3D Printing - Expanding on initial projects

Above: Design shown from above

Challenge: Once students have mastered the concept of producing basic designs and ideas how can they move onto more challenging designs and prints.
Background: This student has shown an aptitude in design and creation, so we have been encouraging her by giving her the lattitude and opportunity to create larger designs with differing purpose.   This design reflected that, for while it appears to be another straight copy of the badge design, using scribble to create the picture, which in essence it is, the student created a significant rectangular lip or frame around the outside of the design.  This had the affect of allowing the design to independently stand on its edge, and balance it.    The student had been using Dash and Dot Robots, as part of a task to code and was looking to expand on something to integrate with that.  Once this design was completed and created the student was using it conjunction with the robot, and had the idea to create a series of targes for the robot to be coded to come into contact with.  The student is intending to colour code the targets, with different point values/phrases for the robots based around the difficulty to get them. 

The same thing could also be created as a target systyem for a form of rocket launcher or technology challenge, as the 3D Printer could easily target a class set of targets or students could develop their own game as a result.  The pieces being 3D Printed are extremely durable, well made and virtually indestructable. 
Degree of Diffculty: Low/Medium - the dimensions etc just determined by the purpose.  You can always spray paint the PLA when finished or actually print it out as different colours.
Timeframe: Six and a half hours - this is not suitable as a badge etc due to its increased dimensions, having said that for the School PE Shed we did exactly this on purpose three years ago (its too big for the students or the staff to easily put the key into their pocket, hence they tend to return it to the location where its suppossed to be,
You could reduce the idea of targets to something smaller but we want to be able to hit them.
What we would do differently next steps for the students: This was produced with a hole in the top right hand corner we would remove this as it serves no purpose.

3D Printed Badges/Key Rings - 2020 Edition

The next batch of these designs have followed a similar format and process as detailed on this blog.  As such other than a brief update about the size and details of them they have followed the previously described pattern and so will remain relatively static in description.

'Mum the best cook ever' - is 5mm thick was 90mm across and 120mm high.   This had a print time of three and a half hours with the default settings.   This was designed by a student at their first attempt using Tinkercad and using the tutorial that is featured in this blog as a beginners guide, otherwise the student had no formal training or assitance.

The process was perfect wtih the exception of the 'v' as part of ever in the bottom right hand corner which came as a result of the lettering being too small.   Student used pre-created available lettering and imaging to produce result.

Left: 'C & L' Star.  Sometimes the best learning can be accidental, in this case this is a print that didn't work and the student was to redesign it.   If you view the star you can see that the circle at teh top of the star is too large relative to the size of the design.   This had the consequence of preventing the design from being successful, although the student was able to adjust it with some quick and basic design fixing.   It was a one hour print time reflected in the dimensions of the design which was 5mm wide/thick and 70mm high.  Student was looking to increase the size to the 120mm range. 

Left: 'Hunter Dad' came in at 90mm high, 90mm across and was 5mm thick.   The student based the design on freely available images that involved a simple Tinkercad search.  The lettering was available from the main template, the only additional features were the hole to allow its use as a badge/key ring and the addition of the surname of the family on the side of the design (not visible in photograph).   The design took fifteen minutes for someone using Tinkercad for the first time, and was produced with zero waste PLA/plastic.  Three hours to print at the regular default settings

3D Printed Minature Stationary Stands

Challenge: Student wanted to produce a scaled down version of a typical stationary holder.
Background: The student concerned had an idea of what she wanted to produce and had examples in the classroom that showed what could be produced.   The student was able to produce a basic design model and then personalised it with her name, and wanting to further add an additional touch of putting the animals paws in the bottom right hand corner of the design.   All in all as an introductory attempt at 3D Printing the student managed to complete all of the anticipated goals - working by herself etc. and was able to produce something that worked perfectly.   It should also be noted that this print was produced with zero 'rafting' or waste PLA so that the student was able to spend no time removing any of it, and the font for the name on the plate worked perfectly.    The only issue with the design of this project was the size - the student had intended it to be a smaller version of the full sized type of project that students had created and are detailed on this blog.   The student who created the project

Above: Design shown from above

was concerned that by reducing the size that the project would not work or that the storage would be compromised by the reduced size - this was not the case and while the scale was reduced the purpose worked extremely well.  It was also suggested by the student that this could be used for storage of jewellery or other items.
Degree of Difficulty: Low/Medium - this was the students first design and was able to use Tinkercad to create and manipulate the shapes that were required.   She was able to create the balance of the design easily, but she has a talent for design.
Size: As shown in the photograph to the left the design was 110mm across and the base of the unti was 100mm high.   The lettering for the name and the paw print was raised 5mm.   The towers that are the storage part of the design, the left and right towers are 70mm high with the middle tower being 50mm high. 
Timeframe: Seven and a half hours.    The design of the unit and the measurements were required and would be the minimum to make the design workable.    The printer was using the default settings for Tinkercad, which is essentially 20% infill and the Ultimaker 2+ used a 8mm nozzle.
What we would do differently/Next Steps for Students: Nil - the student was thrilled with the results and it was considered extremely successful.

3D Printed Badges: 2020 Exemplars

'John Deere' and 'Scribble Cats' Designs

Challenge: For students to independentally produce 3D Printed badges as a first print for the school year to include versions or approaches to design that we have not featured.
Background: Throughout the past few years as an introductory task to show students 3D Printing we have typically started with a basic design that has featured some personalisation and a practical use.   These are three examples that were all created by students using Tinkercad who met this brief.  To put their designing in context the students are speding the second year in the classroom, having started in the class the previous year, so they have had a year of experience or opportunity with 3D Design.  Students have used Tinkercad to complete the design process.   While there are more detailed and other products, programs and resources in the marketplace and online we have always found this to be dependable, reliable and adaptable.   Students have found the ability to create and make 3D

Cricket themed 'Kian' design

Printed designs easily.  I would also like to recognise as well the ability of Tinkercad to create an entire classroom of student accounts that come under the umbrella of the teacher.   This is flexible and allows the students to work with minimal input.    All three designs were created by students who were ten years old.

The 'John Deere' themed key ring is a key ring for a tractor.  The student located it online and wanted to add the addtion of the 'Dad' under the logo.    'Cats Forever' was created using 'scribble' which is one of the new design.   The key feature of the 'John Deere' design was the fact that the base itself had a lip or edge created for it.   The lip was around the outside of the design, and has a length of 10mm.   The base of the design proper is 5mm.   In usual design of these types of projects the base would be consistent for its entire length, the

Above: John Deere Lip

lip has reduced the need for this and then considerably reduced the print time.   You can see this feature of this design to your left.

Degree of Difficulty: Low - these designs are intented as a creation task to ensure that students are successful.  Refining the design is to simply tweak it slightly. 

Size: While there are three distinct designs featured in this post they have similar dimensions.   The bases are between 100-110mm and they have a height of 100-140mm.   The thickness of the design varies slightly the 'Kian' and 'Cats Forever' designs have a universal thickness to them, as noted 'John Deere' had a lip that was created that significantly improved the print time relative to the other prints in the series.  Given the revised versions of the print this change could have been made.
Timeframe: Three and a half hours ('John Deere') four and a half hours ('Kian') and six and half hours ('Cats Forever').   We would have revised this design to reflect the lip given the opportunity.
What we would do differently/next steps for students: Given the lip considerations mentioned otherwise the students designs/purpose etc. for the students was successful.