3D Printed Christmas Decorations - Final Run of Designs

 Left: A star designed from scratch.  Instead of using one of the star designs from the template design this student (who is a Y4 student designing for the first time) created a star design using the 'pencil' tool.   The font message on the design says '8 Xmas' in reference to the age of the creator.   He had assistance to create the hole for the hanging of the design from the tree.   Although the design could have been refined he was extremely happy with the result.  Print time to complete the project two hours. 


Left: This student decided to opt instead of producing a single print to create four separate designs on a smaller scale (that were also relatively straight forward and simplistic).   As the brief was to personalize the design the student in this case chose to write the name of their key family members across the front of the design.   Each design was 5mm thick and mainly 50mm across and 60mm high.  Given all this the print time was four hours, which was roughly an hour for each of the four key designs.   This was the students first major independent design, and as such no additional design or reprinting would be required as the brief was met,

Left: The student also peer modelled with a Y1 student (a five year old student).   The student was eager to repeat the process and personalize the decorations for herself, which is shown in the photograph to the left.    It was printed with a 'gold' PLA which was using the regular default settings on this site - a 20% infill for the print, using a 8mm nozzle to increase the print time at the sacrifice of the detail for the print. 

This design had slightly more depth to it than the one above and given the breif and plan there is no intention to reprint at this stage.

Left: Student completing the task choose to approach it by using a square block as the basis for the design.  The student then selected a basic font for the naming, used two simple illustrations for the base of the design and inserted into the top of the design a easy access way to hang the decoration.  The design shape was a 90mm square that was 5mm thick and had the lettering sunk 5mm into the base the design, this was preferable from having it on top as it produced much more definition and sharpness.  A four hour print.

Left: Produced at the same time although independently, and therefore not really influencing each other came this design.   The font used is the same as above,  and the basic layout and the objects that have been added likewise.   The print time is also very similar, although the two students were adamant that they were not working in collaboration or influencing each other, not that this would have been an issue or a bad thing.   Four hour print time.

3D Printed 'Name' Design with Revision

Above: Original design shown printed

Challenge: Student wanted to design a gift for another student themed around her name.   The student designed and completed this project, however on reflection it needed considerable revision to be completed to a standard that the student was happy with.

 Background: This student who is ten years old has shown creativity and flair with her 3D Printing design.  Her intial design that is shown left was somewhat cluttered, featuring a number of additions to the base of the design.   This caused the printer a little difficulty to create so much detail in such a relatively small place, as a result a lot of the design look too crowded and the student who the print was intended for (Isabella) didn't have the obvious connection between her print and name. 

This was discussed with the student who went to redesign the print considerably.    The new design replaced the clutter of the original and focussed on having the name of the student featured on the design.  This featured two of the original additions to the first print but both were centred in the middle of the design, without additional clutter around them.   The 'name' part of the design, which was originally completly absent was now inserted into the middle of the design. 
Level of Difficutly: Medium - this design is relatively straight forward but it took a discussion with the student to acknowledge the details created by the printer to get to the final result.   Sometimes projects located online that require a lot of detail are best suited by using a smaller nozzle, but our preference (which is using a 3D Printer within a classroom containing nearly thirty students) is to use the largest nozzle that is possible for the speed of the prints that are produced (yes we could constantly switch back between both but we tend to allow the students to manage as much of the process as possible and not at the level yet of changing the hardware over, although they do change filament).   

The two designs next to each other

Timeframe: This print took six hours to complete, with the regular settings that are used on this site.  Purple happened to be the colour that was loaded into the machine rather than a specific colour choice and this in term happened to be a positive accident with the finished product.
Size: The top of the design is 130mm across, 60mm across in the middle and 130mm high.   The print has a height of 10mm.    Given the intention of the print, its design relative to this size, and the display potential of this there wouldn't be much reduction that would be possible in the size.
What we would do differently/next steps for students: The design as it stands dosen't have any capacity for it to be fixed to a wall or hung.   The students creation with the lettering into the base of the design meant that the 'rafiting' or backing hasn't been removed.   This is because the internal parts of the 'b' and the 'a' would be removed when the rafting taking away, affecting the design, ideally the end of the 'a' would also have been moved in slightly from the edge of the design as it is missing its end.

3D Printed Gift Badge

Challenge: Student wanted to personalise a gift for a family member for their birthday.
Background: Ten year old student was able to independently produce this print from scratch, including all details and scaling (correctly).   Student presented the finished print to the classroom teacher who printed it.  There was no input what-so-ever from the classroom teacher.
Level of Difficulty: Medium the print consisted of a main base with additional lettering, the number seven and the butterfly that was added to it for depth and details.   The student had a particular design in mind and was focussed on this size.
Timeframe: Twelve house - this was primarily the depth of the base, which was one and a half centimetres in depth.   This could potentially have been altered reduced.

Size: From end to end the design measured 15cm across.   As mentioned it had a depth of 1.5 cm for the main base.   The lettering and other features were raised 5mm from the base. 
What we would do differrently: Nothing - the student was able to execute the entire project from start to finish with no input from the teacher, just about perfect.   
Next step for the students: The print was straightforward and the student as repeatedly mentioned took ownership of the entire project.  The student could challenge themselves with using more variation with this kind of design, looking to include perhaps some inter-locking parts or parts that work in combination with others.