INNOVATING THE WORLD ONE STEP AT A TIME

ENGLEWOOD INCUBATION CENTER

Don Musilli

Formed in August of 2012 by Don Musilli, EIC was created as a 501c3 corporation to assist students and businesses in developing hard technologies and to help create new business opportunities that could help create new manufacturing opportunities and change the economic landscape of our area.

Background
In 1985, I founded Pure Air Systems, Inc. producing high-end HEPA based air filtration systems for the commercial, residential and institutional markets. We manufactured 7 different systems and sold them across North America and overseas. In 2006, I sold the company and moved from Indianapolis to Englewood, Florida.

3D Modeling and 3D Printing. The Future of Manufacturing
When I established EIC my main goal was to work with the STEM engineering classes at the High Schools in Sarasota and Charlotte  Counties. Schools no longer have any vocational programs so the majority of Middle School and High School students never create anything with their hands and the use of power tools is not allowed anymore due to the liability issues.

One of the first high schools I met with was North Port High School in Sarasota County. They had just received a uPrint 3D Printer and were using Solidworks as their 3D modeling software. I was working on a small project for my old company and had the students create the model and then print it out. It was then that I realized this technology could actually get the students back into making things again and it tied in perfectly to their total competence in working with computers. Two months later we purchased our first MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer.

Once we learned how to use the 3D printer we began to see more powerful, multi-material 3D printers come into the market place. We latched onto the LulzBot TAZ printers and began to place these Printers into other high schools. We also started working with the local Elementary School and found them to be very interested in getting one for their science classroom.

In 2014 we started our EIC 3D Mini-Camps to teach children ages 8 to 12 how to use Tinkercad 3D Modeling software and create objects they could make on the printers. This camp has become one of the most sought after summer camps in our area and we just completed our 4th EIC Mini Camp in the month of June.

Fast Forward to 2017
Today, EIC has directly or indirectly been responsible for bringing 3D Modeling and 3D printing technologies to over 30 Schools, Libraries, Youth Organizations, Colleges and Technical Institutions in Sarasota, Charlotte and Manatee Counties.

The ability to provide a method to teach the youth how to design and create objects that have value in both usable devices as well as providing a revenue stream, connects the students and community with a low-cost method of getting back into the “making of things” and offers a path, not previously available, for anyone to create a real business without post High School degrees.

In Conclusion
3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing, as it is now called in the commercial market, is now being used in every industry in the world. It is the most disruptive technology since the invention of electricity and will create the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Note*
Don Musilli is the President of EIC and also owns a for-profit operation: LiteWorld LLC. This company is now a reseller for the LulzBot TAZ line of 3D Printers and also manufactures its own Enclosures for 3D printers.

For more information on both companies please go to: www.englewoodincubationcenter.org and www.liteworldllc.com.
Phone: EIC: 317-796-7617. Location: 1398 Old Englewood Rd. Englewood, FL. 34223
Phone: LiteWorld: 941-999-8200. 1141 Arbroid Dr. Englewood, Fl. 34223
Email. [email protected] | www.englewoodincubationcenter.org