What can you do with a 3D printer?

What can you do with a 3D printer?

Written by Hannah McDole, Warren High School

We have seven small 3D printing machines and one larger 3D printer here in the BB2C Makerspace. We have classes that can teach you how to use one but, what exactly can a 3D printer do? Well, I will explain...

Brad, the Makerspace coordinator, took me on tour and showed me seven printers that are all the same brand. He explained that each one was built with a certain defect. Rather than get rid of them, he did some problem solving to fix the defect. This brand has a heated sensor and wire that lay on each other. Now, if the wire and the sensor continue to lay on one another one of two things could happen. It could break the heat sensor so the printer doesn’t know how hot to get, therefore it would cook your project. Or, it could break the wire which would make the printer not know how to print. Brad explained neither was a good option. So, he designed protective gear and 3D printed it from the Makerspace 3D printers to add to the machines and keep the wire and the sensor safe. He even had them colored coded, as you see in the picture!

Not only can you use the 3D printer to fix the printer itself but, you can use it to fix household items as well. You can use a 3D printer to make pieces for a broken doll, broken appliance parts and things like that. Brad mentioned that at Ohio University they are using a 3D printer for their vet school. He explained that they take a scan of a cat and then 3D print the cat so the surgeons can practice and be able to know what they are going to do ahead of the surgery. Brad also told me that businesses usually will build 3D printed models of whatever they are trying to sell to gain the attention of buyers. They would print out several, of let’s say, pens. They would have several people try out these pens and the one that was most liked would be the one they would then mass produce.

There are so many things you can do with a 3D printer, in addition to printing mini bunnies. Come down and take a look or take a class! Brad and the Makerspace content experts can brainstorm ideas with you.