Introduction
A 3D printer creates objects by layering melted strings of filament.
The purpose of this activity is to use the glue from a hot glue gun as if it were the filament that is used to create objects in a 3D printer.
Warning
We are using hot glue guns.
They are HOT.
Do not touch the tip.
NOTE
No laptops are required for this activity – hard copies will be provided to you.
Exercises
1a: 2D Shapes Border
With your partner, using only the glue from the gun, try making each of the following shapes, creating only the border – do not fill in the centre of each shape.
1b: 2D Shapes Filled
Next, try making these 2D shapes, but fill them in. How will you choose to position the glue within the shape?
2a: 3D Shapes Cube
Now let’s add a dimension. Can you create a hollow cube?
Discuss
What worked? Did any portion of your build come apart?
2b: 3D Shapes Solid Cube
Now, try to make a solid cube:
2c: 3D Shapes Sail Boat
Ready for a challenge? Try to make this sailboat – once again – using only “filament” (glue) from the glue gun:
Debrief
Now you know the basics of 3D printing!
Just like a hot glue gun, a 3D printer heats a nozzle that melts some plastic.
The nozzle of the printer then moves along the design that you provide and excretes (leaves behind) the plastic where you have told it to.
Example
As you discovered – 3D printers can’t just print things in thin air!
Construction workers need to use scaffolding so that they can stand and build a structure:
A 3D printer needs something to place each layer of melted plastic upon:
Do you see any similarities?
Once you remove the supports from the print, you end up with the intended design:
Printing with supports is a great help for complex designs, but it uses up plastic and creates a lot of waste.
In the best case scenario, we plan our designs so that they can be printed without using supports.
NOTE
To print without supports, make sure that your model:
- Has no floating sections
- Has no “sharp” angles
- Is all connected
- Has something to print upon (not trying to print on thin air)
Reflection
Create a portfolio entry to reflect upon this exercise.
Copy-and-paste these questions into that portfolio entry, and then provide brief response to each one:
- What challenges did you face when creating your shapes and structures with the hot glue gun?
- How did the stability of your structure compare to what you expected? Why do you think this happened?
- How does the process of using a hot glue gun compare to the way you imagine a 3D printer works?
- What did you learn about the importance of planning before creating a 3D model?