but overall it has been enjoyable to have the opportunity. This project has helped me learn things that hopefully will be beneficial for life after college.” Blanchard said this is essentially a senior design experience that is standard for engineering programs but that it is an addition to the physics program, and a needed one for 21st century physics education. “The students also must apply the physics theory that they learned to this experience,” he explained. “It is definitely a real-world-ready experience." The project will enhance the education of physics and engineering technology majors, Blanchard explained. Physics majors will gain valuable experience not provided otherwise in the curricula, such as in electronics, CAD, Earth science, and the engineering design process. “This project is expected to have wider benefits for the Department of Chemistry and Physics by serving as a spotlight project for recruiting and retention of students in the physics major,” he explained. “Engineering technology students will benefit by being provided with an interesting design project with scientific applications.” The students, he said, will use the data to calculate the atmospheric transmittance spectrum as a function of altitude. The solar spectrometer will also be suitable for re-use for experiments during the upcoming North American solar eclipses, he explained. The second project involves testing 3D materials for space applications and is supervised by Fayed. The team, including student Brandon Cannella, learned the skills of 3D printing and customization using the MakerBot Replicator + printer, as well as applied the American Society of Testing of Materials standards to test the specimens in both tension and impact settings. The work currently being done was started by former student and now Southeastern graduate Zacharie Day, currently a Crane Systems Engineer at TechCrane International, LLC. Cannella recently presented his work at the 96th Louisiana Academy of Science in March and was awarded the best oral presentation for his work. He additionally presented his work at the National Council on Undergraduate Research conference virtually in April. “During this project, I learned how to utilize testing equipment and apply the engineering standards to measure material properties. I also got experience with professional presentations in which my work was reviewed by others,” Cannella said. “I have more confidence in performing professional testing procedures and presenting my results at professional venues.” In the past decade, 3D printing has been improving significantly, and the use of 3D printed parts has been extending to more crucial industrial and scientific applications, including space applications, Fayed said. Investigations of mechanical properties of different 3D printed materials have been done, but they were limited to some aspects and configurations, he explained. 32
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“There are two types of experiments being used to determine the properties of 3D printed materials. The first is tensile testing, which is accomplished by a machine with two jaws that attempt to pull a specimen apart. Based on the force and elongation, we can determine tensile strength and ductility of the material,” Fayed explained. “The second is impact testing, which uses a large hammer pendulum that breaks notched specimens. The potential energy left after the first swing minus the initial potential energy reveals how much energy was required for breaking, which is an indication of material toughness.” Cannella said high tensile strength indicates that a material will have higher resistance to pulling forces. “High impact strength means a material can withstand quick applications of force, or impulse in physics language,” Canella said. “If the materials meet a certain requirement, then they can replace metals. “In the aerospace industry, weight reduction is a key factor because it allows for lower fuel consumption. Small items, such as springs, screws, buckles, containers, and clamps, can be manufactured out of the PLA (Polylactic acid) materials being tested instead of metal,” Cannella added. “This will reduce costs and production time, which will allow us to launch more spacecraft and, therefore, conduct more research opportunities in our solar system and beyond.” Acknowledgment: This research was supported in part by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Grant and Cooperative Agreement Number 80NSSC20M0110 through Subaward Agreement PO-0000172372 with the Louisiana Space Grant Consortium (LaSPACE).