A Little Bit of Everything About 3D Printing
A finished 3D printed desk organizer.Copyright 2021 Christopher Alba, Boston University RET
Through this approximately three-day activity, students learn about the different types of 3D printers. They focus on Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printing, the parts of 3D printers, how to use CAD software (in particular, OnShape), and complete an engineering challenge (a hook to hold a mass) using 3D printing. There is some room for discussion and reflection on 3D printing at the end of the lesson. Teachers should have prerequisite knowledge of 3D printing and using CAD software (OnShape is used here). If they do not have this prerequisite knowledge, checking out some YouTube videos may be helpful.
3D printing is a way to solve complex problems and has been used in a variety of situations; for example, 3D printing is currently used in many research settings to solve everyday problems that engineers face. 3D printing is also being used off-world on the International Space Station to 3D print tools that would have otherwise taken time and money to bring them into space. Over the last few years, 3D printing has also come to be seen as a way of engineering structures on other planets, namely Mars, as we expand our reach beyond our own planet. It is critical for students to not only have a knowledge of 3D printing for its innate utility, but also for how impactful it will be in their futures.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Create a CAD model.
- Create a 3D print using a 3D printer.