3D Printed Christmas Tree - Phase Two

 

Challenge: For a student to design, create and then print their own original festive tree.

Background: We've detailed this process and a number of these prints and explained how our students have designed and shared their ideas.  We are not intending to print and showcase every print in this series as each student is producing a tree there are twenty five that need to be printed prior to the end of the school year.

Each of the design is based upon some of the basic generic shapes that are from the main design page.  The individualised presents that are at the base of the tree have been personalised for the members of the students family who designed it.   Each of these elements have been selected from the search bar from the Tinkercad main design page.

This print was completed independently by a nine year old student who is using Tinkercad and the Tinkercad App for the first time this calendar year.

Resources used to complete this print: iPad, Tinkercad App, Bambu P1S Printer, Bambu Cotton Candy PLA, Tinkercad design page.

Size:  The base of the design is 60mm wide and 70mm long.   The print has a height of 90mm high.   The start at the top of the tree is 50mm long and 10mm wide.   As a decoration that is designed to sit flush on a base or a table.

Cost/Price: The print uses 51g of PLA to complete the print.   On this basis the print has a price point of $1.01.  This was based on the infill percentage of the print being the default 15%.   We are also using a standard large 20mm nozzle on the printer instead of a finer 4mm nozzle.

Timeframe: To complete this print the printer was running for two hours and seventeen minutes.   There is some adaptions to this print to be made, as noted below.

What we would do differently/Next Steps for the students:  Each of the ledges created by the shape of the trees has support/rafting underneath.   The Bambu rafting being in the shape of trees when removed with this PLA left some residue on the edge of the print which can be seen in the photograph.

The angle of the tree can be seen here on the left, which is slightly off but this makes the tree look more realistic.   The baubles that are on the tree look a little oversized and could be refined - there is a balance between putting too much detail on a print like this and making the design too busy.

The unique aspect of this tree and one that we wanted to highlight was this students ideas to create the personalised nature of the presents at the base.  The star that tops the tree is somewhat oversized and could be further adjusted - although having 'Merry Christmas' on the top would be a challenge if it was reduced in size any smaller, although it has been suggested that the lettering is changed to include the calendar year or that the names of the family members be included in the base of the tree.

There is scope here for further detail and also of note features such as the keys on the piano on the base of the tree.

As a reminder for further ideas that are related to this topic you can use the search box in the top right hand corner of the blog.   Everything that is Christmas related has been tagged, there are pages and pages of example which date back a number of years.   

3D Printed Christmas Decoration: Modified Cow

 

Challenge: For students to create, design or modify a decoration that would be suitable to hang from a Christmas/Festive Tree.

Background: As per other posts in this series - the intention is to start a limited print run focussing on designs that will catch attention and designs that will have students thinking about the possibilities of what next or what they might be able to do.

In this instance the file that was available online was located by a students and as it was adaptable the student 

Resources to complete this print: Tinkercad App, .stl file design, Bambu H2D, Banbu branded (regular) silver filament, 

Size: The print measures 100mm in length and is 90mm high.  The main body of the animal is 50mm by 40mm by 50mm.   The head which is oversized is 40mm by 40mm.

Cost Price:   The print as its stands uses 58g of filament.   This means that the print has a nn active price point of $1.16c.  There was a degree of rafting underneath the base of the cow but it was not excessive.

Timeframe: To print this project the printer had an actual print time of just over two hours with a standard warm up time.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: The students input into the design was limited it would be something that would be possible for a student to either duplicate or create their own version of.   The lettering on the design is somewhat generic and it would be easy for this to be modified and personalised further.   The colour matching resulted from another planned project, the print could have completed with either mire festive colours or could be spray painted.   

Finally the issue of how the decoration is hung from the tree is probably the most obvious example of something that looks fine in idea but however needs to be adapted in execution.   The students idea was that the ring through the nose of the bull would be ideal to string an attachment through.   While this in theory would work in a practical sense when this was attempted the design hangs funny in a way that diminishes its presentation.

3D Printed Christmas Tree Ornament

 

Challenge: For a student, who is nine years old to create, design and then execute the creation of a 3D Print, suitable to be hung from a Christmas tree.

Background: As described previously while it is just turned November in New Zealand we have started the process of identifying and creating a range of designs themed around 'Christmas' or festive celebrations.

Our first starting point was our range of virtual Christmas Trees which can be viewed here. 

This design, shown left was created as a first example which we wanted to print so that we could show a physical copy to other students to create their own designs.  The focus is on producing a design - this is not particularly challenging for a student to create, as the similarities between the design and some of the students work on badges and key rings.

As noted we have students who have been using Tinkercad and their iPad this year.

Resources to Complete this Project: Tinkercad App, iPad, Bambu PLA (Cotton) and Bambu H2D.

Size: The print measures 75mm across and is 85mm high.   It has a width of 5mm.   The design in its virtual form (shown left) had the student use the colour matching on the design as can be seen.  When printing the design as a single colour some of the detail was lost however the student is investigating the use of the Bambu H2D which has four nozzles and the option of having multiple colours combined into one print.

Cost/Price: The print as it stands that the moment and has 18g of PLA.    This has a price point of $0.34c for a regular PLA print - we have also considered using glow-in-the-dark for this sort of project in the past, it is simply a matter of using the different PLA for the same object result.

Timeframe: To complete the print the printer was operating for a total of thirty four minutes, a six minute machine warm up time and twenty eight minutes of actual printing time.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: The print has the phrase HoHoHo at the bottom of the design, but in this case the phrase could perhaps have included his punctuation and spacing to improve its presentation.   As noted previously the intention is to investigate the use of a multi-nozzle colour printing for the lettering or the baubles to enhance the decoration.  The print could also be spray painted to enhance its presentation.

You can see a summary of a range of prints and designed going back nearly ten years by clicking on the search bar on the top right hand corner of the blog and use the keyword "Christmas'.

3D Printed Trophy Repair V2.0

 

Challenge/Background: This is the alternate version of the project that was featured yesterday.   In this option, which is the other student designed version that we are looking at as a potential solution to the problem that was posed to our students.

This option is significantly smaller than yesterdays version.   Again to repeat was stated we are looking at replacing the broken top piece.

These are the final test prints for this project which we are intending to look at prior to a print with increased infill and then apply spray paint for the finish.

Resources used to complete the print were the same as yesterday.   

Size: This version of the print measures 30mm across and the front and is 70mm high.   The print has a width of 25mm.

Cost/Price: The print used 5.5g of PLA, regular Bambu Cotton Candy PLA.   This had a price point of $0.11 which meant it was extremely inexpensive to produce.

Timeframe: The print took twenty nine minutes to complete the print.   The printer has a warm up time and set up time of six minutes meaning the full print time was twenty two minutes.   If the print has a subsequent increase to its infill then there would expected to be an increase in these figures.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students:

When the design was placed on the trophy as shown left it appeared to meet the size requirements but ultimately the decision will be made by the school as the most appropriate for the trophy.   The question of reinforcing this design and increasing the size of the base to make more of wedge shape.

Once we have completed the design we will update this post.

3D Printed Trophy Repair

Challenge: To repair a broken school trophy authentically with the 3D Printer for a presentation award.

Background: We've had two previous attempts at this project.  The first attempt in August was from a virtual perspective when we didn't complete a design rather we took the first steps towards designing a solution.

In the second version, also published in August we looked at a further refinement of the design where we made an attempt to create something realistic.

The audience for this project was important - although we had a number of students start the project we were ultimately looking for a single print but one that could be mounted on the trophy, which is currently over thirty years old.   It is due to be presented at our school prize giving at the end of this year.   Despite appearances the trophy is essentially plastic.   We have spent time looking at trying to create various Netball themed trophy toppers and have reached the conclusion that using a smaller trophy would likely give the best results.   The two final designs are featured in this print.  

This is the first in its final test phase.  It has been created using the Tinkercad template trophy design.  To support it at the base a wedge has been developed that matches the base of the design.  While it has been printed in pink its final design will be spray painted metallic and we will look at increasing the density of the print, which is currently based on the default.

The design was completed in under ten minutes by two students working together to complete the project.   They did not require any teacher input.

Resources to complete this print: iPad, School Trophy (for dimensions), Tinkercad App, Tinkercad, Bambu P1S Printer, Bambu PLA (regular Cotton Candy).

Size: The print can be measured in two distinct parts.  The wedge at the base is 80mm across 30mm long on the sides and 40mm wide at the back.  It has a height of 20mm.   The trophy itself is 70mm high and 80mm wide including the handles.   This size is dictated by the desire to have the trophy sitting 'flush' on the top of the trophy base.

Cost/Price: This print uses 30g of PLA to complete the print, which includes two trees either side of the design to hold the handle in place.  Based on this use of PLA the project has a price point of $0.60c.

Once the design was completed and the likely price was determined we also experimented with projecting the design onto the base as shown above top left.  This gave us a clear idea of what the design would look like, as it was shown left with the physical print put in place and then placed in position on the trophy base.

Also of note at this point - we discovered that while this is a Netball trophy the ball in the top right hand front of the design, which is the actual original design for the trophy is a basketball!

Timeframe: To complete this print the printer was operating for one hour and eight minutes, including a six minute warm up time.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: In this instance the students want to check with the school to ensure that the trophy meets expectations.  Once this has been sprayed metallic we should have two clear choices that will be available and then we will look at gluing the new top into place.   We also will have the advantage of having the original design so we will be able to reprint it as required if there was to be any additional damage or issues with the trophy.

3D Printing and Design: Insect Focus Summary

 

This slideshow is a summary of 'insect' themed designs created by students and posted on this blog.   This was a major focus for our students this year as we used the designs as a display point for our 2026 Calf and Lamb Day,

Each of the print has examples and information and a link to the original post about the blog.

We will be adding further updates on this slideshow over the coming days.

You can also use the search aspect of the blog and use the tag 'insect'.

Further Christmas Tree Developments Phase Three

 

As we've begun the process of printing a number of the designs from the students we have also been encouraging other students to further expand their original digital tree designs that was featured on this blog.  

After a basic design in step one and sharing and then development of basic ideas and further extension we printed selected trees in step two.  

Step three saw the further refining of ideas and creations and based around the visuals and the physical prints that have been completed we have revisited the students initial designs.  As this stage we are looking at the students ideas and thinking about a virtual design particularly as it becomes more detailed.

The more complicated designs the less likely that the creation will make a feasible print although we are certainly looking at taking aspects of the design that work well and then making that into a smaller more manageable project for printing - the same can be said of the AR/VR Feature of Tinkercad which can struggle at times with a highly detailed multi levelled background and figures.

Again this is another instance of when we would be using our iPad and Tinkercad tools to create a digital output as opposed to a physical output.