3D Printing Spotlight – and Manufacturing Focus

Hi all,

Another 3D manufacturing spotlight – as this industry and design area moves so fast it is always important for students  to keep up to date – especially considering the commerical production parts of your syllabus now.

3D Printed Bike – Imagine How this Manufacturing Technique will change other Product Designs? Source: Dezeen

• Great article about how the use of CAD, 3D Printing and other technologies are helping preserve ancient statues and designs that are being destroyed by militants around the world. Definitely worth looking at could be an interesting opening project and discussion about how 3D printing is changing cultures and societies.
• Just a beautiful example, similar to the ones showing how shoe design is being revolutionised by 3D printing technology – so check out the bike design above and through the link.
• A cool new toy that lets younger students design and print there own 3D click and lock toys.
• New materials are being formulated for 3D printing all the time – porcelain is now added to the list alongside a magnetic based graphene material!
• And finally a superb article re students designing and then 3D printing their own prosthetics – how brilliant.

Always important to keep reading and taking account of these developments – as it could easily impact in the ideas that you design and prototype for your IB DP projects!

If your teacher has not managed to buy a 3D Printer for your Technology department – maybe it is time that they do considering the price they now sell at! For example check out the UP BOX – around $2000, not as much as you think so go and badger your teacher 🙂