Tuesday, June 2, 2026

3D Printed Flower Design - SVG

 

Challenge: Independent activity - student driven.

Background: We encourage our students as much as possible to be creating, designing and making things in their own time and we try and print these out when the students are able to create something individualised and could potentially be used for another purpose.

This design features a 'flower' shape and has the initials of the student who created it placed in the centre of the design.   

The design came out of our SVG challenge when the student found this image and then felt that it would be a piece that could have a number of practical functions as it had the space in-between the different petals.   Therefore it could be used to tie or loop string or other material through it.   The student has completed the print and is now 'road testing' the print to find out how it might be able to be used for different roles or tasks.   

Resources Used to complete this project: iPad, Tinkercad App, Bambu P1S, Regular PLA 

Level of Difficulty: Low - the most challenging aspect of the task was to locate an SVG file to complete the project.  This was completed by an eight year old student from cohort one and was completed independently without teacher input.

Size: The print measures 80mm across, is 110 high and is 10mm wide.  The petals are obviously not filled out which helped significantly reduce the printing time.

Cost/Price: The print uses 18g of PLA to complete the task.  There was no 'rafting' or waste produced by the project.   The price point for the print was $0.45c.

Timeframe: To complete the print the printer took six minutes to warm up and reach the printing settings and took thirty six minutes to complete the task for a combined total of forty two minutes.  

What we would do differently/Next steps for the student: This project is one where the print is completed and the student is making sure that they can find out a purpose for it.    Potentially the design will have multiple purposes depending on what the student decides.

Monday, June 1, 2026

Virtual Pinball Auroa School - Tournament Week

 

Its tournament week at Auroa Primary School! We are very excited to have our first phase of the tournament with our 'bottom six' shootout - we drew the teams at School Assembly on Friday and this week they will battle each other with the chance to make the main draw!

If you would like to see a summary post about the tournament this year have a look at this special preview of our competition machine this year - then click on the link this video here.  If you would like to see a summary of the competitions that we have had in the past including our previous grand finals and full live streamed competitions then click on this link here.

We will be updating the site this week with the full tournament information detailing the competition and the viewing details.

Modified SVG - Reworking a SVG

 

Challenge: Student locate an SVG file and adapt it significantly.   As note from a number of recent prints this project started with an SVG file.

Background: As noted this came as an extension project as part of our students sourcing of SVG files.  In this instance this student wanted to have an animal from another country to represent themselves and then convert it into having a stand.

The student then created base and featured their name on it prominently.   They were working as part of cohort one (having used Tinkercad since the start of the year) and are seven years old.  They were able to complete task independently without teachers input.

Resources used to complete the task: Tinkercad App, iPad, Bambu Printer (P1P) and Bambu PLA, Pic Collage was used for the AR/VR imaging.  

The design was then put into the Tinkercad App and the iPad was used to AR/VR the image.   This image was then put through a further filter being an AR/VR filter which was a 'Magic Camera' option from the Pic Collage App.

Level of Difficulty: Medium - the design was repeatedly reworked by the student until they were happy with it and adding the AR/VR element to the presentation.

Size: The print measured 140mm across at the front of the base, the height of the base was 50mm high and 20mm wide.  The deer itself 110mm across and 120mm high.  the silhouette of the print was 10mm wide.

Cost/Price: The price of the print was two dollars and fifty cents based on the use of the PLA that was 83g of PLA for the print and 17g for the support of the print.

Timeframe: Six minutes of print time and three hours and seventeen minutes of project print time.  This print was completed during the basic settings for the printer including the speed and infill on the print.

What we would do differently/Next Steps for the students:   The front leg of the print as can be seen in the picture is bent - this proved to be challenging for the printer to complete as essentially it was a curve.  While this did not appear obvious when looking at the virtual image on the iPad however it became a challenge in practical terms when printing it.   

It is going to involve a resolution between the design and the practical creation process of the printer.