3D Printing, an education

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As 3D Printing is fast becoming an essential part of design and technology courses on curriculum's across the world a teacher from Chenderit School, Banbury, UK is attempting to stay one step ahead. The following is the first blog from passionate teacher, Anna Marriott's first experience in the world of 3D printing: 

During the summer holidays a chance meeting with Mr David Burns, President of ExOne, arose whilst I accompanied my husband, a Captain at British Airways on a business trip to Singapore.

I was so excited to hear the nature of David's company and its inspirational and ground-breaking work in 3D printing, as I am a teacher of Design and Technology at Chenderit School, a North Oxfordshire Academy in England; and up until now only heard about and dreamt of this incredible concept. However this kind of Technology could have continued to be something that dreamt of had David not been so kind as to pass on details of the TCT Show and more specifically the contact details of Duncan Wood from Rapidnews.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is quite limited in our department but I have introduced some of my classes to the concept of 3D Virtual Prototyping through ProDesktop and basic Google Sketch Up, unfortunately up until now we've only been able to take it to the virtual stage. I am passionate about children's education and the future possibilities in this technology and after hearing about the Bright Minds project and was really excited to get the opportunity to meet Mr Avi Reichental from 3D Systems who was kind enough to offer us the use of the Cube 3D printer at our school.

The printer arrived in no time however, I'm afraid, things in education don't move forward as quickly as we would like. It took some time for our technical department to register and log it onto our system. Once registered we proceeded to demo all the preloaded models to many of our classes, this came at just the right time as at that point we were notified that we were about to undergo an OFSTED inspection! The students were amazed at the capabilities of the Cube. Comments they made include:

“I had seen 3D printers on TV and I was so shocked when I found out we had one in school! As part of our GCSE projects we get to use them to make 3D products, I am so excited! I can’t believe I have such a revolution of science in my school so that I can use it! Thank you very much 3D Systems – the cube is amazing!" - Elizabeth Jennings year 10

“I think it is amazing how it can print out any shape or object you wish! I couldn’t believe we had one at our school! I couldn’t wait to see it in action!” – Amelia Ball year 9

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Exhibit at the UK's definitive and most influential 3D printing and additive manufacturing event, TCT 3Sixty.

“The 3D printer is really cool because you can make anything you want without having to go out and buy it. It’s really cool to think that a machine they use in the movies is in our school!” - Kieran Bradey year 9

“So our school just got a 3D printer, and it is so cool! It takes a while to actually print/make the products, but the result is worth it, everything is so precise, and the actual printing process is very interesting to watch.” - Hannah Lingard yr10

All students who have come into contact with the Cube “want one” and we are looking forward to figuring out how to create models in SketchUp, export them through Cubify and print off their own models.

Plans to utilise the machine soon include some GCSE Graphics Product students who would like to design geometric chocolate bars, game pieces for board games in controlled assessments, some Engineering students would like to model lighting elements, and A level students creating elements such a handles for furniture they have designed. 

Stay tuned for Anna's next blog...