Welcome to part 5, the final part of the STEAM 3D printing series of posts. In the previous part, we covered 3D design software and coding. In this part, we will discuss the fine tuning of the model print, using slicer software which should cover science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. We will also cover the possible networking potential with 3D printing, which can be seen as an advanced option, but has lots of learning potential, and will cover the technology sides of STEAM.

Welcome to part 4 of the 3D printers series of posts. In part 1 we covered the basics of 3D printing as a STEAM project, and in part 2 we covered the building of a 3D printer, the electronics and keeping safe in an education environment. Part 3 was dedicated to the engineering, mathematics and art components of the enclosure and the scientific components of the 3D printing filament. In this part, we will cover the technology, art, mathematics, and engineering within the design of 3D objects using software, as well as the technology and mathematics within the programming of the 3D printing firmware. 

Welcome to part 3 of the 3D printers series of posts. So far we have covered the basics of 3D printing as a STEAM project and covered the building of a 3D printer, the electronics and keeping safe in an education environment. In this part, we will cover the building of the enclosure and the raw materials used to print. This essentially covers engineering, mathematics, art, and Science.

Welcome to part 2 of this series, which will discuss how 3D printers cover a wide range of STEAM components in education. In part 1, I laid the groundwork and covered the basics, such as the history of 3D printers, the process of printing from start to finish and how the different aspects met the STEAM components.

In part 2, I will discuss building the printer and the electronics, along with the association Technology and Engineering components of STEAM.

3D printers are all the rage right now. There are people creating small models out of them, building houses out of them, and most recently, a whole car (most of a car) was built using a 3D printer. I've been interested in them for the longest while, but only in the past few years have they become affordable enough to gain traction with the hobbyist crowd, like me. You can pick up a relatively good one for less than £200, and the best thing about that is you can immediately (once you get it up and running, of course), start printing upgrades for the printer which further improves the quality of future prints.

With the huge reduction in price, this now becomes available as a tool for education. Yes, some schools probably already had 3D printers. However, they were most likely the kind that cost thousands of pounds, and no one was allowed to use it, cos it cost thousands of pounds. Now, they cost hundreds, so depending on the school you're in, they are well within the budget of single departments. So they can now feature much more widely in school curricula, and as department clubs and enrichment programs. This is exactly what this post or series of posts is aimed at, as it is way more fun if the students taking part already have an interest, and don't have to worry about the pressures of mandetory assessments and grading.

So how and where can this feature in your subject?