Page 79 - Enchiridion 4.0 program_EN

Strategic Partnerships for school education 2019-1-PL01-KA201-065137
Project: Teacher4.0 - comprehensive method of implementation of Industry 4.0
concept into didactic practice in primary and secondary schools

3D Printing
Learning outcomes

After the teachers get acquainted with the theoretical part of the Module “3D printing”, they will:

• learn more about 3D printing and FDM method
• learn about the 3D printing process
• learn about the advantages and disadvantages of using the above technologies
• be able to introduce elements of 3D printing in their didactic approaches.

Introduction

3D printing is a technology that enters our everyday life. The implementation of both design and
construction tasks, including the optimization of solutions and the aspect of quick presentation of the
selected model, is applicable not only in workplaces but can also be largely used in school. The scope
of the use of 3D printing is practically inorganic from the presentation of models on technical
subjects, through the printing of models, for example, atoms on an object such as chemistry, models
of geometric figures in mathematics.

What is missing in this field is the need to present and show the possibilities of 3D printing to help
understand that mastering this technology is not impossible, and the potential it gives is something
very helpful in education.

What is 3D printing?
3D printing is the general term for a set of technologies of incremental creation to make three-
dimensional objects from a digital file. There are many printing methods available on the market. We
can distinguish 6 types of technologies available on the market:

• FDM (3D printing from thermoplastics - deposition of molten material), in this method the working
head spreads a fiber of thermoplastic material heated to a semi-liquid state on individual layers
within the cross-section of the workpiece.

• light-curing resins (SLA, DLP, PolyJet / MJP, others), a very accurate method consisting in drawing a
liquid polymer on the surface and hardening subsequent sections of the element using a beam of
ultraviolet laser light.

• CJP (3D printing from gypsum powders in full color)

• SLS and MJF - 3D printing from powdered plastics that are point glued and welded, applied layer by
layer on a given cross-section. The advantage is that there is no need for supports as their role is
played by the powder.
• SLM, DMP, DMLS and EBM - 3D printing from powdered metals which are then laser welded

• LOM - 3D printing from foil or paper

This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the
author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any
use which may be made of the information contained therein.