Junior Engineering Progressions Book/iPad Stand

 

Challenge: To take an online available model and adapt and personalise it.

Background: As detailed previously in a post on this blog we had a student who in their own time created an idea to tidy up what they were doing with the display and organisation of their books.  This led into a pitch to the library at school and the location of a online file, from Thingiverse, that created a stand.

The original print is shown in this series of photos in the yellow PLA and the students version is shown in the green PLA.

While this was more than functional and detailed it lacked the personalisation that we would like to see from some items, and in this instance if this item was to be placed in the school library we would also want to ensure that it was durable and easily identified.

We started the process by giving the students access to the online copy, which we had printed out.   We then asked the students to make their own version using Tinkercad, their iPad and the Tinkercad App.

We deliberately did not give the students access to the original file.   They used their rulers to measure the distances required and made some adaptations.

The biggest adaptation was with the personalisation access of the stand.   They decided in this instance to have the name of the student placed at the front and then the name of the school on the back (as shown in the photographs).   The students who are eight years old and designing in Tinkercad for the first time were able to complete the design, the construction and personalisation completely independently of the teacher and presented the finished prints for publishing.

Level of Difficulty: Low.  This is a straightforward design task completed by an eight year olds with eight weeks experience.

Size: The original design was 120mm wide and 130mm with a 10mm lip at the front of the design.  The revised version was slightly taller and the base of the design was pushed out slightly compared to the original.  

Cost/Price: The original was determined to use 136g of filament and have a price point of $3.40.   The revised student version used slightly less filament using 131g and having a price point of $3.15.  The differences can be explained by the level of 'rafting' or waste PLA between the two prints.   The angle of the second print meant that less support was required.

Timeframe: As noted with the amount of PLA used the redesign also improved the print time.   In the original we were looking at three hours with the revised version it was two and a half hours.

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: The students were able to complete the task associated with this build and did so independently, we have produced a range of similar prints over the years (which can be accessed by using 'stand as a keyword).   The lettering could have been sunk into the design instead of out, but given the use of the item and relative depth of the lettering it should not make a difference.

Tinkercad Vs. Minecraft 2026 Edition Part Three

 

We are refining the students Minecraft designs as created by students using their iPads and the Tinkercad App.   When completed and checked by other experts the students have then looked for opportunities around our school to find locations where their Minecraft animals might look at place - such as the chicken shown left which is peering into the school sports shed with classrooms and the playground in the background.

Other students were encouraged to improve their design and look at ways to extend their creativity.  Students concentrated on colour matching (where possible not all of the colour matching could be completed)

One of the strengths of the Tinkercad App and using it for AR/VR work with our students is its versatility.  Using the iPad gives the students the opportunity to project their own creations at a range of locations around the school without the need for any green screening.

Students (in this case eight year olds) are able to complete this independently without the need for any teacher input.   In this instance there is a corresponding post on the Facebook page which includes additional photographs and media from this activity you can access it by clicking on the link here.

Minecraft Dolphin 2026 Edition 3D Print

 

Challenge: To design an authentic 3D Printed Minecraft figure or animal.

Background: This task came out of a task from the end of last week where the students were using Tinkercad to design animals, objects and Minecraft themed items.  Both systems use a block based system to build items using the software.

To complete this task students used their iPads, the Tinkercad App and also Minecraft Education (where they located the animals and then screenshot them)

The goal of producing the print/design was for their to be colour matching if appropriate but also for the Tinkercad design to feature the original from Minecraft in a way that it was recognisable.   The App was also used to project the design as a AR/VR image throughout the school.  You can read details of the initial design here.   Minecraft ended up being a significant theme in the design and creations of the students both in our 2025 School Market Day and in general AR/VR and 3D Printed student designs which you can view by clicking on the link here.

Level of Difficulty: Low (for the Dolphin) this was created independently by a student who has been designing using Tinkercad for seven weeks who is eight years old.

Size: The print measures 80mm long was 20mm wide and 10mm thick.  The tail and the fins provided additional length for the design.

Cost/Price: The print used 8g of PLA to print.  This has a price point of $0.20 to complete.

Timeframe: Using the School Bambu H2D Printer the total time for the print was 21 minutes.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: While the item has a novelty value it does not have a specific defined purpose that the student could identify.  The student could look at these dimensions and then convert it to something with a specific purpose.

The dimensions of the object are relatively close however when you view the print from above the two side fins are clearly different sizes, this could be address.   The blowhole in the head of the dolphin is currently only 2mm across with a printer able to produce less detail this would potentially have not been a viable part of the print.

As a point of reference you can view this post from 2025 when another student completed the project.

Hybrid Printing Ideas: Lamp and Tiger Tail

 

One of the questions that sometimes get asked is about the purpose of printing 'pre-made' prints as opposed to creating just new ideas with the 3D Printing.   This is a good example of one of the reasons that we do it.  This photograph shown left is a combination of two current printing ideas from students which is now leading in a completely different direction for a design.

It involves the bottle - this has been detailed on this blog, and this in itself is leading a student to investigate 'threading' to ensure that the bottle will completely tighten.   You can read the details of the original post here and then the follow up with the challenge of the 'threading' here.

The bottle has been a feature of the classroom for a number of weeks, sitting on the teachers desk as work is completed on it as a discussion point.  At the same time one of the miniature jugs, featured in a completely seperate post - which started first as a miniature jug and its corresponding forced perspective challenge evolved in to general pot making before the creation of a personalised vase.   The mid point, which was the mid range jugs were also on the teachers desk at the same time that the bottle was there, and in one of those moments that make you want to teach one of the other students in the classroom took the two items, combined them together and said "I've made a lamp."

Needless to say the student is a long way off 'making a lamp' as it has been suggested.   The student has started to look at ways to produce a lamp shade - there has been some discussion about glow-in-the-dark filament, something that was used extensively by students during last years School Market Day.

The students have started investigating ways to power the lamp, and to do so in a safe but effective way and will be conducting tests.   Last year we used fairy lights as a low power solution to this issue, but the PLA used to print the top of the lamp is going to be an issue moving forward to ensure that the amount of light given off is successful, rather than a nightlight.

The tiger, shown left has come about because there have been objects featured in the past where the students have repaired or improved them - its been suggested that a 'fun' activity would be a replacement tail for the animal or a 'crazy' tail that could be created as a AR/VR project to encourage a writing prompt.   This potentially would work better than a 3D Print - as has been suggested in this slideshow where we have created a range of non-3D Printing projects.

Tinkercad Vs. Minecraft Part Two - 2026 Edition

 

We are continuing to develop our design school using Tinkercad   The seven and eight year olds are using the block design aspects to make copies of animals that they have encountered and interacted with in Minecraft Education.

Tinkercads main interface has a range of geometric shapes available that resemble the shapes that are needed to be created in Minecraft.   The colour palette is able to allow the students to modify it to further enhance the recognition factor.

We have started the process at present - students have had to this point only a small block of time to start designing.  From here students are going to refine the design and break down each of the sections.   You can see the summary of this project from last year which will give more of an indication where the project will ultimately end up.   

An example like the one shown above needs the students to be able to refer back to their original design.

Clearly when you compare the original (shown left) to the work in progress (above) the students need to refine their design and colour matching.

As note this is an instance where the colour matching is important as is the overall sizing and adaptions.

We have two weeks remaining in the school term during this time we will be encouraging students to complete their designs, AR/VR them in locations around the school as we did last year with the 'Virtual Christmas Tree' activity.

3D Printing Oeo Pa Buildings - Opunake Primary

 

We are always looking for amazing examples of 3D Printing from students to share.  In this case a student from the amazing Opunake Primary School made a Minecraft model of their local Marae.

They were able to get the dimensions of the building by using the site Maorimaps.com.

This allowed a realistic and detailed view of the buildings which meant that a detailed design could be completed and the students could constantly refer to the design to check for accuracy prior to a visit to the actual site.

We have seen excellent versions of this created in the past using tools such as Apple Maps and Google Earth.    Combining this with a tool such as Minecraft or Tinkercad then allows for a digital creation of an exisiting building following by the printing of an accurate, unique and personalised version of a building or a location.

Tinkercad Vs. Minecraft 2026 Edition

 

Its nearly the end - the end of term one here in New Zealand for 2026.   As we're completing a lot of work in our key curriculum areas we've also taken the opportunity to engage students in some of the activities that proved popular last year.

Minecraft is still incredibly popular with the eight year olds that make up the classroom.   Last year one of the most engaged tasks the students had when using #Tinkercad was when we crossed its use with the creation of Minecraft animals.   On Friday in class we started taking small steps in this process.

We started to use Minecraft Education as a source of screenshots and gave the students a limited time to locate and then photograph or screen shot an animal.

When we then went into Tinkercad we had the screenshots to compare to.   The first days activity was to design one animal and then bring it across.  Students had the examples from last year to look at (which are summarised in a blog post on this site here) and started their first designs.

The timeframe that our students were using here was under half an hour to design and then we asked the students to see if they could take their early designs and use the Tinkercad App to AR/VR the design either in the classroom (the dolphin at the top was projected onto a blue classroom table to represent water) or outside the classroom - the Minecraft cow was created to be so large that it dominates our massive school field.

These are very early examples that we are going to be refining, redeveloping and ptoto-typing.   In a number of cases we are using colour matching and details to replicate the animals as closely as possible.   Other students are working on their own designs in their own time and we will be sharing results.

While we are somewhat early in this process it is anticipated that only a few of these designs will make it to a 3D Print stage.   Most of them will work in a digital format just as well, if not better, than in a physical form.

Some of these ideas also feature in our 'non printing 3D printing design challenges and tasks.  You can view that slideshow by clicking on the link here.