In the Spotlight: Eric Sparks

Hey everyone! Evan Knowles here. This was a fun episode recorded in a 3D printing “farm.” Eric Sparks and his team at Complet3D are doing some really awesome work in the state to push 3D printing further both application wise and education wise.

3D printing has been around a while now but has yet to go fully mainstream and become a part of everyday life. It’s applications are vast and it sparks the imagination the more you realize the potential for use in schools, hospitals, and manufacturing facilities. The Complet3D team is working with many local stakeholders to provide printers, servicing, and education to make the adoption easy. With their printer farm being located right next to Awesome Inc in Lexington, they are an exciting player in the ecosystem worth learning more about.

Our discussion with the Complet3D founder ranged from how they got started to what needs to happen for more organizations in KY to take advantage of the benefits of 3D printing. Eric believes now is the time for mainstream adoption and we covered how they are making it easy for organizations to adopt it. One specific example we discussed is how doctors use 3D printing to recreate surgery conditions to practice the surgery prior to actually performing it saving hours on the operating table and thousands of dollars each surgery.

Key Takeaways

1. 3D Printing in Schools - Complete3D has partnered with Henry Clay High School in Lexington, where the pre-engineering class is utilizing 3D printing technology. The teacher has incorporated project-based learning, allowing students to model and prototype projects using the 3D printers from Bamboo Labs.

2. Founding Story is 🔥 - In December 2019, just before COVID-19 hit, Eric purchased his first 3D printer. Initially, he used it to print trinkets for their son and his classmates. However, as the pandemic spread, his friends in the medical field requested PPE items, which they began printing. They posted about their efforts on social media, and within a few months, they had produced over 5,000 PPE items from their home using just two 3D printers.

3. Partnerships with UK Medical Teams - Complet3D is collaborating with the University of Kentucky Neurosurgery Team, who use 3D printing to create pre-surgery models for patients. These models allow surgeons to familiarize themselves with the surgery beforehand and also help patients visualize the procedure. Additionally, the models are used for resident education, eliminating the need for residents to share cadaver skulls as they can now print personalized 3D skulls for practice.

For more information about Complet3D, you can visit their website at Complet3D.com.

What Else We’re Listening To

• AirBnB founder, Brian Chesky, opening up about his journey, mental health, and the challenges that come along with being a founder 

• How America is pushing China out of the internet - There is very little to zero awareness to the battle for power going on under the ocean’s surface. We are in a fight for control of the internet and the submarine cables that power it.

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