Bergeland Videregaende Skole, established in 1853, is an upper-secondary school with about 500 students. Offering high school courses and vocational and study preparation programs, Bergeland combines academic and social learning.
Bergeland’s philosophy made 3D printing a natural technology for the school to consider. With the art, design, and architecture students and teachers leading the way, Bergeland became interested in 3D printing in 2017.
The school initially experimented with another 3D printer but quickly concluded they needed an all-in-one solution that allowed them to manage usage and costs as well as safety and security. With very specific goals for 3D printing, Bergeland’s mission was to incorporate it into the learning experience, offering a way for students to be creative and educate them on tomorrow’s technology.
Safety was an obvious concern at the school, especially because they wanted to locate 3D printers in an open, accessible, unsupervised environment. Skills and knowledge were also key, and the teachers needed to be able to use the 3D printer with minimal training. And, of course, the cost was a major factor; how much would an all-in-one solution that met all of Bergeland’s requirements cost?
Bergeland chose YSoft BE3D eDee to create a social arena for their Makerspace Program. Each eDee printer is enclosed with locked doors, and combined with 3D print management software, it provides an open, secure, and safe space for students and teachers to experiment. All of this is provided at a cost that suits the school’s budget.
The YSoft BE3D eDee solution comprises of:The teachers know how to use YSoft BE3D eDee, and all the eDee 3D printers are available to Bergeland’s students.
The school has been really impressed with what the students can achieve with 3D printing. There is a lot of interest in the technology from both students and teachers who experiment regularly with different 3D models. The quality of YSoft BE3D eDee prints is very good.
Thomas Ekornrød, ICT, Bergeland Videregående Skole
Students and teachers are very interested in the technology, and they experiment regularly with different 3D models. The school has been impressed with what students can achieve and found the quality of YSoft BE3D eDee prints very good.
The 3D printing benefits experienced by Bergeland include:
Because the school has the 3D printers in an open area, in the library, and elsewhere, the ability to manage who can access them is invaluable. Students use their username and password. The security that YSoft BE3D eDee offers is also proving popular. 3D models can take a while to print, and the student may not be at the printer when the job is finished. Because the doors lock and are only opened when the job owner logs in, the model cannot be taken by anyone other than the project owner.
"Not only is the quality good, but it is also easy to use, and other students learn it quickly. From an IT perspective, the security is great," says Simon Vestvik Edland, Student/IT Apprentice.
Going forward, defining and reaching new goals for 3D printing is an element of the school's development project.