3D Printed Mini Labels

Challenge: For a student in the classroom to look at creating a label, making use of the printer to produce something that is functional but also minimal.

Background: We have the printers currently set with a smaller nozzle at the moment to include more detail in the print, which as a consequence is making some of the larger prints are taking longer than expected.   We challenged one of the new capable students to go in the other direction and look to produce something that would be smaller, allowing more detail to be put into the print.     The student as they are developing their skills approached Tinkercad, used a pre-made basic shape and then simply added their name to it.  A very basic two step process.   However it had the desired affect and enabled the student to print multiple copies of the same print in a short space of time.

The final step once the printing was completed to look at an effective and quick way in which the print could be decorated.  For this the Y3 student enlisted the help of a senior student from our school who is Y8 and they were able to undertake the spray painting process.

Level of Difficulty: Low.  This was designed as a brief introductory challenge where the process was to be judged by something simple, achievable that could be completed independently.

Size: The print measured 30mm long, was 30mm high and was 10mm thick.   Potentially this could have been made smaller or thinner, obviously an advantage was the number of letters in the students name, the size of letter was probably the minimal possible to ensure that it was still legible.

Timeframe: Sixty minutes.   There was the potential for this to be reduced by using a smaller thickness of the print which was completed at 10mm.    However the student enjoyed that aspect of the design and there was no question of how robust it was.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: Nil.   This project was completed within a short time frame, the objective was achieved and no alterations or changes were made for the student or the project.

3D Printed Stationary Holder: Advanced

Challenge: For a confident Y4 student who is showing promise and talent in 3D Printing to further his design by adding details to his project.

Background: The years classroom is a combined Y3/4 classroom of students.  The students are a mix of last years classroom who had experience with the 3D Printer and CAD design and students who have joined the classroom for the first time and while they are somewhat less experienced have the ability to pick things up using Tinkercad quickly.

The student concerned had originally designed some basic shapes and ideas and then wanted to combine them into a stationary holder that he would be able to use in the classroom.

The student produced the design shown left.   He wanted to include the two aspects of the design to personalise it, along with his name.   The cricket bat was shown left and a soccer ball was included in the design of the main cylinder.

Level of Difficult: Medium.   There were different aspects of the design that needed to work in conjunction with each other.    

Size: The base of the stationary measured 90mm across the front of the design, and was 125mm long.   The name at the front was 55mm across and 25mm high.   The cricket bat was the length of the base and the stationary holder part of the design was 75mm high.

Timeframe: Eighteen hours with the current default settings.  The design and the aspects of the design were correct for the dimensions of what the student wanted and he was extremely pleased with the result.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: The student was extremely pleased with the overall result and the aspects of the print that they used to enhance and add detail to the finished product.  At times students add aspects to the design that while they can look appealing the detail can then something that does not translate well to a 3D Print, particularly if they have too much fine detail on them.

Numbers Outside - Six Year Update

 

The longest term print that we have been monitoring on this website, was the creation of a series of numbers for the emergency management assemblies at our school.

The prints were first completed in August 2018.   The prints were then put onto a fence in the full elements, and left outside.  The prints have no protection and are in an exposed location.   We have also revisited the prints and created an update in March 2021.

As of today the prints are still in place, and still have maintained their structural integrity.   They have been resprayed once (in 2021) to ensure that they have maintained colour.

This shows very clearly that the PLA in the 3D Printers is able to withstand the elements including a full winter without there being any evidence of wear or damage to the prints.

We intend to leave these prints in place for the foreseeable future as they still continue to serve a purpose and are working.  If there comes a point where there is damage to the prints they would be replaced but to this point that has not been the case.  

3D Printed Pencil Sharpener Holder - Advanced

Challenge: To design a print to hold a pencil sharpener.

Background: We have challenged a group of students who have shown an aptitude to design to look at more complicated prints to challenge their design, problem solving and think about creating something that has a distinct purpose.   This print idea has been used before and featured a number of times on this blog in the past.   You can look at some of the examples on this blog by using the search bar here on the right - or you can click on the link here.

This challenge involves the students accurately measuring an insert into a design to house the sharpener, which can typically be purchased in bulk from a local $2 store.   We have usually started the process by giving the pencil sharpeners to the student to kick off the process.

The print shown left really shows off the progress of 3D Printers over the last ten years.   This design was completed with a minimum amount of rafting - the entire sphere design shown here was printed as a single print without any waste PLA waste.  

The print is medium level length wise but brings the ability to challenge the students thinking to introduce a significant cavity into their design.

Level of Difficulty: Medium.   There are a number of parts that need to be considered when making a print like this work, including the students considering the exit of the shavings from the pencil being able to be removed and balancing of the pencil sharpener.   

Size: The base of the print measures 120mm across and the print is 100mm high.   For the size of the pencil sharpener intended to house the design these dimensions would need to be a minimum.

Timeframe: Eight hours.   There is some potential for a reduction to increase the size of the cavity for the pencil sharpener without decreasing the integrity of the print.  

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: The student is intending to decorate this print and is pleased with the design and details.   Once this is completed we will be discussing the design with the student and looking at ways to alter the design.  A key consideration will be making sure that the design is functional with the sharpener, and given this students design ideas they should have considerable scope for revision and redesign.

Door Handle Message 3D Print

 

Challenge: Y4 Student to create an original 3D Printed design with a purpose.

Background: This student has been given a challenge to produce something that is unique, that is created by the student from scratch, using Tinkercad.   The student had a number of ideas that she wanted to look at creating and this project ending up coming as a result of this.   She decided to use the main interface to make a creature.   An issue for her was how to look at handing it from a door handle.   She made a decision to exaggerate the arms - and this was the manner in which the creation was able to be held in place on the handle of the door.

As shown left, the student was able to create something amusing but also managed to complete the brief.   When the student wanted to look at options how to present or decorate the design she was able to use one of the tools that our students have been regularly been using to put a filter onto our designs.   We have posted about it on this blog before but by using the PicCollage 'Magic Camera' Filter, the students are able to use their iPad to create AI version of the print.  This then gives the ideas for the students on how they could potentially decorate their print.

Size: The print measured 140mm across and was 100mm high. The depth of the print was 10mm which meant that it was durable and able to be handled

regularly.   

Timeframe: Eight hours from start to finish on the current default settings.   Ultimately the student wouldn't have wanted to have it any smaller than it was, so the printing time would have remained about right for this project.

Level of Difficulty: Medium - as the print was designed to be amusing, relative to the size of it, the arms could be over exaggerated to make the purpose of hanging the print onto a door handle.

What we would do differently/next steps for the student: The lettering which states 'Do Not Enter My Room' was too dense for the print.  The print needed to have a different message, or one that was simpler.  The message was able to be produced just by the printer but the student has already discussed an idea to rework, edit or adapt this message.

Junior Coin Box - Exemplar

Challenge: To produce a functional detailed purposeful 3D Print.

Background: While we have students who are working on what we would generally consider to be beginner or starter projects we also have students who are at the other scale of things - students who are creating independently innovative and interesting projects and pushing the boundaries of CAD and 3D Design as Y3 (seven) and Y4 (eight year olds).   One student who has consistently done so has recently started to revisit projects that she worked on in the previous year.   She has previously work on designing a money box, and we featured this design in 2023.   She recently began a process of revisiting her previous designs and looking to improve and think critically about what she had been working on.

In this version of the money box she focussed on redesigning her name, which now dominates the print more significantly than the previous version, has hollowed out the inside of the box (which allows for much greater storage, the original was merely a slot on the inside).  She also included another subtle difference by placing her initials on the top of the design.   

In reworking this design she has improve its functionality and appearance considerably.  There has been no teacher input into the project.  The student has created, tested and worked on this design and then presented it to the teacher to print in its finished state.

Size: The print measures 50mm across and is 45mm high.  This has made it rather compact however the student wanted to create this revised version to see what it would look like.

Timeframe: Eight hours to complete - a version with a larger storage area or greater capacity would of course have to have an additional print project time.

Level of Difficulty: Medium - this is a complex print that has a number of elements with it that need to work, in conjunction with each other so that the print works as a project.   As noted this has been worked on by an eight year old student however this is one of the top creative designers in the classroom.

What we would do differently next steps for the students:

The student has been given a task, a challenge based around this design.  While the design is functional and works the student has been asked to come up with a locking mechanism for the base of the design so that the student can open the design from the base and use this as a means to empty the storage.  At present the entry and exit point remains the (significant) slot at the top of the container.   The student is going to use technology to research.

Y3 Junior 3D Printing in the Classroom

Challenge: Introduction to 3D Printing for a junior classroom, a project for a beginner to complete.

Background: There are a range of skills in the classroom from students who have worked with Tinkercad and 3D Printing, from the students who were in the classroom for 2023 and those who are involved and creating for the first time.

One of the very easiest designs, and a very positive starting point for students is to create a locket.   This task has been detailed before and we have been revisiting it again.   It is a task the requires one step in addition to choosing a template from the main interface.   The example that is provided here has come from a student with no experience who has set a goal and being able to achieve it.   You can read the details of the project here when it was last completed in March 2023.

Projects Currently Underway Term Two 2024

 

We have been continuing to explore and use some of the additional features of Tinkercad with our students iPads.   We have previously shown examples of how our students have used the AR/VR function with the project development, or applying filters to designs to alter their appearance.

Another favourite creation tool at present is using the "blocks" function related to the design.  This applies a variety of technology to create a brick like version of the print.  This is accessible by a simple click and allows the students another version of their designs. 

Left: Independent Projects working of the students.  The junior class of students who have originally started working on their first significant prints.   While the students have worked completing badges and labels the next step in projects is for the students to look at producing some stationary holders.

The class with the students working are Y3 and Y4 - so the students are seven and eight years old.  We require their designs to have some individuality and also have a functionality.  In most cases this is provided by projects such as the one shown on the left.

The main design consists of three main shapes from the basic Tinkercad interface (main page design).   The shapes are then grouped together and the students name has been placed on the base.   The student then opted to have a senior school student assist with the spray painting of the design.  This design measured 130mm across was 80mm deep and 80mm high.   It took eighteen hours to print on the default settings.

Another aspect that we are looking at is to get designs that have already been completed and look at ways to alter the design or the type to change the purpose.  In the example shown left the Snowman with Guitar which was featured on this blog previously was printed as it was somewhat whimsical.  The challenge to the student who designed it was, is there a way that the design can be altered to have another purpose or another use.   The student concerned inspired by some of the other storage options from recent prints made the decision to include storage in the Snowman's head. The initial design didn't have this feature, however the student has already discovered that the addition of the storage comes at the cost of stability.  Attempting to add a pencil into this form of storage means the weight of the unit cannot be sustained.  The student is now looking to scale the entire design to make the print more purposeful, but has yet to attempt the dimensions, as a Y3 student they are a little concerned, however they are going to attempt to use VR/AR and a pencil to do so.

The Battle of Hoth/Star Wars designs is continuing to progress.   The student concerned has found that there is extensive predesigned material and props available specific to the scene that they are developing.

Already identified and located have been the gun emplacements and the target of the climatic scene, the Shield Generator has now been located and printed.  This can be seen in a mock up of the scene on the left, with a Lego Mini Figure clearly shown for scale to the left.   The actual diorama at present is awaiting sizing to ensure that everything is correct to the right ratio/scale.

This will be an ongoing project that will require a number of elements and aspects as it moves forward.