07 May, 2019

POSTPONED - 3-D Printing in Geoscience and Engineering: Emerging Technology in Education, Research, and Communication

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)

 

Do you want to learn how to deploy 3-D-printed models to improve technical communication to diverse audiences? Do you want to gain real experience with TouchTerrain app that allows 3-D-printable terrain models to be generated with no CAD software or GIS experience? This course will provide a unique opportunity to use 3-D printing to bridge the gap between computational and experimental analyses of natural rocks as applied to geoscience research, education and communication. One lucky participant will also win a 3-D printer!

Course will be held via Zoom: 3–4 June 2020, 9:00 am1:00 pm (CDT)

Now Available for Web-Participation
Originally scheduled to take place in person at ACE 2020 in Houston, this short course will now be held separately a stand alone event and will be available for online participation only.

This course provides an overview of different 3-D printing techniques that use both rock-like materials (e.g., sand, gypsum, clay) and polymers (e.g., plastics, resins). While these cost-effective methods are shaping the future of manufacturing, 3-D printing geological media requires profound understanding of capabilities and limitations of each technique and the material properties used. The course includes several modules on how to digitally design and 3-D print models for use in reservoir rock analysis, geomorphology, petroleum geology/geophysics, and rock physics. For reservoir rock analysis, 3-D printing of near-identical rock proxies provides an approach to conduct repeatable laboratory experiments without destroying natural rock samples. The course also discusses case studies where 3-D-printed porous models are used to investigate fundamental research questions in the areas of single and multiphase fluid flow as well as reactive transport in reservoir sandstones and carbonate rocks. In addition, 3-D-printed models will be compared to their digital equivalents to investigate geomechanical and transport properties (e.g., porosity, pore sizes, grain sizes, fracture apertures, connectivity of pore and fracture networks, wettability).

Participants will learn how to deploy 3-D-printed models to improve technical communication to diverse audiences (e.g., students, geoscientists, engineers, managers, community stakeholders). Participants will gain experience with TouchTerrain app that allows 3-D-printable terrain models to be generated with no CAD software or GIS experience. The integration of digital data sets with 3-D-printed surface and subsurface features supports communication for both societal and technical objectives. The course will provide a unique opportunity to use 3-D printing to bridge the gap between computational and experimental analyses of natural rocks as applied to geoscience research, education, and communication.

By completing the course, one lucky participant will win a 3-D Printer! (www.geoprint.ca)

Course Agenda
Day 1
9:00 am–9:20 am Introduction and safety remarks
9:20 am–10:00 am Lecture
10:00 am–10:30 am Q&A session
10:30 am–10:40 am Break
10:40 am–12:20 pm CAD modeling exercise
12:20 pm–12:30 pm Break
12:30 pm–1:00 pm Virtual GeoPrint lab tours
Day 2
9:00 am–10:00 am Meshing Tools
10:00 am–10:10 am Break
10:10 am–11:40 am Touch Terrain Exercise
11:40 am–11:50 am Break
11:50 am–12:40 pm Applications of 3-D printing exercise
12:40 pm–1:00 pm Concluding Remarks