Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Manufacturing Demonstration Facility · SULI Intern · May 2026 – Present
Background
Over the 2026 summer I am a system automation and monitoring research intern at Oak Ridge National Lab's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. The internship was funded by the Department of Energy through the Science Undergraduate Research Internship (SULI) program. Under the mentorship of Alex Roschli I am assisting with numerous projects at ORNL.
The primary project I have been working on is a novel 5-axis FFF 3D printer which mimics the movement profiles of an OKUMA Hybrid CNC. The purpose of this 3D printer is to verify programmed tool paths to reduce the frequency of expensive collisions and failed prints on the Okuma system. I also spent time working on a Continuous Thermo Forming project, a system that allows for large sized thermo forming from a small footprint machine. Additionally, I prepared conference demonstration pieces for a team working on automated drone fabrication.
Process
The 5 axis 3D printer was initially developed by another student working in collaboration with a hobbyist from Sweden. When I received the printer it was an electrical mess with minimal firmware and flawed mechanical systems. I have overhauled the hotend and z-axis systems to improve consistency and accuracy of the printer. I also worked to write firmware to get the printer up and running. Modifications to existing 5-axis slicing software were necessary to accommodate the unique movement profile. I will add more content to this page once my internship has concluded and the relevant information has passed export control.
Media
Personal Development
The SULI program puts a strong emphasis on developing research skills, as such I attended numerous workshops targeted at developing my writing, speaking, researching, and networking skills. I have gotten to meet a lot of passionate people from my field and ones from fields I have never heard of before. It has been great to get so much exposure to related research and the people who are leading it.
The projects that I have worked on have pushed my skills in 3D modeling and system design. I have also gotten a lot more experience with researching parts to find what is needed for my project. Nearly all of my designs previously have had low budgets and don't require operating in extreme conditions. The projects I have worked on here have required a much finer attention to detail to ensure the (what is to me) very expensive parts work together.
Next Steps
All of my projects will either be completed or ready to be handed off to someone else by the completion of my internship here. I have been able to see countless cutting edge manufacturing systems being developed at the MDF. I have had several personal project ideas that have been inspired by work being done here, that I will hopefully be posting about soon. I plan to remain in contact with the people I have met here at ORNL and work with them again in the future.