Funded Mar 20, 2014From the moment the materials arrived the students were very excited. They assembled it immediately and began printing out the sample items on the SD card so that they could see how it worked and some of the stuff they could create. Before getting the printer I had been struggling top get students excited about CAD. Now they are all clamoring to get on the CAD stations and learn what is all about so they can start designing and printing.
This also played a huge roll in helping the students understand rapid prototyping. We were designing and building a large robot in class and the students were going to have wait a few weeks for some parts to come in and test out their theories. Instead of just waiting and doing nothing they downloaded the CAD drawings from the manufacturer and printed out versions of what we were waiting for. By the time the parts arrived the students had tested and modified their designs with the printed parts and were able to swap for the actual ones to have everything working as planned.
This year we are supposed to be getting more CAD stations and I am anxious to incorporate the printer even more. The kids are already asking about creating their own custom parts for their robots and itching to be able to learn CAD. This donation is easily the most valuable I have received in terms of immediate impact to my students and their understanding of real world engineering. I also have other teachers on campus stopping in to see the printer and they are amazed at what the students have learned and applied thanks to it. I can't thank all those involved enough for this generous contribution to my classroom.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Brown