When University Museums at Iowa State sought to restore the iconic History of Dairying Fountain in the Food Sciences Building, CIRAS, through their connections at the Digital Manufacturing Lab Powered by Alliant Energy, provided crucial support and introduced them to campus resources able to assist. Under President Wendy Wintersteen’s leadership, the project leveraged advanced technology to accurately recreate the fountain’s intricate details. CIRAS partnered with the Iowa State Mechanical Engineering Department and Iowa State University Museums Department, utilizing cutting-edge 3D scanning technology to produce precise digital renderings.
Jake Behrens, CIRAS lab coordinator, emphasized the importance of this technology:
Sawyer Krotz, Teaching Laboratory Specialist, emphasized the impact of this technology:
“Art inspires engineers to innovate and challenges them to view the world differently, creating novel solutions to abstract problems. The introduction of advanced manufacturing techniques has only further opened up those opportunities for a wider range of people.”
This restoration project exemplifies how CIRAS expertise and understanding of campus resources can address unique challenges by offering innovative solutions that benefit companies statewide. The same 3D scanning technology is available to assist Iowa companies in improving product development, accelerating prototyping, and optimizing manufacturing processes.
To explore how these innovative tools can benefit your company, visit the Digital Manufacturing Lab Powered by Alliant Energy during an upcoming tour. To register, visit go.iastate.edu/KXON6H.
For more information, contact Jake Behrens at jbehrens@iastate.edu or 515-815-5003.