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Merry 3D Printing from TCEA!

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

While some report that 3D printing isn’t a thing anymore, it remains one of the top tech trends for the foreseeable future. That may be because 3D printers are finding their way into classrooms and homes with startling alacrity. This blog entry shares a few choices for printers, design tools, and sources, as well as mobile device apps.

3D Printers for Home

Wondering what printers you can get for your home? Consider these three offerings, ranging from least expensive to most expensive. The Dremel IdeaBuilder packs a punch to your wallet, but offers the most flexibility and versatility in its options. The Mod T also has adherents who praise its small size as perfect for your office desk. Whether you’re looking for a home printer, or considering a small 3D printer for the classroom, there’s something available to match your budget.

Looking for 3D Printing Designs and Tools?

Look no further than Thingiverse and 3D Warehouse! They have literally thousands of designs already created and ready to modify or use as is. And if you want to design your own, consider these two programs for use on your device of choice:

  • Tinkercad – A wonderfully easy to use, web-based 3D printing tool.
  • SketchUp Pro – This $695 program for Mac and Windows computers is available at NO CHARGE to K-12 public schools! Click the link to find out more about TCEA’s offer.
  • My SketchUp – This browser-based version works great on Chromebooks and is available at no charge.

Also, check out this round-up of 3D printing apps for your mobile devices.

3D Printable Ornaments

Never worry about breaking glass ornaments again with 3D filament-based tree decorations. These curios are easy to design, modify, and print for home and office. More importantly, they make it easy to print take-home designs for students.

Find more designs online with these apps at Thingiverse using their iOS app (free) , and 3D Warehouse using SketchUp Viewer for iOS ($14.99).

Updated on 12/1/2021 with new content.

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3D design
Educational TrendsSTEM/STEAM

Whee – 3D Design Software for Free!

by Carrie McFarland
written by Carrie McFarland

Are you preparing your students to enter the world with knowledge and skills in 3D technology? It is used in so many industries and jobs: architecture, gaming, science, medicine, entertainment, publishing, and advertising, and marketing. By adding 3D modeling software to your curriculum, you are bringing real-life tools to your students. Access to 3D software might just inspire your students to pursue STEM careers and get a headstart on a future career.

3D Software for You Now

You may be thinking that 3D design software is expensive and out of your reach. We’re happy to say that’s not true. TCEA can provide you with SketchUp Pro, a powerful 3D modeling software package, for FREE.  Through our exclusive partnership with Trimble, we are able to offer every K-12 public school in Texas free licenses of the program on each school-owned computer. You do not need to be a member of TCEA to take advantage of this opportunity. Trimble and TCEA want every public school to have this resource.

Many districts have already received their licenses and are on their way to giving their students this incredible resource. Sign up here to receive your licenses.

How Are Teachers Using SketchUp Pro?

Applications for Robotics

  • Charlie Parker, Robotics Teacher and Coach at Wedgewood Middle School in Fort Worth ISD, is using SketchUp Pro with his robotics teams. Last year, the teams used the software to design parts for their robot and then 3D printed them to use in competition.
  • Chad Wilson from San Antonio ISD uses SketchUp Pro to prototype Vex and Lego robotic build designs. He says teaching his students an industry standard resource that is readily accessible is priceless.

Exposure to Real-World Tools

  • Thomas Alberts from Jacksonville ISD says that teaching students to use Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programs such as SketchUp Pro gives them another tool they can put on their resume.  He advises those new to SketchUp Pro to watch a few of the free introductory videos and then just start building.
  • Greg Morris, AST/Agricultural Mechanics teacher at Giddings ISD, is using SketchUp Pro for both current shop projects and those still in the planning stages.

Critical and Logical Thinking Skills 

  • Chantelle Dallas, Math Teacher at Harmony Science Academy in Dallas, says her 6-8th grade computer science classes are using SketchUp Pro to design a STEM project, which is helping them to think critically and logically. They are able to see how 3D images work and are better able to visualize how their projects look. She went on to say that word spread around the middle school about her class designing a 3D project, and she’s now having more students join the Gaming and Computer App Club.

How to Get Your Copy of SketchUp Pro

It’s easy.  Just click here to  sign up. We’ll email the licenses within 48 hours. Access installation and online help are available here.

Learn More About SketchUp Pro

TCEA offers a webinar on how to use the software in the fall and spring each year. Fall dates are still to be determined. As soon as it’s on the calendar, we’ll send you an email inviting you to the webinar.  You’ll be able to watch the webinar live or receive the link and watch it at your convenience.

Be sure to take advantage of this incredible, free resource today. The time your students spend learning and using SketchUp Pro might just inspire and bridge them into their future career.

 

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3D printing
STEM/STEAM

Easy Answers to FAQs about 3D Printing

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Getting started with 3D printing or thinking about it? There are tons of resources online, as well as Diigo groups where resources are shared frequently. Check out the TCEA resources available here and here. And then read below to find answers to the most common 3D printing questions.

#1 – Where can I get a 3D printer?

There are various printers available, but the one recommended by Mark Simmons (Director of Technology, Sabine Pass ISD) is the Dremel 3D printer. Find a comparison table of 3D printers online. Specific recommendations are at the end of this article.

#2 – How does 3D printing work? How do I get started?

Once you have your 3D printer, you will need to use special software to create print files that tell the printer how to proceed and make things. There are many tools available, among them TinkerCAD, which is a web-based software package that is easy for young learners to start with.

Tinkercad is an amazingly powerful easy-to-use tool for creating digital designs that are ready to be 3D printed into super-cool physical objects. You will be guided through the 3D design process via easy hands-on “Lessons” that teach you the basics of Tinkercad before moving on to more complex modeling techniques. Read more.

Then, after learning to manipulate objects in 3D space, you can try other software. You can find a list of other software programs, including how to get SketchUp Pro for free for your school or district via TCEA. Many of these have to be installed on your computer, but there are also mobile apps you can use to digitize objects and put them into a 3D space.

Once you have created an object, you can print it. For classroom purposes, limit your students to objects that will print in less than four hours (think small!).

#3 – What are some helpful vocabulary terms one encounters when using 3D printers?

There are various terms that you do not necessarily need to know. Refer to the glossary at the end of this blog for a general list of terms. Some of the key ones to know include “build plate,” “filament,” “extrusion or print nozzle,” and “extruder arm.” It is also important to know that there are several types of filament, which resembles weedeater cord.

#4 – What can I realistically print?

You can print anything you have a design for, realizing that for more complex designs, you will have to print each component of a design separately and then assemble it.

You have several choices:

  • Design something yourself using 3D printer software (e.g. TinkerCAD or SketchUp Pro). You can also use a free app like 123D Catch (iOS) to capture an object using your mobile device, and then digitize it for printing.
  • Download a file from the web that’s already designed so that you can modify and print it (e.g. Thingverse, CookieCaster).
  • Collaborate with others to co-design a 3D project, such as to help design a prosthetic device.

 

quote2#5 – What are some of the costs of 3D printing?

If you are hoping to get an idea for the cost of a 3D printer, you may want to look at some of the ones listed on Amazon. Here are a few popular printers:

 

There are less expensive 3D printers you can get for your home, of course. Also, consider these additional items:

  • Filament (approx. $25): The cost of a spool of filament, the source material for the 3D print.
  • Build Tape ($25): This is what goes on the non-heated glass surface of your 3D printer to facilitate removal of printed items. You can usually skip this if you have a heated glass surface (a.k.a. build plate or print bed).

 

For post-processing a printed item, you may also want to have on hand the following:

  • 3D Print Removal Tool ($6) – Helps you scrape off items from the print bed.
  • Plastic putty – Helps you hide the seam in larger items. You can sand it down to cover a stream. Use 120 grit sandpaper when sanding items.
  • Spray paint or enamel

 

Conclusion

Getting started with 3D printing can be expensive, obviously, but there are many ideas for curriculum integration. Be sure to review the resources here.

References

  • Source for Trudi Lawless quote
  • Source for prosthetic hand quote

Glossary of 3D Printing Terms

  • Build plate (a.k.a. print bed) – This is the glass your 3D-printed creation will be built on.
  • Dremel Build Tape – This is the tape used to cover the glass (the “bed” or “build plate”) upon which the 3D-printed object will rest. Non-heated print beds normally need to be covered in blue tape (painter’s tape) or even Kapton tape (i.e. polyimide tape – very heat resistant) in order to make the print stick to the print bed. The tape helps with initial adhesion of the thermoplastic and keeps everything in place during the print. The object needs to be firmly fixed to the print bed, as the slightest movement of the printed object itself will most probably result in a botched-up print. As the adhesion factor of the blue tape wears out quickly, it needs to be replaced regularly.
  • Dremel Multi-Tool ($20) – This facilitates removal of the 3D printed item from the print bed.
  • Extrusion or print nozzle – This refers to the nozzle from which the filament emerges. Also known as the “hot end.”
  • Extruder – The extruder is actually the part that is responsible for feeding the filament into the so-called “hot-end.” See diagram shown right. (Source)
  • Extruder arm – This is the arm to which the extrusion nozzle–where the filament is distributed from onto the build plate–is attached. The arm moves in the prearranged design, laid out in layers.
  • FDM – Fused Deposition Model refers to the type of 3D printer. FDM printers use a thermoplastic filament, which is heated to its melting point and then extruded, layer by layer, to create a three-dimensional object. “Objects created with an FDM printer start out as computer-aided design (CAD) files. Before an object can be printed, its CAD file must be converted to a format that a 3D printer can understand — usually .STL format”. (Source)
  • FFF – Fused Filament Fabrication is another way of referring to an FDM 3D printer, except the term isn’t copyrighted or trademarked. “FFF printers are by far the most common 3D printer type used for home 3D printing, i.e. desktop 3D printers. If you are thinking of buying your own 3D printer, a FFF is most likely the technology that you will end up using. Fused Filament Fabrication is nothing but a fancy word to describe a process by which a machine deposits a filament (picture something like a small string) of a certain material (normally thermoplastics, wax, or similar products) on top or next to the same material in order to create a joint by heat and/or adhesion. Thermoplastics are plastics which become semi-liquid above a specific temperature and return to a solid state when cooling down.” (Source for quotes above about FFF and diagram shown right)
  • Filament: There are several types of filament, including the following:
    • PLA – This is “pretty” filament, food safe and plastic.
    • ABS – This is strong and is what is usually used for logos. It has toxins, so it’s not safe for food storage items (e.g. mugs).
    • PLA/PHA – Strong and pretty looking.
    • Co-Polyster – ninjaflex, rubbery
    • Composite PLA – Shavings of organic material such as copper, limestone, poplar wood, cedar, plastic. You can use this to make small objects that appear to be made of metal.
    • Filament + Perfume – These are used to get rid of the “burnt” smell and have a nice odor. Good for schools where the 3D printer is in a common area.

Update: This blog entry updated 05/2018 with fresh infographic.

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SketchUp Pro
Educational TrendsFunding

Free 3D Design Software for Texas Public School Students

by
written by

One of the many new skill sets today’s graduates need is 3D design. Unfortunately, this can sometimes be an expensive concept for schools to teach, as it requires costly software. But TCEA can help.

TCEA has been granted the exclusive rights in the state of Texas to provide FREE licenses of SketchUp Pro to all K-12 public school educators and students for school-owned computers. This 3D modeling software, normally priced at $495 per license, is easy and intuitive to use, allowing anyone to model in 3D quickly and accurately.

SketchUp Pro is like a pencil with superpowers. Start by drawing simple lines and shapes. Push and pull surfaces to turn them into 3D forms. Stretch, copy, rotate, and paint to make anything you like, from a copy of the classroom to a model of the entire town to a diagram of how the heart works. For more advanced students, start modeling from CAD and terrain data, photographs, or even hand sketches. Build models with custom behaviors and attributes. SketchUp Pro is as simple and as powerful as you want it to be.

If students need help brainstorming ideas of what to draw, they can turn to the 3D Warehouse, where individuals from all around the world who are using SketchUp Pro share their models. And to take the product even further, there is an Extension Warehouse with more than 200 different add-ons for SketchUp Pro available.

The free SketchUp Pro licenses from TCEA are good for one year and may be renewed each year thereafter. To receive a free license of SketchUp Pro 2015, please complete this form. You will then be emailed information within 48 hours on how to download and install the software.

For private schools, Trimble offers deep-discounted SketchUp Pro EDU licenses for as little as $15 per seat per year. Please see their licensing information page. Or you can download the free program SketchUpMake for your students to use.

Take a look at your upcoming classroom projects and see how 3D drawing can enhance them. You won’t be sorry!

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SketchUp Pro
Web 2.0 Tool

Eight Reasons Why We Love SketchUp Pro (And You Should, Too!)

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Sure, TCEA offers SketchUp Pro absolutely FREE to all students and teachers in public K-12 schools in Texas. Yes, we offer big discounts on SketchUp Pro for private schools as well. But free and cheap don’t always equal love. Here are our reasons for absolutely loving SketchUp Pro, the amazing 3D drawing and design program you and your students should be using.

1. It’s so easy to learn. If this is your first time with SketchUp Pro, be amazed at how fast you can get started designing in 3D. With tips and hints popping up and guiding you through, you’ll be sure to create something interesting, beautiful, and useful.

2. It’s authentic. SketchUp Pro is used by architects, designers, builders, and more in the “real world.” Give your students an edge by having them use the same software they’ll experience once they are employed.

3. It’s not just about buildings. With the free software, students can draw an accurate picture of the human heart, a new type of engine, or a better wheelbarrow.

4. It offers a full warehouse of starting ideas. Think you can’t design with SketchUp Pro? Why not try the Warehouse, a website that lets you download thousands of user-created designs from ancient monuments to mythological creatures? Add the Mexican army around the Alamo or create a home for the 22nd century along with its family. Place multiple designs in one project to create a spectacular mash-up.

5. It’s free. Let me say again that SketchUp Pro is free to public K-12 schools and deeply discounted for private schools. You can receive one license for every PC or Mac computer you have in your district at no cost. The software normally is $495 per license!

6. It can be aligned to all content areas. We can see clear correlations to the standards for 3D design and animation. But the program can also be used in every other subject area. Interact with a digital environment, create amazing works of self expression, or use simulated models in the classroom. Discover real-world geometry and math as you design complex structures. Create and label the parts of a cell. Draw famous buildings from literature. SketchUp Pro really does provide a wide range of applications for your classroom.

7. It can grow with your students. For students who are already knowledgeable about 3D drawing and design, they can expand the program with the many free extensions available. From animation to productivity to 3D printing tools, there are lots of additional resources to choose from.

8. It comes with assistance. Still a little worried about diving into SketchUp Pro? TCEA provides free online training several times a year, as well as digital resources and tutorials to make you an expert.

What are you waiting for? Get your free SketchUp Pro licenses by completing this simple form.

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