3D printing in education

3D printing, the revolutionary technology originally conceived back in the early 80s, is quietly making a revolution. From robotic hands to iPhone cases to architectural models, almost anything is possible with 3D printing. For those that don’t know, the technology, also referred to as additive manufacturing, utilises a process that slices 3D models into thin layers and then extrudes plastic micron-by-micron, until you’re left with a tangible three-dimensional object. It can liberate your 3D creations from the digital confines of Autodesk’s Maya or SketchUp into physical reality, right before your very eyes.

It's becoming common to see these hypnotic machines throughout the world of manufacturing, especially for rapidly prototyping but the technology’s disruptive potentials haven’t gone unnoticed in the education sector either. With more and more schools now venturing into the world of 3D design, largely thanks to the accessibility offered by the various easy-to-use apps available on an iPad, teachers and pupils alike are really starting to scratch the surface as to how 3D printers can compliment subject areas across the entire curriculum. Biology students can print cross-sections of body organs, engineering students can test their concept car designs in a real-world environment, fashion students can make entirely new wearable designs a reality and history students no longer have to travel to see artefacts up close and personal - all achieved with the likes of MakerBot’s Replicator range of 3D printers. 

In recent years MakerBot have been one of the few companies that have made 3D printing affordable and accessible to the wider public. Their range of reliable 3D ‘replicators’ (or printers) offer a range of features that makes 3D printing an absolute doddle, even for complete beginners. With an easy-to-follow GUI, dedicated MakerBot software, an enormous catalogue of free ready-to-print 3D designs (viaThingiverse.com) and a range of materials / colours to print with, the only limitation to this impressive technology is your own imagination.