3D printing in crafts: workshops for nimble hands in Kaiserslautern!

3D printing in crafts: workshops for nimble hands in Kaiserslautern!

The Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) in collaboration with the Palatinate Chamber of Crafts (HWK Pfalz) is organizing a practice-oriented workshop on the topic of “3D printing in crafts” in May 2025. The initiative is aimed at making it easier for craft businesses to get started with modern 3D printing technology and showing a wide range of possible applications. This is an important step towards digitalization in the craft sector.

The event will take place on several dates, starting on May 6th, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by another date on May 7th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on May 14th, 2025, also from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. These workshops are open to all tradespeople from various trades, including metal construction, carpentry and automotive workshops.

Workshop content and registration

In the workshops, participants are introduced to various aspects of 3D printing. This includes how the printing processes work, the selection of suitable materials and the efficient use of the technology in operations. Practical exercises, including live demonstrations and printing 3D models yourself, are also on the program. In order to take part in the workshops, prior registration is required. This can now be accessed via the engineering 4.0 lab (e4lab) website www.e4lab-kl.de/3d-druck-fuer-das-handwerk/ and is free of charge.

The event location is the engineering 4.0 lab (e4lab) on Carl-Euler-Str. 56 in Kaiserslautern. These workshops are presented by the Open Digitalization Alliance Palatinate and organized in partnership with the Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) and the Leibniz Institute for Composite Materials Kaiserslautern (IVW).

Goals of the event

The overall goal of this series of workshops is to provide craftsmen with an introduction to custom fabrication, repair and prototyping through 3D printing. Participants also receive an overview of various material and printing technologies and learn the basics of 3D CAD modeling. Other topics include preparing the printing process, including file formats, slicing software and printing parameters, as well as practical tips for everyday work in the trade.

The registration deadline for the workshops is May 4th, 2025. In addition to the dates already mentioned on May 6th, 7th and 14th, 2025, further events are planned for May 16th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and May 26th, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The initiative is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the federal-state initiative “Innovative University”. If you have any questions, those interested can contact Chantal Momber from the RPTU or Benjamin Hilmer from the HWK Pfalz directly for further information.