Reflection on 3D printing technology

                                          

3D Printer

(PDF) 3D printers in schools: uses in the curriculum Enriching the teaching of STEM and design subjects Contents | Eusebio Reyero - Academia.edu

    

The picture placed above is a 3D printer that is used for a public school. 3d printers don't all look the same. They are like phones they improve as time goes on. Their purpose is to create but what humans decide on what to create and how to use their creations is where things become interesting. I never used a 3D printer, but I have watched many videos. I think they are fascinating. 3D printers are useful because of their ability to make complex 3D objects at a fast pace. A few examples are surgical implants, hearts, lungs, dentures, prosthetics, and even food. 3D printers also create simple things like shapes and can be used in school by students and teachers for educational purposes. They can be expensive though, so most schools don't have them or only have one.

                                                                        Makerbot

The website is full of a couple kinds of 3D printers. Some of the links don't work and the website crashes. The cheapest 3D printer on the website is "The Sketch Platform" for 1,299. It is mainly used for educational purposes. From the videos and information on the website I can see it being useful in Tech, Biology, and Math classes. I liked how the website has information on how 3D printers can be useful for different graded groups like elementary school, high school and higher education. 

                                                                    Thingverse

I spent a lot of time scrolling through the pages and clicking all the creations that caught my eye. This website can be addicting. It reminds me of Pinterest and Instagram. It even has likes on the photos. People's creations are just uploaded to this website. I think it's great and can inspire many people to try some things. My favorite thing about this website is the search bar and how useful it was to narrow down the things I wanted to see. I searched school and many creations showed up that I can see being useful for some teachers showed up.

                                                                    Tinkercad

This is a free website with a video that shows what the website is about. Like Thingverse this website also has creations from other people to look at. You can also join classrooms to learn how to create things. You will have to make your own account though. You can also host classes and teach other people, but you will need a code for them to join. I think this website is good for schools. 

                                                                       

                                                                    Smithsonian

I am the kind of person that loves going to museums and nature. This website was my favorite out of all of them. Smithsonian 3D showed the power of 3D prints in the areas of sports, fossils, art, fashion, outer space, and more. I have visited "The Field Museum of Natural History" and " The Adler Planetarium." in Chicago and I greatly enjoyed my time. This website remined me of my experience there. It was very informative, and it is made possible by 3D printing.  I walked for hours just learning. This website was like my own museum at home.