How One Educator is Utilizing 3D Printing within the Classroom

Ashley Ricart, our January Hacker of the Month, was first captivated by 3D printing know-how round 2012. She initially went to high school for character modeling, which ultimately led to her discovery of 3D printing. Ricart, who’s now a trainer, has been on a mission to implement 3D printing all through her faculty – not simply in STEM centered courses, however a number of programs, together with Theater, English, Latin, and Artwork. Her most up-to-date endeavor was producing masks and props for the colleges manufacturing of the play, The Lion King. In complete, 13 masks have been printed utilizing seven to eight spools of PLA filament. 

Picture from Ricart’s colleges rendition of The Lion King, {photograph} courtesy of Jennifer Lynn Pictures

Like many people, Ricart caught the 3D printing contagion straight away: “There was one thing additional thrilling about with the ability to bodily maintain an object I had created in a program on the pc,” she stated, including that, “it was like exploring a brand new hybrid world, as a result of I felt that despite the fact that my laptop primarily based 3D modeled artwork was cool, it nonetheless felt summary and much away – not tangible in actual life.” With the ability to bodily maintain an concept in your hand only some moments after designing it’s positively the reason for Ricart’s inspiration to make use of 3D printing in schooling. 

One in every of Ricart’s masks earlier than main post-processing for The Lion King – Shenzi the hyena

In addition to instructing seventh grade Visible Arts and eighth grade Design and Fabrication courses, Ricart works carefully with different academics at her faculty that wish to incorporate 3D printing of their lecture rooms as effectively. 

“I had a incredible collaboration with one of many artwork academics right here,” acknowledged Ricart, explaining that, “collectively we helped the scholars create 3D printed cups after which we forged them in ceramic.”  

One other artwork challenge that used 3D printing was when college students experimented with the misplaced wax casting methodology. Ricart digitally sculpted a lion, which college students then 3d printed on the Type 1 printer and forged in bronze. 

Bronze lion from the misplaced wax casting methodology lesson

Ricart collaberated with a fifth grade trainer to show easy electronics. The scholars have been making photo voltaic powered LED packing containers, and so they used Tinkercad to design a field that may home all of the digital elements. They then printed the packing containers on the varsity’s Airwolf Axiom.

“Final summer season I taught a category the place the scholars constructed working 3D printed audio system,” stated Ricart. “First they 3D modeled the outer speaker case. Then we printed it. Lastly, we did a little bit of engineering and programming on a Raspberry Pi to create the completed challenge.”

A accomplished spherical speaker from one among Ricart’s summer season classes that was designed by a pupil

For a Latin course supplied at Ricart’s faculty, “college students created a second structure of a roman bathtub, then 3D modeled it,” she stated, “as soon as printed, college students did a presentation of the baths ensuring all required rooms have been created.” 

She’s additionally collaborated with one other class the place the scholars have been printing rockets which they launched on the final day of the course. “It was very cool!” Ricart included. It is rather laborious to not discover her pleasure when discussing 3D printing and the numerous ways in which it may be built-in into any curriculum. 

3D printed rockets which have been efficiently launched

Some of the rewarding tasks that Ricart’s college students have been capable of work on was a hand for the Enabling the Future challenge: “I’ve helped the scholars 3D print and construct prosthetic fingers for the non-profit firm e-NABLE. Final yr we received a go to from one of many recipients of the completed e-NABLE prosthetic hand. It was such a touching expertise to see this younger woman exclaim with pleasure that she may now decide issues up with the prosthetic that my college students had helped print and put collectively,” Ricart acknowledged proudly. She and her college students have since made a number of different fingers for individuals in want. 

3D printed elements for the primary e-NABLE hand that Ricart and her college students made

So far as the place Ricart want to see 3D printing know-how go, it is positively deeper into schooling: “3D printers are an amazing software for college students and academics. Not simply to have the ability to make random issues however to get college students critically serious about issues and tips on how to discover useful options to these issues. There may be a lot 3D printing know-how can accomplish and the capabilities are solely going to proceed to develop because the know-how improves.”

Discover out how one can assist combine 3D printing into your faculty, or colleges close to you: contact schooling@matterhackers.com.

Wish to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? Electronic mail rhonda.grandy@matterhackers.com, and inform us about your 3D printed creation – you can be featured in our subsequent e-newsletter. Hacker of the Month wins 3 free spools of PRO Sequence PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness.