3D Printing - 6th grade

3D printing is an example of additive manufacturing. This means the material, which is called filament, is added layer by layer to create a product.

Additive Manufacturing describes products that are created by adding layer upon layer. 

• The first step to 3D printing is creating a model using a computer aided design (CAD) program. 

• We use Tinkercad, a free, online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser.

• Using Tinkercad, you can design your model by adding shapes to the build plate to create your design. 

   

• Then, your design will be transferred from the computer to the 3D printer using a special file format. 

• Once the file is loaded and the print job is started, the filament is heated to temperature between 410 °F - 482 °F. 

• That means you should NEVER touch any part of the printer, even when it is off because you don't know when the last print job ended. 

• The healthcare industry has started to rely on 3D printing for many uses. 

• Has anyone in the class broken a bone before? If so, how did it feel to wear a cast?

• What are the advantages of using a 3D printed arm cast over a traditional arm cast?

• Not only can 3D printing help humans, it can also help animals like this two-legged Chihuahua. 

This woman is blind and couldn’t see the ultrasound scan of her baby, so 3D Printers were used to print out a 3D physical scan. She was able to experience the scan through touch using a 3D printed model of the image seen on the screen. 

Using different materials, 3D printing can be used to build a house or even manufacture food.