Jan Veselý
3 min read
In part one of this series, we looked at the educational benefits of 3D printing. There are several key factors to consider when realizing the true benefit. Let’s now look at these to help you evaluate if your school or university is prepared for 3D printing.
How will students access the printer?
As with any new technology, initially, there is a lot of excitement. This is also the case with 3D printing, but because students are often not able to freely use it, it can be forgotten about and sit gathering dust. One of the key drivers behind this is safety and theft. It is understandable that schools and universities want to protect students from injury and ensure that other students do not take 3D objects that don’t belong to them. These concerns are caused by open units, which require careful policing, and hence access is limited.
An enclosed 3D printer with lockable doors that require a user to log in eradicates these concerns completely. This means that you can place the printer(s) in a more accessible location and encourage students to use 3D printing to enhance their learning experience.
An enclosed 3D printer with lockable doors that require a user to log in eradicates these concerns completely. This means that you can place the printer(s) in a more accessible location and encourage students to use 3D printing to enhance their learning experience.
Where do we physically place a 3D printer?
Location is key for the successful adoption of 3D printing. Staff and students need to interact with 3D printing regularly; it should be a natural part of their day. They should also be able to use the 3D printer outside of formal lesson times. This means that the ideal location for your 3D printer may be an easy-to-access area of the school or university and somewhere that doesn’t disturb ongoing classes but is also accessible to ongoing classes.
In part five of this series, we’ll provide detailed guidance on creating the perfect environment for your 3D printer(s).
📖 Read on → Part 5: Creating the Physical Environment
What skills do our staff and students need?
3D printing begins with a digital file of a 3D model design. This requires working with a CAD (Computer Aided Design) program. Technically focused schools and universities may have in-house expertise working with design files, but many non-technical schools and universities don’t.
If you have CAD (Computer Aided Design) programs as part of your school’s software that students can use, then the opportunities around 3D printing are increased. However, 3D Printing is becoming more mainstream, and there are several free and paid-for resources available to the novice, like Rippl3d and Thingiverse. Many of these sites contain files that 3D enthusiasts have shared and can be a good starting point to try before investing in CAD software.
In part eight of this series, we’ll provide tips on designing for 3D printing. This includes advice for beginners and intermediate 3D designers.
In part eight of this series, we’ll provide tips on designing for 3D printing. This includes advice for beginners and intermediate 3D designers.
How do we manage 3D printers?
3D printers, just like their paper counterparts, do need periodic maintenance and servicing and scheduled servicing to replace parts and ensure the printer is in good working order.
Managing 3D printers requires specialist knowledge. If you already have a service agreement with a third party for your 2D print environment, then you are well-positioned to add 3D printers (Your IT department can answer this). Your third-party provider should be trained on the specific 3D printer you choose, which is typically offered by 3D print vendors to their partners.
If you do not have any formal service or support for your printers, this could be the time to adopt 3D printing and optimize your current 2D printing system. The print industry has changed significantly over the years. Today, there are solutions that make both the purchase and ongoing management of your print environment more cost-effective. Choosing a 3D print provider that also handles your 2D paper printers may also mean volume discounts.
If you do not have any formal service or support for your printers, this could be the time to adopt 3D printing and optimize your current 2D printing system. The print industry has changed significantly over the years. Today, there are solutions that make both the purchase and ongoing management of your print environment more cost-effective. Choosing a 3D print provider that also handles your 2D paper printers may also mean volume discounts.
How do we cover the costs of 3D printing?
Some schools and universities have budgets set aside to invest in new technology, and in a few school districts, grants are available specifically for adopting new technology in education.
Technology is highly valued in education, so this is not uncommon. Where the budget does exist, 3D printing is proving to be a popular investment. If you do not have access to an existing budget, then you may worry that 3D printing is too expensive. In addition to the cost of the 3D printer, consider the material involved in printing projects.
The ongoing management of the 3D printer depends on the volume of 3D printing. How many projects will be printed a month? Will they be simple, solid, or more complex designs? Will your printer provide an estimate of how long the project will take to print and the amount of materials it will consume?
The ongoing management of the 3D printer depends on the volume of 3D printing. How many projects will be printed a month? Will they be simple, solid, or more complex designs? Will your printer provide an estimate of how long the project will take to print and the amount of materials it will consume?
There are ways to cover the ongoing management costs and consumable costs. Many schools allocate lab fees or printing fees to cover paper printing. These can be extended to 3D objects.
Additionally, many schools charge students for printing on a pay-as-you-go service. This can be useful, especially if students are using 3D printing for personal use. Whether you charge or not, it is important to know which classes or departments are using the 3D printer and printing materials so they can be charged accordingly. Look for a 3D printer provider that enables you to track and accurately allocate costs and, if required, offers a credit-based system.
In Part 3, we will dig deeper into 3D printing budgets and help you answer the key question, “How Much Does 3D Printing Cost?”.
Additionally, many schools charge students for printing on a pay-as-you-go service. This can be useful, especially if students are using 3D printing for personal use. Whether you charge or not, it is important to know which classes or departments are using the 3D printer and printing materials so they can be charged accordingly. Look for a 3D printer provider that enables you to track and accurately allocate costs and, if required, offers a credit-based system.
In Part 3, we will dig deeper into 3D printing budgets and help you answer the key question, “How Much Does 3D Printing Cost?”.
