3D Printing: Name Font

 

Challenge: For student to experiment with their unique linking.

Background: This post has been detailed about the students experimentation with linking and looking tat different ways to complete it or use it.   In this application the student wanted to create a unique version of their name with stylised lettering - which then featured only the linking and nothing else.   The idea was that the letters if planned carefully and space and created in this was would create a naturally standing set of display letters.

The student who designed, created and published this work is a Y5 student in New Zealand, that is they are nine turning ten years old.   They are now in another classroom at the school but they spent two years with with Tinkercad on their CAD design and proved to be an exceptionally skilled designer.  This was completed in the students own time.

Resources used to complete this project: The students involved used the Tinkercad App to design the lettering (with a focus on 'scribble' and the 'linking' both of which we've described in detail previously on this blog.    

Level of Difficulty: High - this is a student who is extremely capable working on a challenging project that appears simplistic but needs to have balance, linking (which they spent several months working on perfecting the design, process and engineering) and also needs to look visually appealing.   Subtle details like the balance created by the shape and weight of the lettering and the different elements touching the ground in different locations to ensure that it works.

Size: The print is 188mm wide and 90mm high.    

The lettering was under 5mm width and 10mm deep.  These sizes worked really well and in addition it should be pointed out that this print generated no rafting.

Cost/Price:  Although this was a relatively larger print the amount of PLA generated for the job was minimal 13g - this had a price point for the print of $0.32.

Timeframe: The print project took a combined time of thirty fives minutes to complete the project.   This consisted of twenty nine minutes to print and six minutes to warm the printer up in preparation.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: The student could potentially create some form of tutorial video or instruct other students but this is completed and successfully so.

3D Printed Student Lip Balm Holders

Above: Rounded Lip Balm Design.

Challenge: For students to produce an original working container that was suitable for holding liquid or lip balm.  Created by Y4/5 students in New Zealand who were nine and ten years old.
Background: Next term our cluster of four schools have a showcase where the students have worked this term on a significant project.  The class next door are making authentic products to showcase and as a result the students used Tinkercad to create a container for their product.

Above: Outside 'rafting' clearly visible

Level of Difficulty: Medium - both these designs needed significant adjustments which the students will repeat.   Both included text and design that were printed on the outside of the 3D Print, which contrasted with designs that have the lettering inserted into the base of the design.  These desings in addition were round in shape instead of being square.  When 'rafting' was removed the lettering itself would be removed from the shape, negating its effect.
Timeframe: For producing something such as this with an 8mm nozzle (various designs are shown all with slightly different timeframe) you are looking at a six to eight hour print time.  The prints are essentially variations of the same theme which is why I have group them all together in a similar post.  As a consequence these prints for various reason will be reprinted shortly.

Note lettering starting to be missing detail

Size: As above and shown in photograph.  The lids are in the 4cm to 6cm range, the base have a range from 6cm-10cm with a height in the range of 10cm to 20cm.
What we would do differently: The lettering will be redesigned to reflect the size of the prints - and an attempt to shift the lettering from featuring on the outside of the print to the inside.   This is illustrated in the print to the left which the lettering is starting to show signs of missing parts of the font.  We used an 8mm nozzle for this print, on reflection we could have shifted to a 4mm nozzle and this would have allowed more detail into the print - however the problem would have been that this would have doubled the print time and there are a number of prints in this run for the class of students that need to be completed, and this afterall is a prototype to test the production skills of the student and allow them a first attempt at 3D Printing.