When a researcher at UC Davis needs a tool that doesn’t exist, they often turn to Tech Foundry, a facility that uses 3D printers, CNC machines and laser cutters to create one-of-a-kind devices and prototypes.

The development facility, known previously as the TEAM Lab, is operated by the Department of Biomedical Engineering and has had a location in Davis for more than 15 years, and is now in the process of opening a second space in Aggie Square.

Dateline UC Davis sat down with Tech Foundry Director Steven Lucero about the development facility’s focus and how a second location will open new possibilities. This interview has been edited for clarity.

Dateline UC Davis: Can you tell me a little bit about Tech Foundry, formerly TEAM Lab, and what you do?

Steven Lucero: We are here primarily to support graduate-level research activity by way of design and manufacturing aid to PIs (principal investigators) and researchers who need aid to conduct their research. Some examples of that work might include meeting with a PI to devise a solution to some experimental setup that doesn't exist. We can listen to them articulate their specific needs and challenges, brainstorm a solution, design it up inside of a CAD environment, and then manufacture that solution and help them implement it.

How long has the space been around? And can you give me an example of a specific project that you've worked on?

The facility has been in operation for over 15 years now. We've been steadily growing along the way, with the exception being our most recent expansion out into Aggie Square, which is certainly not a steady expansion. This is a much more massive expansion now, with us multiplying our footprint by about five times. We engage in about something like 600 projects per year. As an example, we currently have a project that involves the development of a tendon-stretching device. Grown specimens that are loaded between two posts that are then driven back and forth at a known displacement distance and known rate, the intent being to study how this mechanical agitation alters the performance of these lab-grown tendons. So that, as I said, is a project that incorporates sensors and motors and controls. … We might (also) receive the medical imaging data for an animal and then we'll develop some kind of surgical simulation mannequin that simulates the surgical process. We have another project that we are working on right now where we are tracking the position of a needle in relation to the patient and ensuring that the person who’s using the device is being trained appropriately on needle placement.

Is what you do specific to biomedical engineering?

It is not. Certainly, biomedical engineering and adjacent groups engage with us most frequently because it is a specialized domain and it’s an area that we’re comfortable working in, but we will engage with anybody on campus that needs assistance, particularly with the tools and technologies that we are experts in. We are largely considered the authority on campus for 3D printing technologies, and we have a whole variety of these machines on site and can help our clients understand the pros and cons of each machine and each kind of underlying technology that drives that machine.

What will having a location at Aggie Square mean for your lab?

Our existing Davis site is about 1,200-1,400 square feet, and that has really limited our ability to add more equipment. Any time we wanted to add additional equipment, we had to subtract something else, and some pieces of equipment were off limits because we didn't have the footprint necessary to allocate to that machine. Moving here to Aggie Square, we have a brand new site, as I said, that is five times bigger — about 7,500 square feet, so there's no shortage of space anymore. And I think that that is reflected in our machine acquisitions that we're working through now.

What are some scenarios where someone should consider reaching out to your lab?

I think the most obvious situation is that you've identified some gap that needs engineering to address a problem that you've identified. So perhaps you are a clinical care provider and you have an idea for some surgical instrument that doesn't exist. … Essentially, if you've identified some engineering-based need and you need somebody to help devise a solution and manufacture a prototype solution, we can do that.

One of the big things that has been talked about with Aggie Square has been the public and private partnerships, and collisions from different departments and different entities. How do you see that playing into what you do?

Actually, this morning, I was walking down the hallway and had an impromptu conversation with a medical campus representative who was mentioning that he heard that I had recently helped retrofit a piece of equipment to become compatible with the building, and that kind of stimulated conversation around some other opportunity. I think these are the types of interactions that will be taking place as more and more people are brought on site and the building opens up. I’m a strong believer that being adjacent to a need is a driver for finding needs and then filling those needs. So being physically present on the Sacramento campus is going to be a huge improvement for us as a facility, and as a campus. I'm looking forward to working with a much broader scope of people.

Who should consider your services?

We're trying to be as open to as many people as possible. We are still ramping up our operation here and are primarily focused on getting the facility online, but the short answer is literally anybody that has a need: you could be working on behalf of a startup company that’s in the area, you could be an individual, you could be a researcher — pretty much anybody and everybody we're willing to collaborate with.

Have there been any projects you've worked on in the past that really stand out in your mind? 

I think one that comes to mind immediately when I hear this question is the conjoined twin surgery that took place out here a couple of years back now. I had the opportunity to sit in on a number of planning sessions with the surgeons and ultimately devise some models that were used for the actual surgery. I think something like a dozen or so models were furnished for that process. That was a unique opportunity, and I think one that leveraged a lot of our tools and technologies quite nicely: 3D printing, our ability to segment anatomical models.

Obviously, you mentioned that you still have some work to do before you're totally ready to go at Aggie Square, but what should someone do if they have a project they're interested in talking to you about?

We have a portal on our website where you can submit a project request. It doesn't obligate anybody for anything, but it's a good place for us to receive details about that project and collect things — like if somebody has compiled some sketches or a list of needs, they can tuck all of that content into one place, and it gets packaged up and lands in our inbox. We can digest your provided information, and then we can reach out to work towards a solution. If it's something that needs immediate attention, we'll do our best to devise a way to address it. Even if it's not here at our Sacramento location, we do still have our Davis site online and can continue to leverage that site. … A lot of people ask me: How do I find out more about what your capabilities are? We've spent a lot of time on our website and making that as complete as possible. So I'd strongly encourage people to start there and just comb through our technology offerings and service offerings, because I think a lot can be learned there.