Introduction to

3D Printing

3DP TEACHER - implementation ggg

of 3D Printing in future education

Project no. 2019-1-PT01-KA201-060833

Doru Cantemir
Ludor Engineering

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an
endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
Revision History
Revision Date Author/Organisation Description
V1.0 30/03/2020 Doru Cantemir/ Ludor Engineering Draft of main content
V1.1 All partners Feedback on the preliminary draft
V1.2 12/05/2020 Doru Cantemir/ Ludor Engineering Revision of content based on the
feedback received from partners
and external teachers
V1.3 13/05/2020 Doru Cantemir/ Ludor Engineering Final version

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Contents
Revision History ..................................................................................................................... 2
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
What is 3D printing? .............................................................................................................. 2
Fused Deposition Modelling .......................................................................................................................... 2

The 3D printing workflow ...................................................................................................... 4

Obtaining the 3D model ................................................................................................................................. 5
Conversion to 3D print file ............................................................................................................................. 6
Preparing the model for 3D printing .............................................................................................................. 7
3D Printing the object .................................................................................................................................... 8
Finishing the part ........................................................................................................................................... 9

3D printing applications ...................................................................................................... 11

Education ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
Prototyping and manufacturing ................................................................................................................... 13
Medicine ...................................................................................................................................................... 14
Construction and architecture ..................................................................................................................... 14
Art, jewellery and fashion ............................................................................................................................ 15

3D printing effects on the market ....................................................................................... 17

Democratization of technology ................................................................................................................... 17
Boosting innovation ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Mass-customization ..................................................................................................................................... 18
3DP effects on the job market ..................................................................................................................... 19

3D printing benefits for Education ...................................................................................... 20

Improving student participation .................................................................................................................. 20
Promoting active learning ............................................................................................................................ 20
Encouraging creative thinking...................................................................................................................... 20
Raising students’ interest in STEM education .............................................................................................. 21
Providing opportunities for practicing different learning styles .................................................................. 21

3D printing trends ............................................................................................................... 22

Conclusions.......................................................................................................................... 25
Additional resources............................................................................................................ 26

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Introduction
3D printing (3DP) is poised to have a significant impact on many aspects of our lives
and work in the near future. Some effects on the market and on the society are
already visible and many other transformations are expected. 3DP market is
developing fast as 3DP is implemented in many applications in more and more various
areas. The job market is also significantly affected by 3DP and a growth in the number
of related jobs is expected.

3DP is increasingly used in schools all around the world, and its potential is becoming
widely recognized. Many teachers consider this innovation in the sector welcome and
necessary, but they very often lack the specific knowledge required to master this
technology. The present material aims at providing basic info on 3DP in order to help
teachers to understand what 3DP is and how it works, its applications in various
sectors, its impact on the market, future trends, and what benefits it may bring to
education.

Figure 1 – Students and 3DP

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What is 3D printing?
3D printing is a general term for a set of technologies that can build three-
dimensional objects from a digital file by adding material layer after layer. Nowadays,
there are many 3DP technologies available based on different approaches and
making use of various materials (plastic, metal, concrete, chocolate, etc.) in several
forms (liquid, solid (sheet, filament, and pellet), powder, and slurry).

For example, the technologies called Stereolithography (SLA) and Digital Light
Processing (DLP) create objects by selectively curing a liquid photopolymer resin
using a light source (a laser or projector) while Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) uses a
laser which selectively induce fusion between powder particles inside a build area to
create a solid object. Other technologies lay down molten chocolate, deposit droplets
of materials, which are then selectively cured, jets binder on powder, etc.

Most of these technologies cannot be used in the classroom because are too
complicated, too expensive or require special facilities. The most suitable for use in a
school environment is Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) that is, also, the most
popular and affordable 3DP technology.

Fused Deposition Modelling

Fused Deposition Modelling creates objects by melting a plastic wire (called filament)
and applying it, layer after layer, through a heated nozzle.

The process is schematised in Figure 2. The filament (2), usually wound on a spool (1)
held on the sides or at the back of the printer, is fed through the gear mechanism of
the extruder (3) that pushes it towards the heater (4) where the solid filament is
heated to its melting point. Finally, the molten filament is ejected from the nozzle (6)
onto the print bed (7) in the desired geometry. After each layer, the print bed (or the
nozzle) moves on the vertical axis and the next layer is added. After printing, the
object can be removed by hand or with a simple scrapper. If necessary, the parts can
be further processed by sanding, polishing, painting, etc.

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 Figure 2 – FDM Process

1-filament spool; 2-filament; 3-feeder; 4-heater; 5-nozzle; 6-3d printed object; 7- print bed

Figure 3 – FDM 3D printing

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The 3D printing workflow
In general, regardless the specific technology, 3DP involves the use of a computer, a
digital 3D model, a 3D printing slicer software, a 3D printer and raw materials.
Typically, schematised in Figure 4, a 3DP process is composed from the following
steps:
1. The 3D model of the object to be 3D printed is obtained through one of the
methods discussed below.
2. If necessary, the 3D model is translated into a 3D printing file, usually STL type.
3. The 3D printing file is prepared for printing, process finalised with the
generation of a G-code file that includes layer-by-layer toolpath with specific
machine settings and preferences.
4. The G-code file is run on the 3D printer and the model is printed.
5. If necessary, the part is finished (cleaned, polished, painted, etc.).

Figure 4 – 3DP steps

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Obtaining the 3D model

3DP starts with the 3D model of the object to be printed. This can be obtained by
computer modelling it, from 3D scanning or can be downloaded from a 3D model
repository. The main advantage of creating the model through 3D modelling is the
ability to design exactly what desired as opposite to 3D scanning (only already existing
objects can be scanned) or repositories.

3D modelling

There are many different 3D modelling software tools available, from very expensive
industrial grade software to free open source software. Some examples are given in
the below table. A very good option for beginners is to start with TinkerCAD that is
free and does not require installation on the computer.

Table 1 – 3D modelling software tools

Name Link Level Free/paid

TinkerCAD www.tinkercad.com/ Beginner Free
Blender www.blender.org/ Intermediate Free
FreeCAD www.freecadweb.org/ Intermediate Free
OpenSCAD www.openscad.org/ Intermediate Free
Autodesk www.autodesk.com/products/fusion- Industrial Paid*
Fusion 360 360

SolidWorks www.3ds.com/ Industrial Paid*

Creo www.ptc.com/en/products/cad/creo Industrial Paid
SketchUp https://www.sketchup.com/ Beginner Free /Paid
*Students and educators can apply for a free Fusion 360 three-year license.

3D scanning

3D scanning captures the shape of an object with the help of a 3D scanner or a

smartphone having a suitable application installed. Such an application for 3D
scanning apps creates 3D models from 2D photos taken with the phone from
different angles using a technique called photogrammetry. Some examples of 3D
scanning apps are given in the next table.

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 Table 2 - 3D scanning apps

Name Operating system Free/paid

Qlone iOS/Android Free
Trnio iOS Paid
Scann3D Android Free
Cappy iOS Free
Heges iOS Free
Sony 3D Creator Android Free
Capture iOS Free
Scandy Pro iOS Free
display.land iOS/Android Free

3D model repositories

The simplest way to get a 3D model is by downloading it from one of the many
available online repositories (see the below table). Many of these models are free
and some repositories offer the ability to customise some of the models.

Table 3 – 3D models repositories

Name Link Free/paid

Thingiverse www.thingiverse.com Free
MyMiniFactory www.myminifactory.com Free, Paid
YouMagine www.youmagine.com Free
Cults https://cults3d.com Free, paid
STL Finder www.stlfinder.com Free, paid
Pinshape https://pinshape.com/ Free, paid
SetkchFab https://sketchfab.com/ Free
CGTrader hwww.cgtrader.com Free, paid
Yeggi www.yeggi.com Free, paid

Conversion to 3D print file

Depending on how it was obtained, the 3D model may need to be converted in a 3D

printer file format. If it was downloaded from a 3D model repository specialised in 3D

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printing, the model should be already available as a 3D printer file. The 3D models
obtained by modelling or scanning can be directly exported as 3D printer files from
the software that created them. Otherwise, there are many conversion software able
to convert any type of digital 3D model in a 3D printing file like, for example,
www.meshconvert.com or www.nchsoftware.com/3dconverter.

The most common 3D printer file formats are STL, OBJ, AMF, and 3MF but STL is used
by most of the 3DP systems and software. For FDM applications in school, STL is the
most practical and recommended type of 3D print file.
A STL file stores information about the 3D model, describing only its surface geometry
without any representation of colour, texture or other attributes. As you can see in
Figure 5, a STL file represents a 3D model as a mesh describing, in an approximatively
manner, its shape.

Figure 5 – A 3D model and its STL representation

Preparing the model for 3D printing

The next step is to prepare the 3D model for the printer and generate the G-code file
that carries all the information needed by the 3D printer to build the object. This
process involves a series of actions:
- Checking of 3D printer file and repair it, if necessary
- Positioning and orientation of the 3D model on the printing bed
- Setting of 3DP parameters like material, temperatures, cooling, speeds, layer
thickness, etc.
- Adding support structures, if necessary
- Slicing, i.e. dividing the model in a set of thin layers
- generating the G-code file
- saving and sending G-code file to the 3D printer

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The model preparation is done using 3D printing slicer software. There are many such
software available and most of them are free. The most popular once are given in the
following table.

Table 4 - 3D printing slicer software

Name Link Users Free/paid

Ultimaker https://ultimaker.com/sof Beginners, Advanced Free
Cura tware/ultimaker-cura
Simplify3D www.simplify3d.com Beginners, Advanced Paid
PrusaSlicer www.prusa3d.com/prusas Beginners, Advanced Free
licer
Slic3r https://slic3r.org Advanced, Professional Free
OctoPrint https://octoprint.org Intermediate, Advanced Free
AstroPrint www.astroprint.com Beginners, Advanced Freemium
3DPrinterOS www.3dprinteros.com Beginners, Advanced Freemium
Repetier www.repetier.com Intermediate, Advanced Free

3D Printing the object

The G-code file is then fed into a 3D printer that lays down successive layers of
material, in a layer-upon-layer fashion to fabricate the desired 3D object.

Figure 6 – 3D printing an object

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Finishing the part

The 3D printed objects may require some additional operations after the completion
of printing, in order to further enhance them. These operations may include:
 removal of the support structures using tools as knives or pliers

Figure 7 - Removal of the support structures

 removal of the brims (the single layer flat area around the base of the part,
used to prevent warping – see the picture below) with a cutting plier or a cutter
 filling of the gaps in the print with materials like epoxy resin, auto body filler,
ABS and acetone compound
 part’s surface polishing by sanding or grinding

Figure 8 - Removal of the brims Figure 9 – Surface finishing

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  Vapour or chemical smoothing in order to melt away the layer lines and to give
a glossy look to the 3D printed objects. Acetone is often used for objects
printed with PLA and ABS.

Figure 10 – A 3D printed object, before and after vapour smoothing. Source: www.geeetech.com

 Brush, airbrush or spray painting

Figure 11 – FDM parts painting

• Coating with epoxy, metal, etc.

Figure 12 – Gold plated 3D printed part. Source: https://i.materialise.com/

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3D printing applications
3DP has many applications in various sectors from education to industry, and in the
whole value chain from prototypes to spare part management. FDM technology is
the favourite for hobby use and education but it is also used in some professional
areas.
In this section we will discuss only few of the 3DP applications, with a focus on FDM
technology and education.

Education

3DP is more and more implemented in the educational programs carried out by
schools, universities, libraries, adult education institutions, special education
institutions, makerspaces etc. The main applications are:
1. Teaching educators about 3D printing. This is very important as teacher attitudes
and beliefs and teacher knowledge and skills could be barriers to the 3DP
integration into the education system.
2. Teaching students about 3D printing and developing their 3DP skills. Usually, the
students learn about the 3D design process, 3D modelling software and the basic
operation of 3DP. In addition, the students are encouraged to engage in problem
solving, to practice their communication skills while working in project teams.

Figure 13 – Teaching 3DP

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3. Using 3DP as a support technology during teaching. 3DP helps improving student
understanding of various topics: atomic structure, biological molecules, geometry,
material properties, etc.
4. Using 3DP to produce artefacts that aid learning. 3D printed artefacts are
currently used to support teaching in anatomy, chemistry, math, geosciences,
physics, zoology and many others. The 3D printed replicas and models of cultural
heritage allows students to examine them without damaging the originals. 3D
printed models in anatomy and chemistry are also much cheaper than
commercially available models.

Figure 14 – 3D printed artefacts for anatomy teaching

Figure 15 – 3D printed artefacts for physics teaching

5. Creating assistive technologies. 3DP is very helpful in creating artefacts for

students with special learning needs, such as tactile artefacts including graphics to
assist with the teaching of programming, mathematics, literacy, geoscience maps,
astronomical maps and history textbooks.

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More and more schools are incorporating 3DP in their educational programs as it
helps to better prepare students for the future. It is a great tool to explain abstract
concepts with the help of tangible objects, to increase the students’ motivation to
study STEM subjects and to boost their creativity by facilitating the prototyping of
their ideas. 3DP promotes the development of students’ critical and creative thinking
as well as their collaboratively solving problems skills.

Numerous educational models are available for teachers to use in their classes. For
example, among the over 1.7 million 3D models uploaded on Thingiverse there are
many educational ones. In addition, there are over a hundred free 3DP-based lessons
on https://www.thingiverse.com/education for a variety of grade levels and subjects.

Prototyping and manufacturing

The flexibility and versatility of 3DP makes it ideal for small-scale manufacturing and
prototyping. In addition, as it does not require the initial cost of moulds, jigs or other
specific tooling specific for traditional manufacturing, 3DP is very convenient for
production of prototypes, unique parts or small batches. Industries like automotive,
medical equipment and aerospace are extensively using 3DP for both prototyping and
functional parts production.

Figure 16 – Prototype created by 3DP Figure 17 – Parts made by 3DP

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Medicine

Medicine is one of the sectors that benefits the most from 3DP. Among the
applications, we can count prosthesis, made-to-measure implants, orthodontic parts,
customized drugs or bio-printed organs. Doctors are using 3D printed models of
patients' body parts or organs to plan treatment and to visualize, plan and practice
surgeries. Nowadays, 3DP is routinely used in the production of medical devices like
prosthetic hands, artificial hip joints or dental crowns and bridges.

Figure 18 – 3DP used in medicine

Construction and architecture

3DP offers huge creative opportunities to architects and completely changes the way
of making architectural models. 3D printed models are much less time-consuming
and labour-intensive than the traditional ones, allowing for inexpensive changes and
iterations.

Figure 19 – Architectural model made by 3DP

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3DP has been also used for construction of various buildings and bridges. In these
cases, the 3D printers are using materials like concrete, wax, foam and polymers. The
main advantages are related to design complexity, faster construction, lower labour
costs and less waste.

Figure 20 – 3D printing a building

Art, jewellery and fashion

Due to its ability to create complex shapes and geometries, 3DP allows for great
creativity freedom and it is increasingly adopted by designers, jewellery makers and
artists. Thanks to 3DP, it is possible to easily experiment various designs and to
produce individual, unique and customised pieces much cheaper than with
traditional methods. Materials like plastics, ceramics, gold or platinum can be 3D
printed to obtain awesome objects.

Figure 21 – 3D printed bracelet

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Figure 22 – 3D printed fashion. Source: Financial Review

Figure 23 – 3D printed jewellery. Source: sculpteo.com

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3D printing effects on the market
3DP affects market structure and has significant implication on various areas,
including industrial sector, healthcare, education, services, etc. It not only has direct
effects on companies’ production processes but also made possible a growing
community of makers who develop and share 3D models, sell 3D printed products,
develop and provide their own 3D printers for home use.

Democratization of technology

3DP was invented in the 1980s but it was too expensive, with very limited production
capacities and only large companies were able to use it. Since then, huge progress
has been made in terms of both capabilities, complexity and costs and 3DP is rapidly
becoming available to the masses and it is widely adopted across all industries.

Nowadays, 3DP technology, especially FDM, is widely affordable and it has the
potential to democratize the manufacturing of certain goods. In some cases, the
consumers themselves can make some objects using their own 3D printer or 3D
printing service like 3D Hubs, Shapeways, Sculpteo, etc.

In addition, small companies and start-ups are able now to get their products on the
market quicker than ever, without necessarily building a manufacturing facility and
reducing the risks through low volume production and cheap rapid prototyping.

Boosting innovation

3DP has the ability to disrupt many industries, to open up new market opportunities
and to transform the supply chains. The ability to prototype faster and cheaper allows
companies and individuals to boost their creativity and to innovate hence bringing
new products and solutions to the market at a rapid pace. Some fields, where 3DP
makes possible cost reductions along with better results, are already transformed:
the way of making dental models, crowns or aligners, the production of anatomic,
architectural and educational models, the process of making jewellery or movie
props.

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Mass-customization

As 3DP renders very low volume production economical it greatly promotes mass-
customisation, a production process that provides customers with personalised
products at near mass production prices. In addition, it creates opportunities for co-
creation, a design process in which the input from customers and other stakeholders
plays a central role in the development of a product. For example, a company called
Local Motors developed several cars making use of co-creation and 3DP.

Figure 24 – Olli, a co-created electric shuttle. Source: https://localmotors.com

By making possible the fast and low-cost production of personalised objects, 3DP
revolutionised numerous areas, including the prosthetics market.

Figure 25 – 3D printed prosthetic hand. Source: http://enablingthefuture.org/

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3DP effects on the job market

3DP is also a powerful driver for changes in employment and it is affecting the global
job market in various ways. New jobs linked with 3DP are frequently advertised, for
industrial and mechanical engineers, software developers with 3DP expertise,
software engineers specialized in 3DP, designers with 3DP knowledge, 3D printer
technicians, 3DP material experts, post-processing specialists, 3DP consultants, etc.
The number of new jobs created thanks to 3DP will grow in the next years, as there
will be a need for people to fabricate, sell, operate, maintain and repair the 3DP
equipment, and manage the supply chains, production and the companies that do all
this.
3D modelling software, simulation software dedicated to 3DP and other specific
software applications are also creating new jobs for programmers, software
developers, IT&C specialists, etc. In addition, entirely new job categories are created
thanks to the new wave of innovation brought on by 3DP, like biological and scientific
modellers, legal experts with 3DP expertise, etc.

Some existing jobs will be transformed by 3DP, requiring new skills and different ways
of working. For example, designing parts to be fabricated by 3DP requires specific
knowledge and skills related to 3DP process and materials.

Undeniably, a big number of jobs, especially from the manufacturing sector, will
disappear. As 3DP simplifies the production process, there will be less staff needed
on the production lines for machining, welding and assembling operations. In
addition, many jobs in jewellery and craft sectors are at risk given the powerful
capabilities of 3DP.
3DP has the ability to efficiently manufacture products in local markets so it is
expected that many manufacturing jobs currently outsourced in China or other low-
wages countries will come back in Europe.

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3D printing benefits for Education
3DP has the potential to facilitate learning, develop skills, inspire creativity, improve
attitudes towards STEM subjects and careers and increase student engagement. In
the same time, it can increase teachers’ interest and engagement.
Learning with 3DP is also very exciting because students can get the first-hand
experience of a subject matter, especially in STEM subjects.

Improving student participation

3DP allows teachers to illustrate difficult concepts and increase students’

engagement through active learning. By increasing engagement within the
classroom, the student participation can be improved and a satisfying learning
environment can be created for all.
The students are particularly engaged when using their hands and creating something
that they can see, touch, show, explain and when they can use the physical results of
their efforts. All of these are possible by implementing 3DP in the classroom.

Promoting active learning

Active learning aims to engage students and encourage them to interact with the
learning process, as opposed to passively taking in the information. 3DP promotes
active learning practices by allowing students to investigate, explore, design or build
various things and to experience objects by touch and feel. When are involved, the
students can discover their talents and can develop critical thinking and problem
solving skills. Also, 3DP helps students to understand that it is OK to fail and to see
failure as an opportunity to persist and get better.

Using 3D printed object in the learning process helps students grasp the subject
matter and retain information.

Encouraging creative thinking

With 3DP, students can experiment an idea through trial and error and this encourage
them to be innovative and creative. Consequently, they are more likely to remember
the facts and lessons learned. The learning is enhanced as, during the process, they
are trying new things, test theories and think more creatively.

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Raising students’ interest in STEM education

3DP provides exceptional learning opportunities across science, technology,

engineering, art, and maths, allowing students to easier learn complex concepts and
providing teachers with new tools.

The students are often bored or frustrated with STEM classes taught from textbooks
and fail to understand the relationship between these subjects and real-world
applications. 3DP gives students the chance to experience STEM subjects in an
engaging, exciting, and hands-on way and to see the connections between these ones
and the real life. 3DP can inspire curiosity in STEM subjects and encourage them to
experience and explore a career in science or engineering.

Providing opportunities for practicing different learning styles

3DP facilitates the implementation of concepts like “learning by doing”, “experiential

learning and failure” and “enjoying while learning”. It encourages creative
experimentation, enables product innovation and entrepreneurship, supports the
integration of technical knowledge from other courses and facilitates multi‐ and
interdisciplinary approaches.

3DP is not just a way for students to experiment but it could inspire the next
generation of engineers, architects or designers. It can also help students that may
struggle with the traditional learning theories and topics from a textbook, but are
much more capable and successful when working with physical objects.
3D printers are able to bridge the gap between the scientific and artistic sectors,
enhancing students’ learning and productivity.

3DP opens up new learning possibilities allowing students to see their ideas come to
life and to interact with the objects they created in ways that were not previously
possible. In addition, teachers and students are able to duplicate museum items like
fossils and historical artefacts in order to study them in the classroom, to design and
make 3D models that help better understanding of notions from math, chemistry,
biology, geography etc.

As 3DP is going to be a part of the future, both professional and personal, it is very
important to introduce it into school education.

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3D printing trends
3DP is a very dynamic industry with rapid developments in many different areas:
equipment, software, materials, applications, legislation, jobs, etc. It will significantly
affect the future of peoples and companies. Consequently, there are many probable
3DP trends and possible directions of expansion. In this section, we will discuss only
some of them that are relevant for our target group: secondary school managers,
teachers and students.

A first trend is the continuous reduction of 3D printers and 3DP materials costs’
combined with an improvement of the offered capabilities, making 3DP more and
more accessible. In addition, thanks to the software and hardware improvements,
the 3D printers and 3DP process will be simpler to manage, the 3D models easier to
obtain (easier 3D modelling and 3D scanning) and the quality of final parts greatly
improved. This will contribute further to the spread of 3DP in homes, schools and
companies with big effects on economy and society.

3DP promotes the democratisation of manufacturing and more and more people will
be able to make various products, creating new opportunities for innovation and
entrepreneurship. Artists, crafters and designers will increasingly use 3DP to create
artwork, fashion goods, unique pieces. Makers will be able to build more and more
things as the capabilities of 3DP are expanding.

A significant growth of the global 3DP market is expected in the next years. 3DP will
be more and more adopted in different industries, its expansion will lead to an
increase in sales of 3DP products and services as well as a rise in the number of new
jobs available for people with relevant skills and knowledge related to 3DP.
Consequently, the students exposed to 3DP in school will have a big competitive
advantage on the job market.
In the coming years 3DP will become, in many cases, an alternative to current
manufacturing technologies. While nowadays, 3DP is used mainly for prototypes and
small batch fabrication, in the next few years it is expected to become widely used in
all kinds of manufacturing.

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3DP technologies will continue to develop at a fast pace, allowing for stronger, larger
and better-quality parts, higher printing speeds, lower costs, wider range of materials
and new applications. New materials are expected to be developed in addition to a
larger use of material like metals, ceramics, biological materials, food, etc. Multi-
material 3D printing is also expected to become reality.

Figure 26 - Concept for a large 3D printer. Source: modix3d.com

3DP makes possible the production of goods when and where are needed. For
example, various components and spare parts can be stored as digital files that can
be 3D printed on demand, reducing physical inventory and the relative warehouse
space, costs and risks. Also, in the future, it is likely that instead of large centralised
factories there will be small local 3DP shops. This will eliminate the need of
transporting manufactured goods, saving the fuel, time and labour and reducing the
pollution.

With 3DP, various products and parts can be made not only in every corner of the
Earth but even outside the Earth. There is already a 3D printer on the International
Space Station and there are ideas to build bases on the Moon, Mars or beyond using
3D printers and local materials. European Space Agency (ESA) is studying the
feasibility of 3D printing using lunar soil while NASA organized the “3D-Printed
Habitat Challenge”, a competition to create suitable shelters using resources
available on-site in Moon, Mars or other such locations.

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 Figure 27 – A 3D printer on the International Space Station. Source: https://madeinspace.us

Figure 28 - Concept of 3D printed construction on Mars. Source: NASA

However, in order to avoid the obstruction of 3DP’s wider adoption, all these
technical advances must be accompanied by education and skills development. This
can be done through a large-scale implementation of 3DP in education, made
possible by suitable trained teachers and appropriate equipment, materials and
programs.

24
Conclusions
3DP started to impact many aspects of economic and social life and the impact is
going to be even bigger in the future in terms of applications, jobs, industries
disruption, entrepreneurship, etc. Consequently, suitable skills and knowledge
related to 3DP will be needed in order to benefit from the resulting opportunities and
to adapt to the changes. The education sector can support both the 3DP market
development and people familiarisation with technology by implementing 3DP in
school, thus preparing the students for the future. One of the requirements to make
this possible is to have suitable trained teachers.

Figure 29 – Teachers and 3DP

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Additional resources
1. Thingiverse Education, https://www.thingiverse.com/education
2. “Training in 3D Printing To Foster EU Innovation & Creativity”, Erasmus+
project, https://3d-p.eu/
3. Makerbot Educators Guidebook, https://www.makerbot.com/stories/3d-
printing-education/free-ebook-makerbot-educators-guidebook/
4. Ford, S. and Minshall, T., Where and how 3D printing is used in teaching and
education, Additive Manufacturing, Volume 25, Pages 131-150, 2019
5. Learn how 3D Printing is useful everywhere,
www.sculpteo.com/en/applications/
6. 2020 Types of 3D Printing Technology, https://all3dp.com/1/types-of-3d-
printers-3d-printing-technology/
7. 5 Greatest 3D Printing Applications https://all3dp.com/2/greatest-3d-
printing-applications/
8. The Future of 3D Printing: Beyond 2020, https://all3dp.com/2/future-of-3d-
printing-a-glimpse-at-next-generation-making/
9. 14 3D printing applications & examples, https://builtin.com/hardware/3d-
printing-applications-examples
10.3D Printing Applications: A New Age,www.jabil.com/insights/blog-main/3d-
printing-applications.html
11.The top 5 benefits of 3D printing in education,
www.makerbot.com/stories/3d-printing-education/5-benefits-of-3d-printing/
12. 10 ways teachers are enhancing STEM learning with 3D printing
https://www.makersempire.com/top-10-stem-3dprinting-education/

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