3D Printed Trophy Repair V2.0

 

Challenge/Background: This is the alternate version of the project that was featured yesterday.   In this option, which is the other student designed version that we are looking at as a potential solution to the problem that was posed to our students.

This option is significantly smaller than yesterdays version.   Again to repeat was stated we are looking at replacing the broken top piece.

These are the final test prints for this project which we are intending to look at prior to a print with increased infill and then apply spray paint for the finish.

Resources used to complete the print were the same as yesterday.   

Size: This version of the print measures 30mm across and the front and is 70mm high.   The print has a width of 25mm.

Cost/Price: The print used 5.5g of PLA, regular Bambu Cotton Candy PLA.   This had a price point of $0.11 which meant it was extremely inexpensive to produce.

Timeframe: The print took twenty nine minutes to complete the print.   The printer has a warm up time and set up time of six minutes meaning the full print time was twenty two minutes.   If the print has a subsequent increase to its infill then there would expected to be an increase in these figures.

What we would do differently/Next steps for the students:

When the design was placed on the trophy as shown left it appeared to meet the size requirements but ultimately the decision will be made by the school as the most appropriate for the trophy.   The question of reinforcing this design and increasing the size of the base to make more of wedge shape.

Once we have completed the design we will update this post.

Using a Printing Error to Problem Solve

Challenge: This print was created and designed by a student but with a significant flaw - can it be engineered to be solved using the 3D Printer. 

Background: A returning student, who is still a junior at our school (nine years old) has prove herself to be competent and design and create using Tinkercad to a variety of projects.  In this example she wanted to create a personalised stationary holder, of which there are a multitude of designs and creations on this blog.  There are some examples here.

However when this project was completed the student realised that she had made a significant error with the design - the centre part of the design when through the length of the entire design leaving a hole at the base of the design meaning that it was unrealistic to use it for storage.   Instead of repeating the print again we challenged the student concerned with looking at ways to engineer a solution to this print and solve this problem.

The view of the design underneath shown left clearly shows the problem - and to the right you can see the students first and second attempt at creating a problem solving for this situation.

In the first attempt she attempted to create a plug that was based around the total size of the cylinder making up the storage, hence she used incorrect measurements that would not work in conjunction with the design.   Her second attempt to do so produced a much more realistic and successful design, which required a light amount of sanding with a piece of sandpaper for the completion of the project.  The final part was to give the student the ability to look at the combination of the print and work out what else could be used to seal the base of the design - the student has since looked into research about resin and other ways to seal the base of the print.

Level of Difficulty: Medium - once it was established what the fault was the process of solving the problem was very straight forward and the student was able to produce the initial replacement part easily, then a second when they realised their mistake.  As with a lot of prints we want to involve a student in an engineering process so they will learn as part of the design (and in this case the problem solving).

Size: The initial print measured 90mm across was 80mm deep.  The base was 10mm high and the tower (storage) of the design was 60mm high.  The initial replacement piece (which was ultimately not used) was 40mm across and 30mm wide.  The second version was 25mm across and 20mm wide.   

Timeframe: The initial print was eight hours, the two replacement pieces to plug the gap were one hour and thirty minutes for the second (successful) print.

What we would do differently/next steps for the students: In this case the pleasing result was a problem was solved in a meaningful and independent way by a student.  The process was completed successfully and a new avenue of research and ideas was looked into - and there was no wasted PLA.

3D Printed Key Hook

Above: Details of original design as shown on this blog last year

Challenge: For student to create an original, labelled hook, that could be used to hold an important key in the context of school activities, and for a student to create a labelled bag hook for themselves.
Background: This print was originally featured on this site in its developmental stages.  In the original print the intention was for a bag hook as a marker for the student.  Following this design, the original was completed and then a problem that was created by a need for a label for an important key, needed for the running of the school.  Students have responsibility for the running of the school PE shed (where the students gear used at lunchtime is stored).  A number of students need to access this key on a regular basis.  When the student heard this, they re-designed their original brief, and instead modified it to be used for the location of the key.    A crucial component of this was the strength of the PLA used to create

the 3D Print.  It would have to be drilled through, with an electric drill to ensure that the print could be secured to the wall to mount it.   The students as a result took a series of test prints of the name hook, under adult supervision and started using an electric drill to drill through the print.  They were looking for signs of damage or cracking on the student created work.  The drilled prints were either 5mm or 7mm thick, as the finished print was.    The students discovered that they could indeed successfully drill through the prints without their being any damage to the print itself, meaning the completed key holder could be secured to the wall.  It was noted by the students that the point where the print appeared to be weakest was where the lettering was located (in this case where the lettering naming the key was held as shown left).
Level of Difficulty: Medium-High given the variations that this print has had to go through.  The design has gone through a number of variations and stages.   The PLA is strong enough to have an electric drill screw right through it and still maintain its strength.   Given that the intention is for a key to be held in place weight is not necessarily an issue (although this will be tested for the final design of the bag hook as potentially this could be an issue. 

Above: The final print in place and working

Time frame: Six Hours.   This was in essence a test to ensure that the PLA could withstand drilling and be mounted to a wall.   Depending on the size of the label and the lettering required this could be considerably altered.  As is usual a 8mm nozzle was used on a regular print setting.
Size: The final print for the wall was 5mm thick, 75mm across and 95mm high.   This was perfectly suited for the purpose that was required. 
What we would do differently:  Consideration was not given for the colour of the PLA relative to the background colour which it was going to be mounted on.   The lettering on a white PLA background did not stand out given that it was mounted in an office, and consideration could have been made to having a different colour, or possibly glow-in-the-dark filament.   One point that was careful for this mounting was to ensure that the print was safely mounted to the wall (and not drilled into the wall near the electrics) which is reflected in the single screw that is shown in the picture.
Next steps for the students: There are additional prints that are intented in this design, following the process to have specific locations for high usage keys which students need to access from a set location (and also to ensure it is easily recognizable if a specific key is not there).  There is an obvious opportunity for labelling for a bag or other item of importance in the classroom.

3D Print School: Home Building Assignment

3D Print School Building Assignment: Home Repair

Learning Challenge: Create a replacement part for a working piece of machinery at home using a 3D Printer to create the piece.

Background: The local Cricket Club, who have a close association with our school came to see us because they had a BBQ Knob that need replacement.  Rather than replacing the entire BBQ they requested that we be able to manufacture a replacement part that would be functional and would allow them to continue using the BBQ without having to replace the entire BBQ.

Task: We had the original part and were able to make an accurate copy of it as a result.   The students had to make detailed measurements of the replacement piece. 

Level of Difficulty: Low/Moderate - as we had an original part we did not need to experiment with the measurements or the details.   We simply used the existing measurements (so in this example the students did not carry out a written plan first, we were also on a restricted timetable).

The replacement part, mounted on the BBQ next to the original piece.

Issues: The students were able to complete this repair by the following day.  The only issue came with the width of the internal gap to allow the knob to be connected to the BBQ.  Students had to work out a way to identify the circumference of the internal gap and the depth of it.   The gap also featured a sleeve which was metal as a heat protection feature.  This sat inside knob.  

Timeframe: The students were able to complete the task following a sample print run.   Using Tinkercad they were able to produce a prototype the same day.  It had to be corrected to allow for the internal gap to connect it to the BBQ.  Once one had been printed and the students realised that the gap needed to be adjusted they were successfully able to do so.  The second print worked.

Above: The replacement piece in action

Size: The finished product took approximately half an hour to print and measure 5cm by 5cm and had a depth of 5cm.

Process: The students had an original piece on which to base their designs.   This meant that instead of creating an original piece they were replicating a replacement piece.   We are going to pay close attention to the longterm success of the part - currently there is no apparent damage to the 3D Printed part as a result of the cooking process however overtime we need to continue to monitor this.  We could look at manufacturing the inner sleeve to protect it if required, however at this stage it does not appear to be an issue.  The fact that this worked and the students were able to turn it around so quickly was a strong bonus.  

Problem Solving: Measurement - specifically in this instance the depth required from the internal part and  the circumference of the internal circle.  The concept seemed to be understood clearly by the students but the process involved proved a small stumbling block.   While generic ones could be ordered online it allowed an opportunity to ensure we could design an individual piece that was tailor made for the BBQ.

How Can You Contribute: 
Have you used a 3D Printer to repair something at home? Have you designed or repaired something at home that needs replacing and can you send us the details so we can share and use your examples to encourage others?

3D Print School Building Assignment

3D Print School Building Assignment: Classroom Repair

Above: Some of the first attempts
to solve featuring the spring version

Learning Challenge:
Repair part of the classroom and produce a working replacement part using a 3D Printer.

Background:
This was the very first task assigned to our class of Y7/8 students upon the initial delivery of the first 3D Printer to our school - May 2014.  It was completed with the delivery of the Ultimaker 2 to our school - November 2014.  (Had the Ultimaker 2 been delivered first the timeframe would have been one to two weeks from start to finish. Y7/8 is 11-13 year old.)

Task:
Students brainstormed a part of the classroom that needed to be fixed or repaired.  Students were briefed to look for something that fitted the size of the 3D Printer and could easily be replicated.   A resource cupboard in the classroom had two latches, both of which had been broken and bent as a result of constant use.

Level of Difficulty:
Introductory, possible extension. 

Original Design using older style print

Students to solve problem depending on the state the classroom, the more modern the classroom the more challenging this would be.   We also looked at hooks, holders and various resource creations.

Issues:
First time the printer was used.   The mechanism in the original latch featured a spring mechanism to lock it, which couldn't be replicated.   Students tried 5 or 6 regular versions of the print before one of the group came up with the 'ball and socket' approach.   Students didn't consider attaching the latch to the door which caused them to increase the depth of the base of the latch.

This was the original video created by students in my class that explained the process - please note the clip features a 3D Print from our original Printer, which has now been replaced by the Ultimaker 2.

Details:

Later version using Ultimaker 2

This task was completed by Y7-8 students (11-13 year olds).   The initial designs were completed as sketches by one student, by hand, then refined using Tinkercad  The school at this stage had a Diamond Mind 3D Printer.  This caused delay with the print as it was our first time completing a 3D Print Project.  The time frame was two months.   The second go at this, with our Ultimaker 2 saw a time frame of under twenty minutes for the first print (from design).  Students used Tinkercad for the first run with its pull and shape design.   The design had already been determined by the initial prints - the students had realised quickly that they couldn't replicate the spring mechanism of the 3D Printer and so developed a ball and socket approach.  This worked fantastically.

Timeframe:
Short: 20 minutes from design, print time in region of 20 minutes to half an hour.

Size:
The finished print was approximately 7cm by 7cm with a depth of 5cm.

Above: This Slideshow was created to explain the process to solve the cupboard problem - it shows the progression and the development of the designs - the original idea of the clips being replaced by the socket design.

Process:
Identification of problem that needed to be resolved - in this case it was a broken part of the classroom that needed to be repaired.  Students initial designs were reshaped during the process.  

Problem Solving:
Measurement.  Extension: location and strength of the screw holes.   Students also needed to determine the diameter and location of the screw holes.   By using a ball and socket approach students needed to consider the depth, diameter and circumference of the latch that they were creating.  When the latch was mounted there were issues related to the door.

View of socket with later design

Further Reading:
This slideshow was created by students from Auroa Primary School.  The photographs that accompany it relate to the Diamond Mind Printer/Print.   Our School no longer has this hardware and is now printing exclusively with Ultimaker 2.

How Can You Contribute: 
Have you used a 3D Printer to repair something in your classroom? Have you designed or repaired something in your classroom/school and can you send us the details so we can share and use your examples to encourage others?