Anycubic/YouTube
Anycubic Kobra
On December 11 2022, Anycubic concluded its Anycubic x Funbotics 3D Modelling and Printing Camp.
The company’s first education incubation project was held in collaboration with Yale Funbotics, with the aim of introducing 3D printing to children, and teaching them how to build and use Anycubic 3D printers.
The camp was also held in July and October, gave children an introduction into the world of 3D printers, understanding of how a 3D printer works, and an overview of 3D modelling, slicing, and 3D printer operations.
The company says the project stemmed from its “For Freedom to Make” vision, and embodies its aspiration of helping everyone to achieve the freedom of creation and invention using 3D printing technologies.
The camps were designed for 4th to 12th grade students, and were all ran virtually over Zoom, lasting for three days. On day one, the children were taught how to assemble their 3D printers, the Anycubic Kobra, which the company says has auto-levelling capabilities and is beginner-friendly.
On the second day, the children were shown how to model designs in CAD, with mentors guiding the students on how to design basic objects, how to slice and print their objects, and helping them solve problems as they arose.
Anycubic said that by learning how to model more complex items, the children learned that designing is an iterative process and continuous adjusting and troubleshooting is part of the design process.
On the final day of the camp, students learned how to slice, print and troubleshoot their own models. Anycubic said that a key part of this step was showing the children that when a print doesn’t work, it does not constitute a failure, but is a normal part of learning about 3D printers.
Yale Funbotics is a non-profit organisation that was founded to provide the resources, technology, and opportunities for under-represented youth to ‘ignite’ their passion about STEM.
Yale Funbotics Founder Pranav Avasarala said: “Providing 3D printers to these students gave them a new avenue to unleash their imagination and fall in love with STEM. From pencil and phones cases to Harry Potter wands, the kids were thrilled by how much they could create and excited to experiment with new designs.”
Avasarala spoke about how Funbotics is continuing to work with Anycubic to promote STEM education in underrepresented communities and is working on adding to the 3D modelling and printing curriculum to teach students how to print, assemble and program their own autonomous robots. Funbotics is also opening its lab centres for students to go and work on their engineering projects.
“3D printing technology is a powerful learning tool to enhance STEM Teaching and Learning and can involve people in active learning, design thinking, and problem-solving. We are excited to join Funbotics to promote STEM education with the 3D Modelling and Printing Camps. Seeing the students actively engaging in the design process, unleashing their imagination, and completing some real-world product design tasks with 3D printed prototypes makes us think, 3D printing is helping the youth change the world,” said James Ouyang, Vice President of Anycubic.
In issue 30.6 of the European edition of TCT Magazine, there was a focus on education in additive manufacturing, which included UltiMaker and CREATE Education.
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Exhibit at the UK's definitive and most influential 3D printing and additive manufacturing event, TCT 3Sixty.
