3D Printed Personalised Birthday Gift

 

Challenge: To produce a unique and personalised present from a student to another person.

Background: This was presented to the teacher as a completed project that had been designed, created and actioned at home by the student.   They wanted to combine a small stand, a name and row of hearts as well as a personalised message on the back of the design and give this as a gift.   The student concerned is eight years old.  There were two versions of this printed both on the P1S Bambu machines.   The first version is shown top left.

In this version the lettering was very narrow and subsequently the printer had difficulty in producing the desired affect, which was produced in the adjusted version.   The different between both versions size wise was only 30mm or so however it made the difference between a successful and non successful print.

In the initial print the lettering on the reverse of the design was too small and had difficulty being read, the revised version had 4mm high lettering that was sunk into the design and was as thin as 1mm in places but held its form.   

Resources used to complete this project: Tinkercad App, iPad, Bambu P1S, Cotton Candy PLA.

Level of Difficulty: Medium.  This student has shown creativity and flair when completing designs and had a very definite idea and process in mind when completing this print - also was very keen to make use of the exisiting 'cotton candy' as they felt that the colour would work in conjunction with the gift.

Size: The revised version of the print, as shown left, measured 110mm across was 30mm long and 40mm high.

Cost/Price: The print used 15g of PLA for rafting and 45g of PLA to complete the print.  This had a price point of $1.17 to complete the print.

Timeframe: This print took one and half hours to complete on the regular default, infill settings that are set up with the printing software.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: Nil - completed and done in a way that the student was very happy with.  There was a limited discussion about mounting it somewhere - or the fact that it does have a hole in the top left hand corner when facing forward, but the student did not want to change it.

3D Print - Novelty Desk Organiser

Above: Design shown in profile.

Challenge: Student wanted to create a gift to give another person.   They wanted something themed that was related to a specific interest that the person receiving the gift.
Background: Student wanted to use a precreated design to print, using this as a gift for another family member.  The student concerned was a senior at our school.   This was her first time independently working on a 3D Project.   The student approached the teacher with the completed project and wanted to print it.   It was obviously sourced from a free design site (in this case Tinkercad) and the student simply wanted to create a print that would sit at a desk.   The head of 'Groot' from the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' movies/cartoons.  Under these circumstances the option is usually made not to proceed with this print, as the student had not personalised or adapted a print in a way to make it unique.  Consideration is also given for the encouragement of students to do this, we at times allow a print that is potentially going to get students creating and thinking critically about producing individual works.

View from above showing storage.

Level of Difficulty: Low - the student sole aspect of the print was to produce it at a size that made it suitable for her to forfill its purpose, to be placed on a desk to allow the hollow part of the head to be used to store stationary items.
Timeframe: Four hours.   The print had a minimal level of rafting, but as it was a commercial design there was not much leeway to reduce the time without having to resize the print. 
Size: Print had a length of 70mm a width of 60mm and a height of 80mm.    Given the purpose, the size of the print was about the right size.   With hindsight it could have potentially been significantly increased so it could have been a storage item for pens/pencils, as it was at its present size it was suitable for smaller items.
What we would do differently: The student was happy with the project.   She had a particular character from the series in mind and therefore her creation of this character would not be possible from scratch.   There was of course a potential for the student to personalise it more with the individuals name that it was gifted for, however that was not something that the student felt that she wanted to attempt.
Next steps for students: For the student to use the experience to start to create orginal designs.

3D Printed Desk Organiser - Nine Year Old

Challenge: For student, who is nine years old and using 3D Printers in the classroom for the first time to produce a working desk organiser and ensure that it was useable for her seven year old brother.  Print was always intended as a gift, hence the bow that is tied around it in the picture on the left of the design.
Background: This student while relatively young has generally mastered the concepts of using Tinkercad and producing 3D Prints.   The student has required minimal tutoring and for the most parts is producing finished prints that are being delivered to the teacher with a brief and information about purpose of the print.  The teacher part of the production process is over as the student has mastered the creation aspect of what she is doing.

Level of Difficulty: Medium - the student is creating a design that has a number of aspects to it, which you can view from the photographs.
The student choose not to personalise it, although she added a 'Keep Out' to the highest tower and add a variety of generic (ie available from Tinkercad) animals and shapes on the outside of the design.  From left to right a Dog, Bear and a small box.    The main towers of the design consisted of three rectangular shapes that were created onto the base, then dragged to size and finally hollowed out.   The student involved in this creation is able to do this within a four to five minute time-frame from scratch. 
Timeframe: This is a ten hour print.  Given the dimensions of the print and the purpose the level of infill already being the default of 20% this would be the minimum required to successfully complete this project.
Size: The base of the design was a rectangle that was 120mm by 100mm.   The depth of the base plate was 5mm.   The animals at the front were 40mm high, the first tower was 70mm the second 100mm and the third and final was 120mm.  The student had listened to advice about the width of the towers and had this a consistent 5mm.
What we would do differently: With the characters at the front of the design being relatively small (40mm in height) the head of the dog snapped off during the 'rafting' removal and had to be re-glued (with super-glue).   The intention was for the box/pot at the front to be useable as a storage device but the practicality was it is too small.    The lettering shown in the photograph is untouched as the removal of the rafting was considered to be too delicate given its size.
Next Step for the Students:  Despite this students age we are looking at ways to extend her by using additional programs.  She has mastered this form of design using Tinkercad and can do so independently.   (This is the same student who has completed 'Sewing Box', Advanced Bookend Etc. 

3D Printed Gift Display

Challenge: To create a personalised gift commenerating a special event (in this case a birthday).
Background: Student had been somewhat inspired by a previous print detailed on this site, from February. She had seen this design and its influence on this design is clear to see.   Initially a plan had been to spray paint the design, however the student (Y6 - ten years old) was extremely pleased with the finish created by the white PLA and decided for it to remain as it was.
Level of Difficulty:  Low - its a basic template design, with the addition of the lettering and some of the generic designs accessible from the main screens.   The font selection was the default. 

Above: Design shown in profile

Timeframe: Twelve hours - there were significant design changes would  have reduced this time, relating to the depth of the print.  At 20mm deep it could have been halved which would have reduced the time of the print significantly.
Size: The design measured 15cm across, which was identical in size to the original print. 
What we would do differently: The student was thrilled with the design and the finished product.  The student herself did not want to change any aspect of the design, despite the points noted above which were discussed with her.
Next Step for the Student: The project and print are essentially completed and done and the student would move onto other challenges and projects.

3D Printed Gift Ideas (Beginner)

Above: Desk stand gift for parent.

Challenge: Student wanted to produce original gift to give to two members of her family.
Background: These designs were created by the student in her first attemps at 3D Printing, without input from others.  The student had been part of the class producing 'Christmas' themed decorations last year however this was the first opportunity for her to print individualised projects.
Level of Difficulty: Low - these designs were created with basic default settings from Tinkercad, and required a basic design.

Above: 'Alyssa' star gift with rafting clearly visible on gem (top).

Size: The 'rural fire' desk stand was a block design that had a depth of 2cm, a length of 10cm and a height of 8cm.   The 'Alyssa' star design was 15cm across, with a depth of 1cm.
Timeframe: Combined eight hours for both projects.  Both were printed as a 'fast print'.
Issues: 'Alyssa' star design lifted on the base and had to be superglued, this was an issue related to the filament, not the design.  Both designs were basic but produced the required result.
Process: Tinkercad with the design all created from the basic interface.  Converted to Cura for printing on the Ultimaker 2+.  What we would do differently: This task has been detailed before, or variations of it.  It has proven suitable as an introductory print that could be easily designed, printed successfully by the student who was extremely pleased with the results.