February 27, 2020

By Kelli Gile, WVUSD Office of Community Resources

DIAMOND BAR, CA--Business is booming, as they say, for the PrintedWorks team at Diamond Bar High School.

What began last year with 3D printing projects, the after-school club has grown into a full-blown entrepreneurial endeavor with students designing and selling customized banners, clothing, laser-engraved awards, and full-color programs.

The student-run company is divided into three sections: business, art, and engineering – with students working together to complete orders from teachers, departments, and the outside community.

About 30-40 students meet Monday and Wednesday afternoons in Room #202 clocking in between five and ten hours each week.

“I fell in love with this club because every day it’s a new experience,” said senior Logan Tang, 17, the club’s president.

“Basically, I’m the CEO, learning all the ins and outs of running a business - but at the end of the day, it’s rewarding,” he said.

Tang, one of the original members, said the group launched with a “collection of engineering students that wanted to build things.”

“It was the foundation of what we do and it’s evolved,” he said.

Next door, in old woodshop classroom, an InMoov robot team works on a humanoid 3D-printed project that has artificial intelligence.

“It’s open-sourced from France,” explains senior Alex Tang while working on one of the finger joints of the life-sized creation.

“The inventor created all the files and posted them online for free for everyone to use.”

Senior Yash Karwal, another original team member, said he knows how to run most of the machines, including the bay of eight 3D printers.

“We were having problems with the glass beds breaking this year and about half of our printers weren’t working,” he said.

Members brought the problem to their mentor, businessman Joe Bloomfield of Spyder 3D in Brea, who came up with the solution of stainless-steel beds.

“He took the data from students and troubleshooted it to help us devise these,” Karwal said.

Karwal, who plans to pursue a career in engineering, also hopes to develop an electric car brand with regenerative cells that don’t need charging.

“It’s been my dream since the sixth grade and I want to see if I can make it a reality!”

The teens use direct-to-garment printers and screen printers to produce customized clothes, while banners, buttons, keychains, and stickers are run through huge specialized printers and plotters.

“Right now, we are creating 2D objects like brass and acrylic nametags, awards and plaques for different school groups and outside organizations, said freshman Ryan Lim.

“We learn about 3D printing, sticker printing, laser engraving, and direct-to-garment (t-shirts),” said junior Gustava Drew.

“I’ve met a lot of new people in this club,” added junior Robert Jinez.

“PrintedWorks is really growing this year,” said advisor An Tran, a CADD teacher, of the club’s steady increase in membership and merchandise.

“Instead of being outsourced, now they come to us,” Tang said.

“We’re constantly expanding.”

Business team members regularly head out to local businesses with a confident sales pitches and strong handshakes to sell advertising and develop partnerships.

“The kids are learning the value of their support,” Bloomfield said.

In the design area, students utilize Adobe Illustrator and In Design graphic programs to create logos for their items.

“I joined the club and they taught me how to use these programs,” said freshman Andrew Maston.

“Right now, I’m making a design for the back of a hoodie.”

At another computer, senior Jonathan Tan used CAD programming to model a hand for a print project.

“It’s interesting being able to teach and learn from other people,” he commented.

“They’re making products, learning to work together, and solving issues,” Bloomfield said.

“It’s a good experience for them and it shows!”

Shown:

Diamond Bar High students Ryan Lim, Logan Tang, and Esai Rodriguez, show PrintedWorks latest product, a girls basketball program.

Diamond Bar High’s Printed Works club combines art with engineering to produce a variety of products.