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Optical instrumentation prototyping could be made significantly faster and cheaper with the availability of on-demand, customisable opto-mechanical components. The proliferation of additive manufacturing motivates the research into 3D printed optical translation stages, as a proof of concept for this type of design. The availability of such a design would also find use in many low-cost optical experimentation settings. This project aims to have a student research, develop, and characterise such a device, and to share the parametric design and documentation in open-source libraries.

Student outcomes include:

1. Proficiency in developing and evaluating 3D printed opto-mechanical components.

2. Understanding of additive manufacturing applications in optical design.

3. Skill development in optimizing 3D printed optical translation stages.

4. Contribution to open-source libraries for collaborative design.

5. Insight into cost-effective prototyping methods for optical experimentation.

Experience in CAD-based design is required, and experience in optical instrumentation is valued.