Thursday, April 19, 2018

3D Printed Basic Key Ring - First Steps

Challenge: For student to create an original, personalised key ring - that was practical to use, including an attatchment suitable for using a typical bunch of keys.
Background: We are wanting to look extending our students projects.   As such were wanting to combine PLA, to print with a minimum of two colours or component pieces.  As a basis for this we revisited a basic design that we had already completed in the past, or had adults complete in the past, which was the design of a basic key ring. 

When we share posts with this site, feedback that we receive seems to be that some of our prints are particularly difficult or long, and not necessairly suitable for everyone for the number of machines or someone taking thier first step.   We are extremely fortunate to have a background of having three to four years of 3D Printing experience - and up to three machines that we can run at a given time (and as detailed are Ultimaker 2+)

Above:  Design shown from above
The intention was for the students to complete this as a first step, including several students who had no prior experience with 3D Printing.  From here the intention is that the students develop the name or the lettering into component part - that is printing a base, with inserts for the lettering, and the lettering to be produced that matches the inserts and is printed in another colour (such as glow in the dark filament). 
Level of Difficulty: Low - the student is able to produce this typically in two to three minutes from scratch.   The three stages of the design were a blank base (in this case a rectangle), an addition of the lettering and then the final stage was the introduction of the insert, which provided the hole for the insert of the key ring.  The students concerned were ten years old with experience ranging from two years to just a few weeks (the student concerend first printed project name is on the design).
Timeframe: Three hours - This could have been reduced significantly as the block for the base was 20mm high, and could easily have been halved 10mm.
What we would do differently: This is a basic print that has further development scheduled.   As such it was about challenging the students thinking to a more advanced project and this was the introduction, which was completed in a minimum time.
Next steps for students: This is the first step in students producing component pieces for a more complicated project.  The next steps have already been envisaged
 

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