VCUarts Qatar puts 3D technology to use to print cameras

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: When educational institutions in the country reopened for the new academic year, it was apparent that delivering specific essential tools and resources would be delayed due to the pandemic-induced disruptions to normal business operations. 

However, such delays were hardly an issue for faculty and staff at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), a Qatar Foundation partner university. 

When classes started for the 2020 fall semester, faculty and staff at the university's Painting and Printmaking (PAPR) department realised that they wouldn't import enough analogue cameras for all the students in the pathway in time for the start of the course.

Analogue (or pinhole, as it is popularly referred to) camera photography being an integral part of the PAPR curriculum and purchasing cameras from within the country proving to be too expensive faculty and staff did the next best thing they made their own. Or rather, they 3D printed them.

'We realised that due to the COVID-19 induced delays to business processes and shipment, we didn't have the luxury of time to import enough analogue cameras for our students, said Khalifa Al Obaidli, VCUarts Qatar's department of Painting and Printmaking Adjunct Instructor.

'And purchasing them locally was too expensive an option. As creatives and designers, we're trained to look for solutions. In this specific case, that meant making our own. Online research revealed an opensource link to designs that could be 3D printed. We discussed our idea with the FabLab team, who were excited about the possibility of creating analogue cameras from scratch, Obaidly added.

Obaidli and other PAPR faculty, including Aissa Deebi, Abir Zakzok, and Rola Khayyat partnered VCUarts Qatar's FabLab team to 3D print various components models. Saga Elkabash from the FabLab team further adapted these models to meet the specific requirements of the PAPR curriculum that includes analogue or pinhole photography.

'The beauty of analogue photography unlike digital photography lies in being able to observe the actual process of photo development, from shooting an image to darkroom development, Obaidli explained. 

Chris Buchakjian, VCUarts Qatar's Digital Fabrication Lab & Woodshop Coordinator, who was part of the team that researched and developed the camera, explained the development process further.

'PAPR faculty pointed us towards an Open Source 3D Printable camera designed by Clint O'Conner, said Buchakjian. 

'With this 3D model as our starting point, we made adjustments based on the needs of the faculty.  The camera is almost entirely 3D Printed. It's a lovely design and a testament to the value of open-source 3D modeling communities that collaborate to share expertise.

MENAFN1210202000630000ID1100941327