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3D PRINTERS HE THIRD DIMENSION
that digital whiteboard technology has become a norm. “It’s ubiquitous,” says MacNamara. “Critically, the experience for operators is becoming more refi ned and user friendly. Initially regarded as a novelty, touch screens are now widely accepted, and can be intuitively accessed by adults and students.” Successfully naturalising new
interfaces so that they’re as comfortably familiar as a mouse and keyboard is key to sustaining any new technology, and a formidable challenge faced by developers of 3D printers, which are currently being introduced to UK schools. Off ering children a means to directly manufacture their own creations, the medium is of particular relevance to STEM disciplines. By printing small objects, which can be combined, students can also generate parts with which to assemble larger, more complex units or devices. If optimally exploited, 3D printers could thus help fulfi l one of Nesta’s key recommendations – that learning should be enhanced through making, particularly in groups. Michael Gove has recently propelled the technology into the spotlight, proclaiming that “3D printers are revolutionising manufacturing and it is vital that we start teaching the theory and practice in our schools”. But just how realistic is it to suppose that these complicated devices will be fully exploited? “Presently, there’s a lot of hype about 3D printers,” cautions Martin
ABOVE: 3D printers enable designs to be turned into physical models, allowing children to say "I made this"
Stevens, co-founder of It is 3D Ltd , a new company established to bring low-cost 3D printing and design to the mass market. “Ultimately, they enable designs to be turned into physical models. That’s where the satisfaction is, giving children something to take home and say ‘I made this’.” Although approving of a forthcoming trial of 3D printers in 60 schools, Stevens counsels that schools must also consider how these units should enter the curriculum: “Products emerge at the end of the process, rather than the beginning.” Self-assembly 3D printers are now
available for under £1,000 and, Stevens advises, schools should opt for models which can precisely replicate outputs, are reliable and off er a degree of fl exibility. To embed the technology from the outset, he suggests, students could assemble printers themselves: “If the units later malfunction, children would have the means to independently fi x them. They will also have a personal investment in the printers, since they’ve participated in their construction.”
LEFT: digital whiteboard technology has become ubiquitous
Principally endorsed as aids for design and technology studies, software and hardware support for the next generation of 3D printers is helping to make them accessible to novices. Designs can be prepared using sophisticated CAD packages, but there are alternatives suitablefor the less initiated. If you have an object and no digital fi le exists for it, explains Stevens, “you can use a 3D scanner to make a copy – which will allow you to produce a duplicate”. Creative design packages also exist, which use a ‘haptic’ interface. These allow users to change organic shapes on a PC, adjusting their contours and dimensions to reimagine existing designs. As they ‘touch’ a shape with their cursor, the designer receives feedback through the mouse, creating a tangible impression of the physical object being manipulated. “This allows children of any age to engage in the designing process,” enthuses Stevens. Plastics are the primary medium
used in 3D printing, but diversifi cation is imminent. “Essentially, anything which can be extruded, is viscous and solidifi es can be printed,” says Stevens. It is 3D will shortly release a new printer with interchangeable heads, which can print food, creating new possibilities for usage in schools. “Chocolate shapes and icing – anything which can be pureed – could be used in food technology classes,” he proposes. “Understandably, the idea of printing chocolate appeals to kids!” Faced with these developments, educators must now conceive of an equally bold syllabus – one which helps children to master the tools with which they can mould, sculpt or even print their futures. iE
Softlink W:
www.softlink.co.uk Prestigio W:
www.prestigio.com It is 3D W:
www.itis3d.com
EDUCATION I N D E P E N D E N T
T O D A Y THE
TECHNOLOGY SPECIAL
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