The most amazing aspect of 3D printing, at least the FFF based RepRap style of 3D printing, is that it is a relatively simple technology enabling people to produce complex objects through their own creativity. That is a central aspect in the philosophy of Southern California based Airwolf 3D, which developed an easy to use 3D printer and now want to share their knowledge with teachers and schools in the area.
The digital-additive manufacturing revolution is going to take place because it just makes sense at an industrial level. Those who today are attending school will need to master these technologies from an early age if they do not want to be left behind but, while industry leading companies like Makerbot/Stratasys have undertaken efforts to bring a 3D printer into every American school through crowd-funding, current public efforts and school resources may not suffice.
So the team at Airwolf 3D decided to take matters into their own hands and, in order for teachers to be able to teach students the basics of 3D printing, they taught teachers how to build a 3D printer. On “Build Day”, last December 2013, more than 18 teachers from various Orange County school districts (ranging from Junior High Schools to Community Colleges) built a 3D printer for their classroom and learned how to operate it.
It all began with the 500-part Airwolf 3D assembly kit. Eric Wolf, the company’s founder, provided the training and, over the course of eight hours, all attendees learned how to put together the stationary frame, build the moving parts, install and calibrate the electronics and, finally, create 3D printed objects. The RepRap philosophy at its best: not just 3D printers 3D printing other 3D printers but also 3D printing experts teaching teachers that will teach students (who will become experts).
The initiative also served as a launch platform for the 2014 Maker Challenge, a project by Career Technical Education of Orange County. Students are asked to experiment with 3D printing and modelling to design and build objects that can solve problems, needs and wants, as part of an integrated STEM design project.
“Airwolf 3D is excited to be part of this visionary teaching initiative,” said Wolf. “3D printing is more than a one or two step process: it is a rapidly evolving form of manufacturing that can be done on a desk top provided the operator understands how to calibrate his printer, work with design software and use the various materials now available for 3D printers. It is very likely – he added – that the most effective way of transferring this knowledge to students is the ground up model. Because Airwolf’s printers were designed to be capable of printing all of their custom components, the machines constructed on Build Day in 2013 can be used to print parts for more printers in the future. And the educational process can continue.”
