Gonzales inspires, crafts 3-D printed projects
The smell of resin fills the air as the 3-D printer works tirelessly to print out material samples for a research project.
Job Gonzales paces back and forth to check in on his projects, answer questions from peers and test the strength of materials for his professor; all with a smile on his face.
Gonzales, otherwise known as a 3-D printing mastermind, has proven that he can print it all and has grown his passion for designing, troubleshooting and printing unique creations.
Gonzales is a Mechanical Engineering senior at Texas A&M University- Kingsville (TAMUK).
“I enjoy printing articulated projects that move around, everyone loves them. You can design a human or an animal, it just grabs people’s attention,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales has grown from an individual that blindly chose Mechanical Engineering as a career path, to a student who searches for answers even a professor may not know.
“I wish I could clone the skills [Gonzales] has. He has been growing [his toolbox of techniques and skills] … and [the TAMUK faculty] can definitely see his tremendous potential. If any machine is stuck either the sensor is not working or the machine is clogged, he will fix it. Not only does [Gonzales] solve the problem, he is patient with his peers when he is explaining the problem,” Department Chair of Industrial Management Dr. Delia Valles-Rosales said.
After speaking to friends, peers and his professor one thing was for certain, Gonzales has a key skill that sets him apart.
“Not only does [Gonzales] have technical skills, but he can adapt to any situation. He is not afraid to do so, which is very rare. [Gonzales] is by far the smartest student I have ever worked with,” Valles-Rosales said.
Room 112 in Gross Hall is full of projects Gonzales has created such as a fully functional superhero helmet, endless fidget toys and customizable name plates.
Gonzales credits TAMUK’s Society of Automotive Engineers and the Robotics Club for keeping him motivated and exposed to new ideas.
“[Gonzales] is great at finding the answer; he is also really good at not stressing out. It didn’t take long for me to notice that Job is the man. He has definitely inspired me to start 3-D printing,” member of the Robotics Club Anthony Anderson said.
Anderson mentioned how he encouraged Gonzales to post his products on Instagram @printingwithjob as a public figure and to solidify his “brand.”
“I met Job when I first joined the Robotics Club. Working with [Gonzales] is a great experience. Any problem I have even if [Gonzales] doesn’t understand it, he will sit there and say ‘let’s figure out what the problem is.’ [Gonzales] is definitely a leader; he is resilient, goofy and smart,” member of the Robotics Club Althahir Ceja said.
As Gonzales’s time at TAMUK comes to an end he mentioned how excited he is for what the future has in store. Gonzales is interested in pursuing a career in manufacturing or in product testing.