Jim Lyon had a problem. His motorcycle helmet’s microphone mount had snapped off, and he couldn’t find a replacement. Off-the-shelf parts didn’t fit. 

After decades of teaching automotive technology at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC), he was used to presenting students with practical problems and challenging them to find a solution. 

Now retired, he brought one to Brad McConnell’s classroom. 

“Could someone help me mount a mic inside my motorcycle helmet?” he asked. 

McConnell, an instructor in EICC’s Digital Modeling and Additive Manufacturing program, saw an opportunity for hands-on learning—and handed it off. 

“Brad approached me and said they could use help with a 3D printing project,” said Eric Thom, a student in the program. “I was like, ‘Absolutely, I’ll do it.’” 

The challenge was a perfect fit. 

This is the Work 

Thom grew up on a wheat farm in Montana and joined the Army after high school. Over 25 years of service, he worked his way into Special Operations as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician. His job: disarm explosives using precision, planning, and a deep understanding of mechanics and electronics. 

“You’re constantly building something meant to outsmart someone else’s solution,” he said. 

That mindset carried into the classroom. 

“In EOD, we built devices to train others how to defeat them,” Thom said. “It was creative work.” 

After retiring, he and his wife moved to Clinton, Iowa. He enrolled at EICC, drawn to the Digital Modeling and Additive Manufacturing program for its technical, hands-on focus and the opportunity to keep solving real-world problems. 

The helmet project was Thom’s first major 3D design challenge in the program. The goal: build a mic mount that would stay secure inside the helmet without interfering with its speaker system. 

He scanned the helmet, pulled the data into SOLIDWORKS, a computer-aided-design and engineering software, then 3D printed a section of the first prototype. 

It didn’t work. 

“The initial clips were too small and broke easily,” he said. “But eventually, I got a solid platform that held the mic well.” 

In just six weeks, Thom had perfected his solution. The final part was printed in carbon fiber-infused nylon and ASA— strong, heat-resistant materials built for real use.  

“I like his design,” Lyon said. “The simplicity of it and ease of removal and install.” 

For Thom, this wasn’t a class assignment. It wasn’t hypothetical. 

“I’ve made plenty of things on my 3D printer at home before, like Halloween costumes for my kids and nerdy stuff. But designing something for someone else was different,” Thom said. “After I got it done, I thought, ‘This is exactly what I was meant to do.’” 

McConnell teaches for this moment: the intersection of challenge, curiosity, and execution. 

“If I get to know the strengths of my students, I can steer the subject matter in a direction they’ll better understand,” he said. “That tends to get them motivated.” 

Some projects are built into the course. Others walk in the door, and McConnell hands them to students ready to solve. 

“We probably went through five, six, seven different iterations of the microphone mount. What Eric developed wasn’t just square or round; it had odd organic shapes. He used modeling software and did some home printing, too,” McConnell said.  

“He pulled it all together.” 

With projects like this, creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are essential, he added. “If you’re just using new tech to do the same thing, you’re not taking advantage of the tools.” 

Built to Build 

EICC’s Additive Manufacturing program begins with digital modeling and ends with 3D fabrication. Students learn to design, slice, prototype and problem-solve with the same tools used in aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing. It’s built around doing, not just studying. And it’s accessible. 

“If someone’s interested in 3D printing and asks if they can print things at home or learn to design, I tell them: this is where you start,” Thom said. 

“The program is hands-on. You’ll design a cylinder engine — crankcase, piston head, everything — and print it. It’s something tangible and familiar, so it sticks. The instructors do a great job making it click.” 

And McConnell doesn’t just teach the tools — he opens doors. 

Through professional connections and partnerships with ASTRO America, Iowa State University and others, EICC students are connecting with projects few expect to see at a community college. 

“Some of my students will get involved in the Eaton research project this fall,” McConnell said. “It includes teardown and rebuild of equipment, not just material analysis.” 

He also plans to share the helmet project more broadly. “I’d like to take it to Stratasys. I’ll ask if they’ll print it using one of their more advanced technologies. I also want to show it to Bell Helmets. It is a great story about education, research, and cutting-edge tech” McConnell said.  

“I may even share it with the SOLIDWORKS folks who make the design software we use. They might find it interesting too.” 

For Thom, the future is hands-on. 

“The creative potential in 3D printing? Limitless,” he said. “You’re only limited by your imagination.” 

Thom already uses it at home to fix broken vacuums, build drawer organizers, and replicate parts no longer in production. 

“Most people still think of it as a hobby. They don’t realize the Arsenal uses it. SpaceX uses it. John Deere uses it,” he said. “It’s not just a ‘nerd thing.’ It’s creative, it’s practical, and it’s changing lives.” 

Thom recently earned his diploma in Digitial Modeling and Additive Manufacturing. This fall, he plans to take some CNC courses at EICC’s Blong Technology Center and, in the future, robotics classes, too. His goal is to earn an associate’s degree in Technical Studies. 

His long-term goal is simple: keep learning, keep building, and work on things that matter. 

“I didn’t expect I’d get to work on something like this here,” Thom said. “It’s been great.”