Over the last year, Saudi Gazette has published several reports on the current uses and future potential of 3D printing. Presently it's possible to “print” many different items from body parts to musical instruments. Last week, Quartz (qz.com) reported that NASA had awarded a $125,000 research grant to develop a prototype 3D printer for food, so astronauts might one day enjoy 3D-printed pizza on Mars. And now a school is reporting on some of the projects its students created with a 3D printer that was installed last year. ACS Egham International School, based in Surrey, UK, set up a 3D Printer in summer 2012. Three members of staff were educated in how to use the equipment and have since made the 3D printing technology available to classes across the Middle School, for children aged 11-14, and the High School, for 14-18-year-olds. “We want to open up the world of rapid prototyping to as many students as possible,” said Mr. Belcher, from the school's Design and Technology department. The 3D Printer was first used by Grade 8 students to design and print components for a robotic design assignment. Belcher enthused, “Having a 3D printer in the school is fantastic for projects like these because the children can let their imagination run free in their designs. They're not confined by difficulties with production. Whatever geometry they can come up with in their design can be reproduced with 3D printing, and we can see if the design works in the real world.” Grade 10 pupils 3D printed molds and positive objects for jewelry design projects and also highly detailed pieces for board games. Since the models printed using the 3D printer could be painted, drilled, machined, or used as molds for vacuum forming and casting, the printer was employed in a very wide variety of projects at the school. The printed creations were accurate to within 0.1mm of the design specifications. This enabled the students to understand both the design and manufacturing processes. The school used the 3D printer to expand its Design Technology IB Diploma course, where students focus on the use of CAD software and CAM equipment to produce excellent functioning prototypes.
