Cell Phone Stand Created Using 3D Printing

A 3D printer is an electronic machine utilized to create three dimensional objects by stacking layers of material in a pre-determined pattern (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Items are created from long thin spooled ropes of plastic that are inserted into a 3D printer, melted, propelled through the extruder, and deposited onto a tray (O’Neill & Williams, 2014). The design’s specifications manipulate the extruder to “draw a picture with the plastic” and, once done, continually place “another layer of [thin] plastic directly on top” until the design is finished (O’Neill & Williams, 2014).

The following are the steps involved in using a 3D printer summarized from the book 3D Printing (O’Neill & Williams, 2014): Begin by selecting a *model from a website containing files of digital designs such as Thingiverse. After downloading the chosen prototype’s file, Thingiverse’s appear as STL files, users must slice it into layers by running a program such as ReplicatorG. The file will need to be transferred to the printer using an SD card or connecting the printer to the computer. The final steps before printing are to make sure the printer is warmed up, the extruder is correctly positioned, and other specific steps by printer company. *Note: alternately, one’s own designs can be created by using a program such as Tinkercad.

The technology-enabled learning module – the RAT assessment framework, connects to 3D printing in the school setting. The first letter of the acronym RAT, “R” stands for replacement: “Technology serves as a different (digital) means to same instructional practices” (Hughes, n.d.).  For example, instead of home economic students conducting online research to discover the best strainer for pasta, students could create and compare different 3D pasta strainer models.

The “A” in RAT stands for Amplification, “Technology increases efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity of same instructional practices” (Hughes, n.d.). Perhaps after testing the 3D created strainers, the students are unsatisfied with all of the models they have sampled due to the difficulty in washing food out of the strainers because the holes are too small. The students decide to create their own 3D designs that have larger holes than any of the design models available (but still small enough to not lose all of the smaller elbow pastas), creating their own solution to this problem.

“T”, the last letter of RAT stands for Transformation: “Technology invents new instruction, learning, or curricula” (Hughes, n.d.).  In creating the pasta strainers, the students notice that their projects are bending and curling in some places. They do research to figure out how to fix 3D printer warping  and through much trial and error of applying the suggestions, discover the 3D printer’s build plate is not leveled properly (Ultimaker, n.d.). When issues arise in printing other 3D projects in the future, they refer back to these tips to resolve the problem.

The following 3D resources can help a classroom teacher or school librarian. Thingiverse is a gathering of the most comprehensive free 3D printing ideas for creating and sharing (Thingiverse, n.d.). TrimbleSketch Up provides public schools free access (Sketchup, n.d.) and lessons for creating 3D printing designs, plus it’s considered one of the simplest 3D design modeling programs (O’neill & Williams, 2014).

References:

Hughes, J. (n.d.). R.A.T. Model. Retrieved from https://techedges.org/r-a-t-model/

Merriam-Webster dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/3-D%20printer

O’Neill, T. & Williams, J. (2014). 3D printing. Ann Arbor, MI: Cherry Lake Publishing.

Sketchup (n.d.). Plans and pricing. Retrieved from https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing#for-primary-and-secondary-education

Thingiverse (n.d.). What is Thingiverse. Retrieved from https://www.thingiverse.com/about/

Ultimaker (n.d.). How to fix warping. Retrieved from https://ultimaker.com/en/resources/19537-how-to-fix-warping