Sunset Engineers expands into 3D printing retail, STEM education

By Alex Wong

STEVENS POINT — What began as a product development firm has expanded into a community hub for 3D printing, reverse engineering and hands-on STEM education.

Roy McDaniels, owner of Sunset Engineers, opened a new open-concept 3D printing retail space roughly three weeks ago. Sunset Engineers has operated for about five years, originally from a home office before moving into its current brick-and-mortar building at 2009 Patch St. in Stevens Point nearly two years ago.

McDaniels said the expansion was driven by a realization that the community needed direct access to 3D printing and design support.

“We had 3D printers to support that effort, which were usually used for prototypes and testing, and what we ended up finding out is that what the community needed, even above and beyond product development, was 3D printing support,” McDaniels said.

The store offers solutions ranging from artistic items to functional replacements for obsolete parts. McDaniels cited recent examples of reverse-engineering a broken cooling fan for a 40-year-old tractor and creating custom 3D-scanned nylon shoe inserts for a client whose original supplier went out of business.

“If, for some reason, Sunset Engineers didn’t exist anymore, she would have that model that she could take anywhere and have it 3D printed,” McDaniels said. “So it’s a long-term solution.”

The business utilizes a wide variety of filaments tailored to specific needs. Options range from cosmetic Polylactic Acid (PLA) in specialty finishes like silk, marble and wood, to engineered materials like carbon fiber, nylon, ABS and UV-resistant ASA for outdoor use.

The open retail space allows visitors to peruse items and watch the 3D printers and a UV laser engraver in action.

“They’re walking into a professional environment, and that is quite unique for any sort of design firm, which is usually, you know, very secluded and locked down,” McDaniels said.

Utilizing that open space, Sunset Engineers is preparing to become the first licensed wholesaler of Bambu Lab products in Wisconsin, stocking hundreds of filament types, consumable parts and printers.

“There is a big need for that,” McDaniels said. “Most people are used to going down to, you know, the local Hobby Lobby and they kind of have to take what they get at a high price, and we are not going to do that. We’re going to be offering high-quality filaments at prices that the community can afford.”

The firm is also expanding its services to include hands-on STEM programs — dubbed alpha and beta design lab programs — for young engineers to design and print their own products.

Additionally, the shop offers specialized UV laser engraving. Unlike traditional heat-based engraving that can burn materials, the shop’s UV laser uses a “cool process” that disrupts molecules, allowing it to safely engrave delicate materials like glass, silk, denim, food and even a grain of rice.

Visitors to the shop might also spot “Sunny,” a 6-foot-tall, 3D-printed robot who serves as the company mascot. According to McDaniels, the aging robot is currently undergoing a “little bit of an operation” to have a couple of his joints replaced.

More information on Sunset Engineers can be found on their website https://www.sunsetengineers.com.