MAKER: 3-D-printing evolution in engineering education: The things we make

Abstract

This paper presents the five stages of evolution in the inexpensive 3D printing movement by defining and measuring the degree of acceptance/usefulness of inexpensive 3D printing technologies in an engineering educational environment. The stages (Familiarization, Design, Extension, Material Exploration, and Expansion) are defined as a function of quality and quantity of students' involvement through the degrees of complexity, ingenuity, and utility of printed objects, as well as the students' sophistication in using additional machines and techniques supporting 3D printing processes. A number of examples from an engineering department's 3D printing laboratory are provided to illustrate the various stages of 3D printing evolution.