Teachers who 3D print open-source learning aids for their students instead of purchasing equivalent commercial products available from retailers likeAmazoncould save around 86% of costs, according to researchers from密歇根技术大学。
Conducting research into the economic viability of classroom 3D printing, the researchers found that 38 3D printable learning aid designs evaluated during the study have saved the educational community a total of $1.7 million so far.
由于购买体育学习辅助的资本有时很难为许多学校提供，因此3D打印开源学习援助设计可能会提供可观的投资回报。
3D打印学习辅助工具
3D printers have been utilized within schools for some time, with some schools having createdtheir own 3D printing labs在行业合作伙伴的帮助下。其他人则使用3D打印模型来帮助他们的学生visualize the basics of anatomy, and提高学生的参与度跨主题。
一家长期以来占用披风的制造商在学校提供3D打印isMakerBotwith itsStarterLab程序。StarterLab于2015年推出，提供了Makerbot Replicator+ 3D打印机，Makerbot Replicator Z18 3D打印机，丝和印刷头的雷电竞app下载各种组合。免费的在线教育资源还可以与当地合作伙伴的安装和培训一起提供。
活跃在该领域的其他公司包括Ultimakerwith its创建教育项目，它提供免费的资源和支持，以帮助教育工作者将3D打印整合到小学，二级和高等教育机构中。3D打印教育资源的提供商Learnbaylayerspartnered with the国家STEM学习中心based at theUniversity of Yorkin 2018, to run courses designed toprovide school teachers with the basicsof using 3D printing technology.
Experts attending the BETT 2020 education technology industry show in January stated the intention tobring more 3D printers into schoolsthis year, after past studies showed有希望的发现关于3D printing and 3D design in schools。
Investigating classroom economics
This study specifically investigates the economics of classroom-based 3D printing of open-source digital designs of learning aids, focusing on the use of open-source desktop 3D printers. Five learning aid examples were evaluated for their functionality, physically printed and calculated mass ratios, and 3D printer energy consumption to determine a dollar-to-kilogram cost for printing.
Then, the researchers analyzed the economic viability of an additional 33 learning aid designs, taking into account their printing and assembly costs, and compared them to equivalent or inferior commercial products available on Amazon. Percentage savings were then calculated and scaled up to a world-scale based on download volume rates.
研究人员使用了MyMiniFactory’s幼儿园，小学，中学和高中年龄的学习辅助工具的数据库，包括生物学，化学，设计和技术，数学等主题。他们选择亚马逊作为研究中的比较零售商，这是由于其“公认的竞争方法”降低了消费者的成本。
Using aLulzbotTAZ 6 3D打印机和3mm PLA细丝，研究人员3D打印的学习辅助设计，包括时钟，脑模型，毕达哥拉斯定理视觉辅助工具，脊髓模型和燃烧引擎。
Lulzbot最近宣布了最新的添加到其3D打印机投资组合，TAZ Pro S单排骨FDM系统，主要针对专业工程师，设计师和中小型企业。在下面的视频中，研究作者约书亚·皮尔斯（Joshua Pearce）解释了为什么密歇根理工学院选择卢尔兹伯特（Lulzbot）的打印机来帮助他们的研究。
3D打印节省了教室成本
As a result of their analysis, the researchers found that fabricating the average learning aid themselves would provide teachers with 86% cost savings. The study also found that, on average, swapping the purchase of a learning aid for one that is 3D printed saves more than the cost of a 1kg spool of commercial filament.
The average learning aid evaluated during the study was downloaded more than 1,500 times, indicating the potential for distributed manufacturing to produce learning aids around the world. The average saving per year for each open-source learning aid design was calculated at $11,822, with the 38 learning aids analyzed during the study producing a total $450,000 per year saving. To date, these particular learning aids have each provided an average saving to educators of over $45,000, totaling a $1.7 million saving for the international educational community.
As a result, the researchers concluded that distributed manufacturing for education will not only save schools money but also provide a significant return on investment of more than 100%.
该研究的更多详细信息可以在标题为““The economics of classroom 3D printing of open-source digital designs of learning aids,”发表在MDPI杂志上。该研究由J. M. Pearce和N. Gallup合着。
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特色图片显示3D打印的脊髓学习帮助。通过myminifactory图像。
