3D Printed (and Laser Cut) Stamp

Challenge: For student who had worked on previous projects to produce a working stamp for a design business (for an adult).   The print was divided into two parts - the stamp itself was produced by using a laser cutter (which is onsite at our school) to cut specifically the stamp design.   The base and the handle of the stamp were then custom made and produced using a 3D Printer.

Background: This student had considerable experience with 3D Printing in the past, and had produced a number of projects in the past, which have been used as prints and examples on this site.   With this print the student was very pro-active in using the printer.   They had the entire design in mind, and having previously seen the examples produced using just a 3D Printer (featured here on this blog) the student was keen to use rubber specific to the task.  We had previously ordered some of this from a commerical supplier located in New Zealand.    Once the component parts were put together the design followed.   The entire project was completed in a morning at school, the time involved with the design was minimal and the results, when used with an ink pad, were extremely positive.    A very successful project.

Degree of Difficulty: The key aspect of this was the collection of the required gear specific to the print.   The stamp specific print has produced a nearly professional quality print which is much more even than the paint and print versions that have been created directly by 3D Printer (see posts about this on this blog).   The actual print for the base of the stamp and the handle was extremely straightforward, just a basic rectangle increased in size to mount the stamp and a handle to.

Size: The base of the stamp is a rectangale 13cm across, 2cm thick and six centimetres long.   The handle part of the stamp extended a further 5cm from its base.   

Timeframe: Three and a half hours to print the base, the laser cutting of the stamp from the rubber took less than fifteen minutes.   Given the goal of the post/project this was an excellent result.

What we would do differently: This was a student driven project that was created with a specific goal in mind, was student driven and completed and the teacher had minimal input into the process.

The completed design, used with stamp ink was able to produce the stamp shown on the left when combining the 3D Print with rubber.

3D Printed Stamp

Above: The finished design from the lettering side

Challenge: Students wanted to produce a working stamp using the 3D Printer to produce a template for a stamp.
Background: This was part of the students process of designing for a Market Day that we are having at the school, where students run a business.   The students in this group have formed a group with the initials 'FBT' they were selling items in a regular paper bag, and as part of the presentation for the bag they wanted to create a stamp that would allow them to mark their work consistently.   The students were a mix of ten and eleven year old students who had a mixture of experience with 3D Printing.   The process to produce a stamp was extremely easy - the lettering was produced with the main Tinkercad interface, the lettering was introduced into the stamp and then the students started to investigate the need to reverse the lettering.   As with a lot of options on Tinkercad there was already icon which allowed the students to flip/reverse/mirror image the print on screen - this was simply done with a two click process which took the students in the region of three minutes to design.  The last aspect was simply designing something that would work with regards to the size, which the students had been aware of from previous projects.
Level of Difficulty: Low - the only issue here was the identification and the selection of the flip/mirror image icon, which is in the main interface of Tinkercad the rest of the design aspect was simply about selection a concept or design idea, which the students were able to come to the teacher and identify. 
Size: The print measures 120mm wide/across is 80mm high and the base is 5mm thick.  The lettering that is featured as the print font is 10mm high, 80mm across and 50mm high.  This task is all about creating a working stamp that can mass produce some individualized lettering.  This print was completed with a 4mm nozzle and printed with a 20% infill.
Time frame: This print came in at two and a half hours.  This was all about the lettering and the size of the stamp that the students wanted to produce.
What we would do differently/Next steps for the students: Students need to look at producing a handle on the other side (reverse) of the stamp to allow them to stamp effectively - it currently has a block at the back which while it will allow the students to operate the stamp on a pad would be better suited for handling if one was produced.    This is potentially a very good idea as it would allow the students or others a very easy way to customize something that could then have a practical application.  Testing with the students will show how successful the print is with ink - and paper, then we will also look at potentially changing the PLA or the thickness of the print (which is at a default of 4mm).