, the future of manufacturing, engineering, product design, medicine, and other fields will be more closely linked to 3D printing than ever before.