In this post, I wanted to explain how we used a Dremel IdeaBuider to print projects for a real client.
This lesson was created for our 3D Printing students as a lesson that went along with filling our TEKS requirements on presenting to a real client. This project was created with that in mind, and since we are quite a distance from a lot of businesses, we had to take advantage of the employees we did have access to. This lesson was used as an assessment of putting together some of the skills they have already learned, as well as really listening to a client and discovering what their needs are.
Being able to put a real client in front of the students, and forcing the student to actually build around someone else’s needs has been a great project for everyone involved. The teachers end up with a product that they like and want to showcase in their classroom, and the student’s learn to adjust their build according to the feedback given by the teacher.
Each student was assigned their own teacher. In fact, each student had to set up a meeting with their prospective teacher, and the teacher requested the student based on their pitch. The products varied greatly from student to student. Some teachers requested objects for their personal children, while others wanted things they could showcase in their classroom. The main requirements for all students were the same. They had to meet periodically with their teacher throughout the 6 weeks that were allotted for the project, and they had to keep track of their meetings with the teachers, and how their model had changed from the initial idea.
This really tested the student’s ability to create something that pleased their client. The beauty of this project was it forced the student’s to really rely on their modeling to show their client what they were thinking, and it allowed the teacher to explain their thoughts right on the spot. For this project, we also used Tinkercad.com to build our models. Once the student and teacher had an idea for a model that they liked, the student would then print a ¼ scale model for the teacher. After this passed the teacher test, the final product was printed.
Short Video Explanation
