3D Printing: Student Work at Auroa Primary School

Auroa Primary School for 2015 created a modern program for Technology for students - a series of lessons were created for Robotics, E-Textiles, Woodwork and 3D Printing.  The School website has details of the program that the students are involved in, with examples of each.   Each of the students have had the opportunity to work on Friday from 9am to 2:00pm for five week blocks. The final activity for the students was a free design activity allowing students to create an original piece of 3D Printing Work.

Original Design from student in Tinkercad

The project was designed following a creation process by the students, a creation of the project using Tinkercad and then a trial and creation of a Prototype.   In the link above you can see examples of some of the original work and ideas created by the students.  

Golf Egg Cup Print

Students managed the entire process themselves - in this example on this page the student concerned had an interest in Golf.  The student created a model of an Egg Cup with a Golf Theme, created the model digitally using Tinkercad and then created a draft print.  The original print was not successful as the cup was not balanced enough to hold a regular hard boiled egg.  The student redesigned the cup portion of the cup ensuring the base was larger and was then able to complete a successful print.   The original print was a draft setting.

The detail was added to include the indentation the grass design on the base and the Tee/Cup design.    The student was able to complete this on the second print.  The time allocation of print was eight hours on the 'Fast Print Setting'.

3D Print School: Building Assignment - Stylus Holder

Completed Design with Stylus inserted

Learning Challenge: As part of the technology program the Senior (Y7/8) students of Auroa Primary School have technology once a week from 9am until 1pm. The focus for the 3D Print Group has been to design a holder for a stylus, suitable for the students to use in the classroom.


Background: Students are in groups/classes of ten. The first task for the seniors was to build a stylus holder.   This was nearly the entire groups first attempt at constructing and designing something with Tinkercad/3D Printing.

Stylus inserted into largest cone shape in visible hole

Task: The design had to be practical and work in a sense that the items that the students created had to be useable.

Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Students had free range with the designs, size varied considerably. The biggest challenge was the size of the hole for the insertion of a stylus.

Issues: The design of building a holder into the actual object caused some difficulty. Most students had not anticipated either the depth of the hole required to be successful, or had the hexagonal shape correctly copied. Initial designs had the name of the students extending from the shape, more effect was had in the repeat prints where the students opted to put their names cut into the holders.

Student name built into the design

Details: As part of the Auroa Primary School Technology Program the first prints came from the first lesson. The Y7/8 students had not trouble coming quickly to grips with Tinkercad. Further details of these projects and examples will be posted on the school website and this post will be updated then. 

Timeframe: Design to construction including detailed planning took an entire session. Prints were run on the lowest quality setting due to the number of prints, however these were more than adequate. 

Modified slightly to hold pen.

Size: Varied in design. A selection of photographs of various projects have been included in this post, the Stylus concerned was a regular stylus used in the classroom to assist their digital learning. 

Process: Paper design, converted to Tinkercad then downloaded for 3D Printing. As per everything else on this site to date was printed on an Ultimaker 2 Using Cura.

Further Reading: Details of the individual student projects will be posted on the school website and this post will be subsequently updated.

How can you contribute: If you have created and printed something similar please let us know.

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?