MakerBot Stories

Director of Technology Joseph LePain gave Pre-K students at the Rocky Hill School a real world assignment. They're shown a 3D printed T-Rex Skull, then must dig up the rest of the bones, clean them, and put the dinosaur back together. It's made possible with the MakerBot Replicator Mini. (via Rocky Hill School)

Every student should be exposed to the wonders of 3D printing. To assist in these efforts, MakerBot Learning Manager Drew Lentz conducted a 3D printing demonstration at PS 89 Cypress Hills School.  While there, Lentz led a 7th and 8th grade STEM class as they modeled mini houses and printed nuts and bolts for the first time. (via MakerBot Stories)

Growing up, Alex Nobles watched his father 3D print prototypes to launch his small businesses. Now, Nobles creates props, accessories, and more in his own 3D printing business, Foxtrot Workshop. He prints everything from medical device parts to pet tags to jewelry for small startups. (via Foxtrot Workshop)

Inadequate access to clean, safe water is a growing global issue that needs our attention. In response, Parsons Design and Technology graduate Hussein Ismail invented Eshrab, a small solar-powered water generator that's $10 per unit and generates 2 liters per day. He iterated and refined his design with rapid prototyping using the MakerBot Replicator 2.  (via Husseinism)

People with MS or Lou Gehrig's disease can face debilitating changes to their physical abilities. Adaptive Equipment Specialist Don Fredette helps patients with a variety of severe diseases conquer their limits using functional 3D prints. At the Boston Home, Fredette designs devices like cup holders, wheelchair joystick controller toppers, and lever switches on Tinkercad. He 3D prints them on his MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer (5th Gen). These objects assist patients with everyday tasks. “3D printing is a useful tool in building assistive technology, when people’s needs change quickly and fast design iteration is important,” Fredette says. (via The Boston Home)

Ancient societies used talismans to conjure up magic and good fortune in their world. Parsons Design and Technology student Wynn Mustin found a way to create her own magic. Mustin launched STONEDALONE, a colorful collection of 3D printed gems, rings, and necklaces. Used for her senior thesis, she explored Thingiverse before building her own models, slicing them in MakerBot Desktop, and printing them on her MakerBot Replicator 2. “In the same way that aspiring jewelry designers have historically taken up metalsmithing and other traditional forms of fabrication, it seems like the aspiring jewelry designers of tomorrow are taking up CAD programs for 3D printing,” she says. (via STONEDALONE)

A great obstacle course is already a thrill, but the folks at Dimension Learning took it one step further. The non-profit afterschool program’s Bot Enabled Task Accomplishment (B.E.T.A.) Challenge tasked grades 5-8 with creating tools versatile enough to meet the demands of any obstacle imaginable. They weren’t shown the actual course until minutes before the live event. Students used Thingiverse, Sketchup, and Tinkercad before printing final designs on a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer. “We chose MakerBot for it’s larger print bed, the MakerBot Team’s super support, and the great finish quality of prints,” says Dimension Learning President Eldrid Sequeira. (via Dimension Learning) 

Only the products that you can trust make it into your medicine cabinet. That’s why pharmaceutical company Pfizer is developing better ways to test the quality of new medications with MakerBot. Pfizer scientists David Zakur and Edwin Berryman needed a way to keep rat bones in place while scanning to review the effectiveness of new treatments. Fellow scientist Tim Winton used a MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer (5th Gen) to create bone holders. This helped streamlined the entire scanning process. The added assistance of the 3D printed holders sped up their workflow, cut costs, and advanced the accuracy of their research. (via MakerBot Blog)

Shark Tank’s most successful investment, Scrub Daddy Inc., is expanding its brand using 3D printing. Having done over $75 million in sales, it’s the perfect time for Scrub Daddy to grow. CEO Adam Krause is prototyping new ideas with the MakerBot Replicator 3D Printer (5th Gen). “We have been able to test concepts in hours and each new print gives us a better experience so that we save even more time on the next go around. If you are an inventor and have endless ideas, you are stuck in the mud without one of these incredible ‘dream to life’ machines!” Krause says. (via MakerBot Blog)

A student’s zip code shouldn’t be what keeps them from receiving a quality education. The Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF) champions accessibility in low income areas. In partnership with SASF, PS 121 Throop was able to start an after school program to boost student performance with curriculum-based activities. Using his MakerBot Replicator (5th Gen), SASF Instructor Cliff Hernandez improved STEAM retention in his 4th and 5th grade architecture classes. Students created 3D printed houses, buildings, skylines, and more! SASF plans to expand 3D printing throughout to additional sites. (via MakerBot Blog)

During dinner, you might not notice the eating area of your chopsticks hitting the table. To avoid the mess and keep your food safe, Dang Tran created Gravity Chopsticks. His sticks are designed in a way that keeps the ends from touching whatever surface you place them on. He prototyped his original design on his MakerBot Replicator 2, saving time and money. Beyond prototyping, he utilizes his MakerBot “to discover new, useful ways of assembling the actual product itself.” It’s a “crucial part in piecing those ideas together.” (via Kickstarter)

STEM learning is not a walk in the park. Lots of students become easily discouraged bored, or befuddled. At Patrick F. Daly School of the Arts, educator Jenna Utter makes STEM learning fun with her classroom Makerspace. She challenges grades 2 through 5 with 3D-print projects that incorporate multiple content areas. like benches, models of earthquake simulations, name keychains, and more. Students collaborate to brainstorm, design, and model their print designs on Tinkercad. They learn about iteration, experimentation, and utilizing resources effectively during the process. (via MakerBot Blog)

Fifty primary and secondary schools in Estonia are pushing the boundaries of innovation. Each school was handpicked by Eesti 2.0, a private nonprofit organization, to receive a free MakerBot 3D printer. Eesti 2.0 launched this pilot program to help prepare Estonian students for future careers in technology. Students use TinkerCAD to create designs like geometrical shapes, models of organs, landscapes, and more. These innovators in training are using their MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D printers almost every day. (via MakerBot Stories)

A sip of whiskey should fully engage the senses. That's why Norlan Glass designed a glass for enhancing the complex, rich aromas to complement the flavor of each whiskey. The design features a double walled construction that increases oxidation and encourages the evaporation of ethanol during each sip. They saved time and money by testing and refining original models that were printed by a MakerBot Replicator 2. Now available for pre-order, the Norlan Whisky Glass is set to ship in July 2016. (via Norlan Glass)  

Shirley Anderson survived cancer but lost his jaw. Thanks to Dr. Travis Bellichi, a Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Resident at Indiana University, Anderson got a new one without the pain of reconstructive surgery. Bellichi designed a groundbreaking prosthetic jaw and 3D printed it on the school’s Replicator 5th Gen and Z18 printers. The rapid prototyping of the prosthesis cut Anderson’s wait time significantly, since Bellicchi was able to avoid long, drawn out outsourcing procedures. “3D printing on our MakerBots sparks creativity and collaboration beyond any technology that we use here at IU,” Bellicchi shares. (via WTHR)