The Advanced Manufacturing & Design Lab
From Prototype to Proof of Concept with State-of-the-Art Technology
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Who We Are
Dr. Ian Enochs is the Principal investigator for the Advanced Manufacturing and Design Lab. This lab was created to be a resource for scientists and collaborators to build and explore new technologies for enhancing research and data collection. Nate Formel, Graham Kolodziej, and Nash Solderberg are the primary researchers utilizing and maintaining this resource with Dr. Enochs to further research done at AOML.
| Ian Enochs, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
| Nate Formel
Project Manager
| Graham Kolodziej
Research Associate
| Nash Soderberg
Research Associate
Top News
Scientists Use 3D Printing Technology to Study Water Chemistry at Coral Reefs
May 17, 2019
AOML researchers have taken an innovative approach to studying the changing carbonate chemistry of seawater at shallow coral reef sites. Using 3D printing technology made possible by the new Advanced Manufacturing and Design Lab at AOML, researchers with the Acidification, Climate, and Coral Reef Ecosystems Team, or ACCRETE, have created a water sampler in-house.
Driving Innovative Science
With State-of-the-Art Technology.
AOML’s advanced manufacturing and design lab (AMDL) uses state-of-the-art equipment to create novel scientific tools, controlling the process from idea to prototype to proof of concept. The lab has embraced cloud-based CAD software, fused deposition modeling and stereolithography 3D printers, a 150W automated laser cutter, and an automated PCB milling machine.
These tools are available for home or commercial use, but bringing them together has given researchers at AOML the ability to quickly prototype and test new tools to assist in accomplishing our research goals by significantly reducing development lead time. The technology and tools created in the lab it are used to collaborate with other institutions who are committed to engineering innovation in science and open-source technology.
Research Tools
The Subsurface Automated Sampler
The sub-surface automated dual water sampler was designed by researchers at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory and the University of Miami to help scientists study water chemistry on shallow reef habitats. It was also created to minimize some of the financial hurdles in marine research by serving as a low-cost open-source alternative to existing water samplers. Explore the sampler’s website, use it to guide you in building and using your own water samplers, embrace the maker movement and improve on our design. If you are a teacher, there are free lesson plans to download that include labs and activities related to science, technology, and engineering. Visit the site and learn how to build yours.
Fluid Transfer & Filtration
For Carbonate Chemistry Analysis
The Advanced Manufacturing and Design Lab at AOML has created a fluid transfer pump for low gas exchange transfer and filtration of precise and consistent volumes of seawater samples from sampling containers for carbonate chemistry analysis.
Submersible Incubation Chamber
For Respiration & Calcification Analysis
AOML scientists used the Advanced Manufacturing Lab to create a submersible incubation chamber for analyzing coral and sponge respiration and coral calcification in the lab.
Environmental DNA Sampler
For DNA Sampling in the Water Column
AOML scientists also created a sub-surface automated environmental DNA (eDNA) sampler for sampling eDNA in the water column. The low-cost open-source design will, similar to the SAS, help researchers sample eDNA at finer temporal and spatial scales for research and monitoring purposes.