3D Printed Cap Launcher: Engineering Challenge

Challenge: To produce a bottle cap launcher.

Background: We wanted to look at extending a student who has shown an aptitude towards engineering, problem solving and working with the 3D Printer.    We were looking for a project and the student located via Thingiverse a 'bottle cap launcher'.   Once the concept and print was identified the student wanted to look at printing the design and then ensuring that it would work.   The design was available as a freely sourced print - however there were aspects the design that were intended to challenge the student.    In the original print the design is operated by using a coin which is US/American currency.     In New Zealand we don't have a coin that fits perfectly into the print so providing an alternative to counter balance the design was an issue.

Level of Difficulty: Medium.   The design plan, process and elements are an available print.  The challenge has come in the construction process to include a counter-weight to ensure that the device can launch.  The student was able to locate tutorial videos to explain this process online and was able to work these into the parts that he had printed and incorporate different strengths of rubber bands.

The student is experimenting with a range of objects that can be used by the launcher.   He has also been using different strength rubber bands to fit with the context of the print.   The student also spent time working on the design, identifying the screws that were required to put it together and working out the mechanism.

Size and Print Time: Both of these were dependent on a project that was created on Thingiverse and made available.    The challenge for the student was to print the individual pieces and engineer them working together as intended.   The time of the print was twelve hours in total.

What we would do differently next steps for the students: The idea is that this is a launching pad for the student to get excited about 3D Printing and create projects that would use the idea and concepts of the engineering - including having a launcher and mechanism trigger as part of a working print.

3D Printed Animal Designs: Extension

Challenge: To extend a student who has shown creativity and push the limits of what is possible using the Snapmaker 3D Printer.

Background:   The student who has been working on the 2D Flexible animal designs we would suggest has mastered this part of the process.  We wanted to try and have them extend their work but creating some specific models that were of a larger scale and also could be a statement piece.  As such we challenged the student to move from a two dimensional model and create a three dimensional model along the same lines.  We wanted to push the use of our Snapmaker.   The student was able to use Tinker to create the model which was then imported into Tinkercad for printing.  The design was themed 'Piggy Wiggy' and the student what to create a cartoon pig that was linked via sections.

Level of Difficulty: Extreme - this is the student who has shown time and time again that they are working with an extremely high level of design and creation skills.   The student is motivated and designing and creating these projects in their own time because they want to be involved in the process.  

This is not something that a student would be able to create without working extensively or needing specific design skills.   This has been completed by a student working to the highest level and able to create a balanced print that works and is striking.  While the student who is doing this is a Y7 (eleven year old student).    This would be one of the premiere designs featured on this site of which the Snapmaker is allowed the student to realise.

Size: The print measures 180mm across is 120mm high and 120mm wide.   While this is extremely large the idea was to produce a statement piece.   Once the design is completely mastered (see below) then to scale the design down is a potential idea.

Timeframe: Including the rafting, which was considerable given the linking and the movement that is featured with this print the total printing time was sixteen hours.  Again to scale this was always intended to be a significant print so while this timeframe is considerable it wasn't unexpected.   It was also intended that the Piggy Wiggy would be posable and could be moved and adjusted with its positioning, hence the need for the rafting.

What we would do differently/next step for the student:   While the print looks striking the student has some work to address - the main issue is the linking between the different sections of the pig.  Given the weight and the size of the print the linking needs to be redesigned.  Knowing the student who is involved in the creation process they will relish the chance to challenge themselves to complete this successfully.

3D Printed Ongoing Projects - Golf Clips and Highland Cattle

We are looking at involving students in projects that get them excited but also can expand into the wider community so that our school, their students and projects can gain wider exposure.   One of our younger students has a passion and a lot of involvement in Golf, playing at the local club on a regular basis.

The student is a Y5 student (ten years old).

The student was looking for opportunities or ways to include some 3D Printing and involving golf.   The starting point for this came via Thingiverse - we have used this before as a source of inspiration but also allowed us to modify designs to personalise them and 
include a local aspect.   The local golf club for the student is Te Ngutu Golf Club here in Taranaki, New Zealand.   The student was able to produce a unique item (in this case a golf ball holder) that was able to be linked back to the club that the student plays at.   The intention is that this will act as a starting point for the student to get them into more unique and original projects.   There is also the potential for the student to look at personalising these items and selling them for a nominal fee.

Currently the two ball version of this print has a two hour print time.   There are additional designs with three and four ball variations which have a larger clip and as a consequence additional details or lettering could be added.  The student is intending to refine their design as they have been experimenting with the Golf Club aspect of the design which is not clear or detailed, particularly when the design has been spray painted.    It is a two hour print to four hours for the largest in the set.

A second student has a considerable interest in farming and farming related matters.   To encourage them and have them involved in creation we have again followed this format - the Highland Cattle design is an animal that the student does not have a model for and this model will be decorated via spray painting.  Including rafting the print took five hours and while there is no student input at this point we are again hoping that it leads to additional projects and work.

3D Printed Original Articulated Animals - Highest Degree of Difficulty

Challenge: To create and successfully print an original articulated animal of challenging design.

Background: The student who has been responsible for creating the original articulated animals including the Kiwi, the Lion and other animals featured on this print was looking for ways to extend her designs and her animals, one of the animals she felt could make a striking design.     She choose an Octopus for this purpose.   The challenge was based around the legs of the Octopus and have them interact with the body of the Octopus.   This took several versions of this print to get correct so the student was happy with it.

Versions one and two featured legs that didn't have the width to support the print and were too fragile and needed to be replaced.   The third completed version the student was more happy with - this however left her thinking about other design aspects - one was the length of the legs, the second was whether it was robust enough to allow it to be repeatedly handled.    Finally the use of the arms as they stand led the student to look into creating a hook for the Octopus so it might be easily hung from the roof and then sway in the wind.

Level of Difficulty: High - this was specifically to challenge this student who has shown a high degree of design, thinking - this was not for the faint heartened and nor was ever intended to be.   

Size: The main body of the Octopus was 60mm across and 45mm high.   The tentacles are currently 50mm long although as noted the student is examining options to develop this further.   

Timeframe: The final version of this print took three and a half hours, earlier versions which were not considered successful were one hour and two hours.   These resulted in the tentacles of the Octopus not being robust enough.   Even with a three hour print examining the eyelets of the tentacles they are looking considerably weak in locations.

What would we do differently/next steps for students: As noted the student has spent considerable time reworking this design at present and is continuing to refine and work on the design this student is showing an incredibly aptitude towards being creative and challenging themselves.    It is anticipated that she will rework this design again considerably.

However this is a student who is twelve years old working independently to an extremely high standard.

3D Printing Overtime - 3D Prints outside in the elements four years later

One of the longest running prints featured on this blog is one that dates back to August 2018.   At that point in time, as detailed on this blog we needed to create a print to replace the signage that was for our evacuation area outside.  Rather than replace the existing metal signs we thought that it would be worthwhile to 3D Print signage as we could customise it for our needs.

We have updated this print several times since then.  As previously mentioned it is placed in a location where the print has been exposed outside and now has been outside for four years.   During this time while we did have the issues with the colour fading, which meant that two years ago we took the prints down and resprayed them before putting them back in place.  

There is very evident weather of the prints which have remained intact and on display.  We will in all likelihood take the prints down again in the coming year and respray them again, however we can now say with confidence despite the challenging New Zealand outdoor condition there is no evidence of any of the printing/PLA suffering from the outside exposure.

Potential projects could therefore be based around using the PLA/3D Printer to manufacture or create items that are able to be deployed or used outside confident that the print will remain functional.