In Chattanooga, students and instructors at TCAT at ChattState worked together to help a kitten named Noggin. Noggin, a three-month-old kitten, was found in a parking lot in early October 2025. She had a fractured skull, a brain injury, and vision loss. Staff at the McKamey Animal Center brought her to Dr. Adam Winn. He determined that her skull fracture was serious but did not cause dangerous pressure on her brain. However, her skull needed protection during recovery.
ChattState Veterinary Technology students, led by instructor Ann Cho, learned about Noggin’s condition. Cho contacted Sam O’Rear, a Machine Tool Technology instructor, to see if his students could help. O’Rear and his student, James “Tuggy,” decided to design a custom 3D-printed helmet for Noggin.
Tuggy modified an existing helmet design. He resized it and adjusted the ear openings to fit Noggin’s head. The project involved precise measurement, AutoCAD design, and materials engineering. The final helmet, reinforced with fiberglass, provided protection and flexibility for Noggin…