Basic experience in TinkerCad (selecting and editing shapes, working with holes and extrusions, grouping, exporting a file).
For more complex designs creating and exporting shapes from a vector graphics editor software (e.g. school logo in .svg format recreated in Inkscape).
Basic knowledge of the 3D printer principles. Creation a print job (.gcode format) in the PrusaSlicer software.
Basic knowledge of computer file management (saving and uploading objects to various folder on the computer).
Basic control of the 3D printer (setting up and starting print jobs).
The main objective of the project was to showcase to the rest of the school the potential of 3D printing. The idea was to embed 3D printing in one of the traditional events recurring every year and demonstrate a practical application of it. The project required coordination between different stakeholders to finalize the designs, extensive prototyping to balance the quality of the final product and the printing of a large number of items in a tight time line.
Computer with internet connection, 3D printer
Vector graphics editor software (e.g. Inkscape https://inkscape.org)
Filaments simulating metal (gold, silver, bronze)
Colored ribbons for finishing.
4 hours - Concept finalization and initial planning
8 hours - Initial model design and finalization
4 hours - Prototyping and quality finalization
50 hours - Volume Printing with ironing
1 hour - Assembly
The students have spent considerable time conceptualizing and planning the print.
The process has required extensive prototyping to strike a balance between quality and printing performance.
The students have decided to use a single overall model for the print and opted for a change in size and material to differentiate the medals.
Volume printing has required a considerable amount of time since the students have decided to use ironing for the finishing of the print. A few overnight printing sessions were required to meet the fixed deadline.
The author hasn't provided the model origin yet.