President of Umm Al Qura University Dr. Bakri bin Ma'tooq Assas saw a 3D printer design by students of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture. The printer was the first 3D printer designed with Binder Jetting technology in the Middle East. This came during Dr Bakri's meeting with students at his office on Thursday 29/1/1439H. The meeting was attended by Dean of Engineering College Hamza Gholman and Dean of Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dr Ahmed Basalah.

His excellency heard a detailed presentation by Dean of Engineering College Hamza Gholman and Dr Ahmed Basalah about the printer, its components, printed materials and the time of designing.

His excellency said this innovation was not strange to students of the Engineering College as they have made numerous achievements and innovations. He said the Engineering College is full of distinguished efficiencies as all UQU colleges due to support of the Saudi leadership and follow-up by Education Minister Dr Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Eissi to make the UQU among pioneering universities.   

UQU Vice-President for Development and Entrepreneurship Dr. Hani bin Othman Ghazi said all capabilities will be dedicated for those talented students by the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to turn the printer design into a company ready to enter the technological market.

For his part, Dean of Engineering College Dr. Hamza Gholman said this achievement has been made as a result of support by UQU President Dr. Bakri bin Ma'tooq Assas and UQU Vice-Presidents for the college and its departments and their keenness on creating a favorable atmosphere for the students to show up their talents and innovations and their participation in in-door and outdoor activities.

Dr Ahmed Basalah, who supervised the student designers, said the printer is different from its American counterparts as it produces particles from different materials such as gypsum, ceramics, sugar and different minerals. It has many specifications in terms of its size and thickness of the layer, which is  75 micrometer and the accuracy of the printer is: 96 points for each inch. He said it took a whole academic year to design the printer as a graduation project for students of the Mechanical Engineering Department.

The students who participated in the printer design are Yusuf Ibrahim Al Zubaidi, Maan Marwan Qabani, Abdul Rahman Abdullah Khan, Ibrahim Salim Al Hazemi and Abdullah Saeed Bahtab.