3D Print Student Bag Hook

Above: Overview of the design

Challenge: Student wanted to create an original design - a hook, complete with their name and personalised and designed to be mounted on a wall and used to hold thier bag.  The student responsible for this plan/design was a nine year old.
Background: Student was following the classroom process of selecting an original project, which was created from scratch that would have a purpose.
Level of Difficulty: Low.   The design had three key features as shown in the photograph.   Firstly a hole, which was intended to be used as the mounting hook.  Secondly the name of the individual who created it and finally the 'hook' part of the design which was created to hold the students school bag.

Note: 'Hook' needing redesign

Timeframe: Four Hours.  The base of the bag hook was designed featuring a 1cm base, conceivably this could have been 5mm (subject to strength testing, and the design for the hook - see below). 
Size: 7cm wide, 10cm high and a depth of 1cm.  The lettering was raised 5mm from the base and the point of the hook itself was raised 5cm from teh base.
What we would do differently: The design is essentially floored, but will turn into a learning project for the student.   The idea is solid, however the project is not workable.  The mounting design should have been placed in the opposite top left and right corners, rather that the middle.   The 'hook' which is cone shape at present needs to be completely redesigned to suit the purpose of the print.
Next Step for the Students: 'Hook' needs to be completely redesigned to meet the brief.  The hole to mount the design to the wall needs to be replaced by dual screw holes as mentioned.  The intention is to allow the student to test the design with a bag, which would then allow a re-design, and allow for testing on the weight of a bag to be successfully held by the design.   Could potentially be used to individualise the outside of the classroom.

3D Printed Delux Business Project Container

Container with lid in place

Challenge: Students are creating a contained suitable for holding liquid.   Container needs to be accessed by a lid which is able to work in conjunction with the base. 
Background: Y4 Students were producing a 3D print for a student based business, which was be presented to the local community for an evening event.  Students in this classroom had produced smaller versions of this previously document on this blog.  Students were using Tinkercad for the first time, with the basic interface was utilized.

Box shown with lid.

Level of Difficulty: Low-medium.  Nearly every previous print in the sequence had issues with the lid matching the base.  In this case the students designed a lid that fitted perfectly. 
Timeframe: Ten hours were required to print the base and the lid.  The size of the container had been designed by the students and perhaps could have had reduced dimensions (see below).
Size: The base of the container  had a length of 8cm, a width of 8cm and a height of 10cm.   The width of the size was 5mm.  The size of the lid reflected these dimensions with a total width of 1cm split into the lid and the drop down aspect of the lid (as shown top right).
What we would do differently: Given the aspects of the design and it originating from a student creating something for the first time, it was an extremely successful print.  The student was using a printer for the first time, the design features while basic meant that the student was thrilled with the results.
Next Step for the students: A handle could have been added to the print to allow it to be easily removed, which would have been a basic step to take, the student could have also experimented with design features.

3D Printed Advanced Box

Box Complete with lid in place

Challenge: To further develop childrens creation skills by focussing on producing a more advanced project with two parts reliant on each other and dependent on a successful print.
Background: Y6 student (11 years old) is creating the first next level print that is more advanced and detailed than previous efforts.   Student was using Tinkercad with assistance of other students to produce details on the lid such as the handle.
Level of Difficulty: Medium - the lid needed to work in unison with the base, and the student was challenged to create multiple lids that could be interchanged depending on the use of the object.  Once again all of the major elements that were the design features for this object were provided by the main Tinkercad Interface, which the student created independently.
Timeframe: The base of the box was significant taking ten hours, the lid required eight hours.   There could have been adjustments made to the lid shown above, to reduce the time (decrease in handle size).

Size: The base of the box was 15cm wide, 7cm high and 15cm long.  It had a width of 5mm.   The first draft of the lid (as shown above) had a lid size of 15cm/15cm and a depth of 5mm.   The handle sat 4cm above the base of the lid.   The lettering was raised on slightly on the lid, 2mm. 
What we would do differently: There were no issues with the print itself but the students didn't initially grasp the concept of the 'drop down' lid and what potentially it meant for securing the lid. The student also made the design not to put a divider into the inside of the box, so as it stands at present it does not have inbuilt dividers that would define its use. 
Next Step for Students: Obviously the drop down lid, potentially more detail on the lid and internal division brackets that could define the use of the box, such as featured in the Jewellery Box design, iPod Carry Case and Edison Robot Storage Box.

3D Printed Basic Box

Above: Lid and base plate design

Challenge: This was a further development from the student led business model that was created by a class of Y4/5 students (making them nine and ten years old).  The students were attempting to personally create a brand and product which could be marketd to other students.
Background: Students concerned were looking at creating something striking that would impress their potential market, hence the size of the box, which was significantly greater than corresponding designs.  Students were creating products for the first time, using the basic designs possible from the Tinkercad Interface, without the assistance of the teacher or other students.
Level of Difficulty: Low - this design was created in a short space of time, using some of the basic settings available from the Tinkercad Interface, by students not familiar with the program.
Timeframe: The lid and base were a combined ten hour print, the design was based around size so the details were specific to the design. 
Size: The base plate was 7cm wide, 7cm high and had a depth of 9cm.  The width of the sides was 5mm.   The lid had similar dimensions with the main part of it being 1cm.
What we would do Differently: This was a starting point for the students concerned - hence the complexity of the design was reflected by its background.  The students could have looked at ingraving or dropping the names of their business into the base of the box, this has been achieved to good results in recent prints.  We've had students previously add additions to designs such as lids or handles and students could have considered these (they are available from the main Tinkercad interfaceand intracate designs are able to be selected easily).     
Next Step for students: As descibed above.  Given time contraints with the project it may remain as it is.

3D Printed Spoon and Cup/Mortat and Pestel

Challenge: Student is involved in a upcoming showcase of students work.  The student is creating a series of products based around fragrance and hand cream.   The design was to create a basic mortar and pestle set, which is described by the student as a 'spoon and cup'.  The set needs to be big enough for the student to use it to manufacture/mix the hand cream.
Background: The student is working with learning support with a teacher aide to produce the product.  The teacher aide has not used the 3D Printer previously to produce a product, the student requires learning assistance from other students to complete set tasks.  This was both (the teacher and students) first 3D Printed project.  The student was a Y5 (nine year old) who typically works at curriculum level 1 (Y1 - five years old).

Level of Difficulty: Low.  The student was experimenting with size, design and completing the task.  The basic Tinkecad interface was used to create the required shapes, which were then extended by the student by dragging them.  A cup and spoon were used as a model to ensure that the size was relatively correct.   In the case of the student the oversized spoon is an advantage.
Timeframe: Both objects in the matching set were completed in ten hours - they could have been resized slightly given the brief, and adjustments made, but given the scale and the first print ever nature of the project this was
Size: Both prints were combined on a single run.  The 'spoon' was 16cm long, 2cm high and 3cm wide.  Conceivable it could have been thinner or smaller however given the student concerned the bigger item was more desirable.
What we would do differently: Our class typically personalises items such as this.   Clearly it would have been easy to insert the students name into the spoon and cup, or both.     This didn't happen as the skill set wasn't there yet but once this print is discussed and the student spoken with (and the staff member) then other students will assist in getting it completed.
Next Steps for Students: We are anticipating other students come on board to assist with the more detailed aspects of design.  There is the obvious step of personalising the cup and spoon with either the name of the student or the business by dropping it into the cup, and then to remove rafting, as has been done on previous prints/projects.

3D Printed Hair Tie Stand

Above: Design shown from above

Challenge: Student wanted to create a hair tie stand to store hair ties that were all over the place. The design needed to be flexible and personalised.
Background: Coming back from the school holidays a Y5 student approached me and stated that they had an original design which they had thought of during the break, to solve a practical problem. This was the students first original design meeting the expected classroom brief.
Level of Difficulty: Low - the design was straightforward and featured basic designs from the main Tinkercad interface that were then adjusted to complete the design. The original design was not personalised, so the name was added last to reflect the student and increase the difficulty

slightly. Additional features could have been added to the base (such as multiple words or extra shapes).
Timeframe: This design was an six hour version, with an 8mm nozzle as stated. Obviously the size of the cone was variable and could be redesigned depending on the choices of the students and the stand wouuld still function.
Size: 11cm long, 9cm wide, a width of the base plate of 5mm and a height of the cone section of the design of 9cm from the base plate.
What we would do differently: Very little, the design was original, which fits the general brief. It addressed a problem or an issue that was relevant to a student and was successfully solved by a print.
Next steps for the students: The student was able to idependenlty complete the process without any teacher interaction. With the next step would be something more complicated, another original design that would potentially include interlocking pieces or working/moving parts.

3D Printed Basic Tap Design

Tap with block insert pictured right

Challenge: To create from scratch a tap (faucet for our American friends) that would be viable and working suitable for use with a worm farm.  Students involved were Y2-Y4.
Background: Junior School students from another classroom had been creating a realistic sized model of a worm farm for a showcase (parents eventing).   They had mocked up a model but the teacher as looking for something extra to complete the display.   Our class released two students to work with the junior school students.  For both sets of students this was their first original Tinkercad and 3D Printing designs.

Tap with square insert to act as block

Level of Difficulty: Medium to High.  The inital design process involved a challenge to the students to produce a working tap.  With little design experience they attempted to design a working tap - however they were redirected to keep it simple, by producing a tube shape with block that could be inserted into it to act as a block (as shown above).  Once this was successfully printed the students would then start to examine the process of engineering related to a tap and more advanced.  Ideally this would lead to a repeat of the process where the students would look at a more complicated solution.  One of the basic designs 'block' piece did not seal the pipe successfully the student had not considered the implications of producinga square block instead of a round one.   The
Timefame: Initial prints in the series (not featured) were 45 minutes.  This allowed the students to refine their design (as pictured) which put the design (including the block) at two and half hours.
Size: 7cm in length, 2cm high (the deisgn was of course hollow which included significant internal rafting which then needed to be removed using pliers). 
What we would do differently: This print is a work in progress.   The intended progress is to give the students design experience and advance them forward in the process.  Although the 'tap' concept with initially daunting the students concerned have made an excellent start and are already looking to refine and improve their design, hopefully showing a considerable improvement and refinement as they progress with the ideas.

3D Printed Animal Bait Station - Personalised

Final Print with name aspect visible.

Challenge: Having completed the design, testing and refining of a student created 3D Printed Bait Station, the students were considering ways in which to personalise the creation.
Background: This design and process has been described indepth before on previous posts on this blog, the difference was an addition was made, as shown in photographs, that the name of the person (in this case from the Taranaki Regional Council, the pest control officer was added to the base of the print) was added.  This was for the purpose of identifying the bait station, and obviously this could be modified to introduce the name of a company or organisation or even number the bait stations in sequence for recording purposes.  It was also considered that the students could produce something similar for fundraising purposes, with the name of a company, or individual added to the print run.

Level of Difficulty: Low - the print has not changed since the development of the extended feet, the only addition to this version was the naming which was completed with basic lettering that was taken from the main interface of Tinkercad, this took the student within three minutes to complete.

Above: Hedgehog in action at night

Timeframe: Ten hours (original print design) adding the lettering did not affect this in a significant way.
Size: The lettering likewise did not alter the dimensions of the design significantly, evidence from the night vision camera has identified that the Hedgehogs are unable to dislodge the bait stations from the ground by tipping them over, as once the station is buried in the ground with the
legs featured above enough resistance is created to prevent the toppling of the bait station.  We have photographs of hedgehogs attempting to do just this to allow them better access at the bait.
What we would do differently: The students will be moving on to other projects as this one has been mastered, the only exception would be the production of individual bait stations in some form of economic process (such as a student market day) or gifts to the appropriate organisation associated with the school.