151 Cale Vanbrunt Blueprint To Success Cale Vanbrunt uses his passion for 3D printing to better surrounding communities. Sophomore Cale Vanbrunt discovered his passion for 3D printing in middle school when his dad bought him his first printer. It wasn’t until later in his academic career that Vanbrunt imagined the possibility for his hobby to expand into something bigger than that. Vanbrunt filed the paperwork to establish a limited liability company (LLC) in August 2023 called Depth Designs. Through the LLC, Vanbrunt mainly printed products for Harding and Oklahoma Christian University. Vanbrunt also extended his talent and resources to the community, collaborating with dentists in Tulsa to sculpt teeth models and more. This passion didn’t stop after being admitted to Harding University. “I worked with a friend back home, and he had about 80 percent of our equipment [in Oklahoma], so he handled a majority of the manual operation of the printers and running those,” Vanbrunt said. “I completed a lot of the computer work from here in the dorm. I had one printer in the dorm to prototype without having to mail it back and forth.” 3D printers proved to be fast and efficient, as well as relatively inexpensive. Vanbrunt was able to use his printing skills to create models of Harding’s “HU” logo that were then placed in the David B. Burks American Heritage Building. “Initially, I made contact with Steve Lake, who worked for Harding admissions, and we transformed the bison logo into a 3D table topper as well as the HU logo,” Vanbrunt said. “He distributed those to the faculty, and they served as decorations around the offices. This past order consisted of light boxes for the centennial birthday.” Steve Lake, the vice president for Advancement, appreciated Vanbrunt’s work and even commissioned some of his pieces. “Cale has made some HU items for my team members,” Lake said. “Some small gifts and that led to him doing some items for the HUB. I also had him make some gifts for some HU supporters and football fans—items that promote the Centennial and the football national championship. He also made some club logos for a reunion of my donors.” Sophomore Mark Roberts, a good friend and roommate of Vanbrunt’s, spoke about Vanbrunt’s passion for his work. “Cale worked tirelessly . . . on the computers, or he was always examining dental models,” Roberts said. “It’s a very cool process of ensuring each model of teeth wasn’t messed up when printed.” Roberts collaborated with Vanbrunt during the summer of 2024 at a church and saw the 3D printing process firsthand. “All summer, I attempted to test his limits, but there’s nothing that he hasn’t been able to print so far,” Roberts said. Roberts considered the coolest of Vanbrunt’s creations to be a lamp. Vanbrunt asserted that his coolest print was an exact replica of a ferryboat he made for a friend. Depth Designs grew and expanded the ways in which they used 3D printing to provide designs for people. Vanbrunt said that he was always willing to take custom orders and enjoyed a good challenge when seeking something to print.Whether he found himself in his hometown Tulsa or Searcy, his passion for 3D printing followed him and connected him further with his community. Written by Max Thweatt DREAM TO REALITY In the Harding University Bookstore, sophomore Cale Vanbrunt holds items he printed in 3D. Vice President of Advancement Steve Lake helped Vanbrunt expand his trade to the Harding community. Photo by Claire Davis
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==