It is important to note that due to 3D printing’s success in education, many schools and universities have or intend to expand their use of the technology.“77% of schools who have adopted 3D printing plan to expand their use of the technology.” - 3D Printing in Education 2016 Dimensional Research.
Using real-life examples of 3D printing supports your business case and offers insights that help you build your plan. Read how Technical School Prosek, based in the Czech Republic, adopted 3D printing. In addition to introducing modern technology into the education process, the school found many key benefits of 3D printing in the classroom, especially in strengthening students’ motivation to learn.“We saw an increase in both student registrations and funding after introducing 3D printing to the school. But by far the most rewarding benefit has been seeing the students becoming more engaged, having fun and succeeding where previously they may have struggled to grasp subjects.”
- Lukas Prochazka, Deputy Headmaster, Technical School Prosek
Anyone approving your business case will be interested in identifying challenges and stating how you will address them. The main challenges regarding 3D printing in education are accessibility, security, and health and safety.
Throughout this series, we offer guidance on how to address these challenges and get the most out of your 3D printing solution. Part two, “Do You Need a 3D Printer?” provides insights into finding the right 3D printing solution. In part five, “Creating the Right Physical Environment for 3D Printing,” we’ll cover tips for creating the right environment in more detail.
In short, your business plan can outline how to address these challenges by ensuring that your 3D printing system has integrated print management features.
One of the main challenges when introducing 3D printing to a school or university is that the printer is locked up and not freely accessible. Many 3D printers are not secure, so the school or university cannot control who accesses them.
“We hear from schools that they buy 3D printers, but often lock them up so students and users cannot access them because there is no way to manage access and costs associated with their use. It defeats the purpose of the 3D printer in education which is meant to motivate student learning. In the end, the printer goes unused.” - Tim Greene, IDC Research Director.
This means that the students have to ask permission to use the device. The ideal environment is one where students have open access to a secure 3D printer in an area that doesn’t disturb ongoing classes but is accessible to all students, including those participating in a lesson. However, 3D printing costs need to be managed, so access needs to be both controlled and monitored.
3D printing requires more time than printing a page or two of written material. This can mean that the student must leave their project unattended. This risks the project being interrupted or, worse, stolen.
For these reasons, a closed unit with a print management solution that includes authorized ID login credentials for locking and unlocking the chamber doors is vital for securing the 3D printer and the 3D object during printing and once printing is done. Print management will also provide reports that serve as an audit on who is accessing the printers and when.
Student safety is paramount. The printing material (known as the filament) can reach 215 degrees centigrade (419 Fahrenheit), meaning that open units risk severe injury should anyone touch the filament, working elements, or powerful stepper motors. An enclosed unit significantly reduces the risk of injury, which is vital in education.
It is vital to present the projected costs of your proposed initiative, not just the initial outlay but also ongoing management costs. When calculating 3D printing costs, several areas are to be considered: the cost of the unit, the cost of materials, print management software, and maintenance.
In part three of this series, we delve deeper into the costs associated with 3D printing and provide practical advice on estimating the cost to your school or university.
📖 Read on → Part 3: How Much Does 3D Printing Cost?
Important 3D printing considerations will impact costs. Firstly, choose an enclosed, secure printer that protects students from heat and moving parts and prevents projects from being stolen, even if enclosed printers are more costly than unenclosed versions.
Secondly, some solutions on the market allow you to lease rather than buy your solution, enabling you to spread the cost of both the 3D printer and print management software. A 3D print management solution helps you monitor and manage costs and optionally offers pay-for-print services, thereby optimizing your print budget and covering the costs altogether.
Lastly, filaments' costs can vary widely in terms of materials, ranging from $10 per spool to $160 per spool. The cost depends on material type, quality, weight, color, and diameter. For most schools and universities, budgeting $60 per spool is sufficient.
Usage will vary, but here is a guide: If your school or university uses a 3D printer for 5 hours a day over the course of a year, it could expect to use approximately 40 spools of filament. Assuming a cost of $60 per spool, the total annual cost of materials would be $2,400.
As mentioned previously, to reduce or offset your costs, consider a solution that has an integrated pay-for-print service that allows you to charge users for all or part of their 3D printing. The solution should also enable you to monitor your use and project future costs accordingly. Be aware that costs depend on the size of the project and, therefore, may vary.
It is also important to use filaments designed for the printer. The chemical composition (most importantly, the melting temperature) can vary by filament. There are variations within PLA filaments, for example, from different manufacturers. Be sure to use filaments that are certified for use on the 3D printer, and these costs may vary.
Presenting 3D printing as a solution to those reviewing your business case is important as it demonstrates that you have considered more than just a stand-alone printer. It also enables you to evaluate your options and build the case for your preferred solution.
Several solutions purport to be education-compatible. However, be aware. As already covered in this article, there are security, health, and safety considerations to make. A closed unit with login credentials is essential, as is a print management solution that enables you to monitor usage and costs and offer pay-to-print services to recoup 3D printing costs.
A key consideration when looking at a 3D printing solution is the number of 3D printers your school or university requires. Having one 3D printer benefits your school or university, but if or when you have the budget to expand, here is a guide to calculate the number of 3D printers you need going forward.
Both students and staff should have sufficient access to 3D printers. It is likely that your school or university will experience “peak times” when even tripling your current fleet would be insufficient. Do not worry; it is normal to have times during the day when your suite of 3D printers is at max capacity or even standing idle. Usage is not constant. If you plan to expand your fleet of printers, plan on ten to fifteen 3D printers per five hundred students.
Now, let’s look at using 3D printing in the formal classroom. Splitting your students into small groups will also help you to optimize 3D printing in the classroom. Imagine a class of twenty-five students trying to work with just two 3D printers. Splitting the students into groups of five provides a collaborative learning environment and will reduce queue times.
However, we would recommend purchasing five 3D printers to create the optimum classroom experience for your students. If you also plan to support extracurricular activities, as little as one unit will be sufficient to support the initial setup of an after-school 3D printing club.
In part six, we provide guidance on the considerations you need to make to find a professional 3D print solution that meets your needs and budget.
📖 Read on → Part 6: Finding Your Ideal Solution
Providing a timescale for your project is important as it helps the reviewer understand when the funding will be required and when they can expect to see the return on their investment.
The timescale for your project will be specific to your school or university, but the stages will remain the same. These are budget approval, planning, implementation, training, and launch. The time it takes to secure budget approval differs between schools and universities; this is something that you should be able to estimate at least. In terms of the remaining stages, your chosen provider will be able to offer advice and help you plan accordingly.
However, as a guide, we would advise you to allow between four to six months to plan and implement your 3D printing solution. These are the stages we advise you to follow:
In part 5, we will take you through our guidelines and tips for creating the right physical environment for 3D printing.