How One Educator is Utilizing 3D Printing within the Classroom

Ashley Ricart, our January Hacker of the Month, was first captivated by 3D printing expertise 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 whole, 13 masks had 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 Images

Like many people, Ricart caught the 3D printing contagion immediately: “There was one thing further thrilling about having 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 although my laptop based mostly 3D modeled artwork was cool, it nonetheless felt summary and much away – not tangible in actual life.” Having the ability to bodily maintain an thought in your hand just a few moments after designing it’s undoubtedly 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

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

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

One other artwork mission 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 Kind 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 had been making photo voltaic powered LED packing containers, they usually used Tinkercad to design a field that may home all of the digital elements. They then printed the packing containers on the college’s Airwolf Axiom.

“Final summer time 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 mission.”

A accomplished spherical speaker from certainly one of Ricart’s summer time classes that was designed by a pupil

For a Latin course supplied at Ricart’s faculty, “college students created a 2nd format of a roman tub, then 3D modeled it,” she stated, “as soon as printed, college students did a presentation of the baths ensuring all required rooms had been created.” 

She’s additionally collaborated with one other class the place the scholars had 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 had been efficiently launched

One of the rewarding initiatives that Ricart’s college students had been in a position to work on was a hand for the Enabling the Future mission: “I’ve helped the scholars 3D print and construct prosthetic fingers for the non-profit firm e-NABLE. Final yr we obtained 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 might now choose issues up with the prosthetic that my college students had helped print and put collectively,” Ricart said 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 expertise go, it is undoubtedly deeper into schooling: “3D printers are an ideal instrument for college kids and academics. Not simply to have the ability to make random issues however to get college students critically serious about issues and how one can discover practical options to these issues. There’s a lot 3D printing expertise can accomplish and the capabilities are solely going to proceed to develop because the expertise improves.”

Discover out how one can assist combine 3D printing into your faculty, or colleges close to you: contact [email protected].

Need to be our subsequent Hacker of the Month? Electronic mail [email protected], and inform us about your 3D printed creation – you possibly can be featured in our subsequent publication. Hacker of the Month wins 3 free spools of PRO Collection PLA or ABS filament to additional their pursuit of 3D printing greatness.