3D Printed Mathematical Objects - 'Rubiks cube'

Rubix cube final print

This is the third in the series of students created 3D Printed objects that were entered by students as part of a local Mathematical competition.   Traditionally in the 3D Design section of the competition the students have created objects from traditional material, to our knowledge our school is the first to 3D Print objects specifically for the competition - although of the four objects entered only the previous 'Lemon Squeezer' object achieved a 'merit' placing.

The student responsible for this 3D Print wrote a post about it on her student blog.  You can view the link by clicking here.

Original design in Tinkercad

How long did it take to print? Twenty hours approximately - the student was unsure about the settings and passed it onto the classroom teacher once it was designed in Tinkercad.  Judging by the weight and the quality of the finish it was printed on a 'fast print' setting like most of our prints.
Problems/Issues: The rafting is visible on the base of the print, this wasn't sufficient to be easily removed and as a result was still visible on the finished print.   A further design issue was that the entire print was one colour and the student would have preferred to create one based on different colours, although not those necessarily from a traditional Rubix cube.
What would you do differently: The student had considered the combination of colours and somehow printing a combination of colours to have different squares.  However there would have been issues, the design of a Rubix cube has shapes on the sides of each square and they could be individually rotated - the other question was the gap between the blocks, this was created but cutting a regular box shape and inserting a gap, this was simple to do with a basic design but combining colours which would have to be rejoined together which would have been much more challenging.

3D Mathematical Printed Competition Entry 2

Print showing the rafting affect

How long did it take to print? four hours - the print was set on a fast print (see below).

Original design as created in Tinkercad

Problems Issues: Rafting of the print wasn't successful.  By making the print a 'fast print' setting the rafting attached to it, the removal of the rafting caused damage to the intended structure.   As a consequence the rafting needed to remain in places on the print, giving it the appearance of being 'rough'.  The student said that with hindsight they should have made the print on a detailed or higher print setting, this would have considerably increased the print time, however it would have greatly increased the strength of the print allowing the rafting to be removed.
What would you do differently? Obviously as a result of the print
and the strength of the print would be changed considerably.   The shape of the design would possibly need to have wider bars as part of it to strengthen it.  As a positive despite the issues with this print, the shape was maintained in the printing and the filament did set with the intended shape.

3D Designed Mathematical Objects:

Note: rafting yet to be removed from the plate

How long did it take to print?
This was designed and printed using the quality settings, instead of the regular fast print.  It was designed this way so the quality of the print would be a good as possible.   As a consequence of this the print time was fifty hours.  However the quality of the print reflected that.
Size: 25 centimetres across.  Depth of 10cm.
Problems or Issues?
None - the students deliberately increased the quality of the print, minimal rafting and clean up once completed was required.
What would you do differently?
Nothing the design worked as the student intended and the overall affect was pleasing (although student is aware that it resembles a lemon squeezer which was not intention!)
Details:
the student was inspired to see the base design online created by other work and this was the first part of the design.  Following that the inner lines and shapes were created.  The competition was for the students to design a Mathematical 3D shape and this achieved a merit award at the local competition.   The traditional entries from the other schools and students were objects that were designed and build using physical objects we were the only school that was 3D Printing ours. The student used Tinkercad and was as Y8 student (12 year old).

3D Printed Art for Mathematics Competition

This series of prints was completed for a specific competition.   The local students have a regional competition that they can enter into.   The competition is Mathematically based and as part of Methanex Mathematics promotion, details of which you can find by clicking on the link here.

Traditionally the students in the competition have created 3D models using materials such as sticks, straws, blue tack etc to produce a model that was three dimensional.

This year the students from our school used Tinkercad to create three dimensional designs, and then printed them using the Ultimaker2.  The concepts a relatively new one for the competition, having visited the displays in the past 3D Printed objects are not the norm, so it will be interesting to see how this will be reflected in the judging.  The students themselves will complete the printing details for each of the objects shortly and we will post the details online.

Door Signs/Classroom Passes

Note: Attempt at having a join created by printing

Challenge: This project was teacher initiated.   The teacher was looking for a way to use the 3D Printer to create a sign for placement above the door of the classroom - as the finished product was approximately 30cm this was also the perfect size for a classroom pass.  Previously I have worked in schools where students had to have one of these when leaving the classroom to go to other locations.
Background: As detailed above.  The teacher was looking at a dovetail approach to join together two separate prints (see below) we are very fortunate with the Ultimaker 2 that we have a large base to print off.  The length of the combined print was thirty centimetres.

Whare Paku translates to 'Bathroom'

Task: The idea was to link two separate 3D prints together to form a solid print.
Level of Difficulty: Using Tinkercad the task was straightforward and followed the format of the previous prints.  The details were then pulled out of the base sign.    Overall: Low (however it is important to read the note below about the joining of the print).

The wood version of the sign milled from wood

Issues: The join failed.   The teacher had attempted to create a 'dovetail' join for the two separate prints.  The two interlocked however the teacher had to force the two together by standing on them, in doing so this produced the crack that is visible.   The print had been completed on a draft setting which possibly contributed to the failure of the join.   The idea being if they interlocked and were strong enough any bonding (such as glue) would not be necessary.
Size: 30cm long by 5cm high and depth of 4cm.  
Timeframe: Each of the two sections was twenty hours on fast print setting.
Process: Tinkercad for design converted to Cura 2, then downloaded on a memory card and direct print.  Following the failure of the join the teacher concerned used the School milling machine to wood cut the same design into a sign.  He used his original Tinkercad 3D Print and then altered the lettering to produce the print.

Student Creation: Money Holders

Above: Student design shown to scale

Challenge: Previously students had designed boxes to hold classroom cash as designs from the student.  These boxes had times ranging from 35 to forty hours for the base.  As an alternative the student concerned designed a holder that was a single figure.  This is the same student who had previously designed and created the 'pencil topper' print and design.

Background: The task was to create a holder for the students 'classroom cash' that are rewarded to students for excellent behaviour.  Previous designs were based around a full sized box.

Task: Students to create a workable print that was original and creative.

Original Design in Tinkercad with insert clearly visible

Level of Difficulty: Medium on the basis that the design was up to the students and the detail was dependant on the design.  This is shown further refinement from the 'pencil topper' design.

Issues: None.   The student was able to produce a limited amount of rafting with the project and the print was completed in a single print run.
Size: Length of 6cm (high), width (5cm)
Timeframe: Six Hours on Fast print setting.

Above: front on final print

Process: The student (who is ten years old) has shown the creativity to create original designs from scratch using Tinkercad and a laptop as creative tool.  He is confident and enjoying the process.  He is developing his ideas around geometric shapes and applying the problem solving.  Design from scratch using Tinkercad, converted to Cura for 3D printing and printed on an Ultimaker 2.
Recommendation: The student has been pleased with the quality of the print and the design of the animal.  There is a clear evidence of his progress using Tinkercad to create animals/shapes and the student is becoming recognised by his peers as a problem solver.  The print time would mean that the print is realistic as a holder for a variety of objects and could be easily modified to hold other objects depending on the needs of the students.

3D Prints: Student Improvements and Refinements

Above: Token Box version 2.0

Above: Token Box with tokens.

When the students start utilizing the technology they are showing consistently that they can improve designs that follow later in a sequence.

Already we've recently documented on this site projects such 3D Printed Student Token Box, since this print another two designs in the sequence have followed - the latest of which is shown on the right.

Above: 'Fish' Designed Cookie Cutter

The shape has changed considerably from a box like shape to a circular dish, also the lettering which was sunken in with the initial design has now evolved into having it standing out from the print.     The size and most other details contained with the original post are all still relevant and therefore we will not be posting this in its entirety.

There are a number of 'Cookie Cutters' currently in production.   The first of these was the 'Golf' themed Cookie Cutter detailed in a previous post.   Following this initial production a group of students have produced different themed versions of this creation, which have allowed the students to be creative and also produce something unique.  There will be a separate post on this material, featuring a range of student designs shortly.

Finally as previously described the students who are competing in the Junior Robocup Competition involving Lego NXT/EVO3 Robots have been utilizing the 3D Printers to create props for the performance.   Following the initial creation of a few props students have started to realise the potential of the machines and how to integrate them successfully.   The latest prop to appear is the sign featured to the right.  The sign design initially was created by having the students write onto cardboard and then have it sellotaped up.  Upon seeing some of the props that were being produced the students created this sign for the performance.   It was created by a Y5/6 student, using Tinkercad and the regular production process.  The sign is 15cm long, 12cm high and was produced on 'fast' setting over a five hour print.  The sign is requiring to be re-printed as the lettering was produced individually on a ledge, without rafting.   The lettering was put together individually and dragged out of Tinkercad and as a result isn't uniform in size.