Category Archives: Design & Technology

What 3D print medium is both easy to use, and offers more possibilities, than virtually any other?

There is one 3D print medium that stands out from all the rest.

A medium that uses portable equipment that readily fits into the classroom, which has no environmental issues associated with it, and which can produce a wide variety of unique objects in which pupils, students and parents will take great pride.

This medium is clay, and now there is a 3D printer which uses clay and which has been designed for classroom use.  It is portable and its size means it readily fits into Art and D&T classrooms with ease.

Indeed so certain are we in terms of the benefits it brings to schools that we are currently offering the Claybot 3D printer on a six week free trial to schools with no obligation whatsoever.  We’ll even deliver free, and pick up free of charge at the end.

3D printing with clay makes for both fast and safe printing, for there are no noxious consumables, powders, or waste gases: the approach simply uses the ingredients of clay and water.

Indeed 3D printing with clay is an extraordinarily efficient way for your students to become involved in a complex technology system, producing materials that they can be proud of and which their parents will be pleased to buy.

You can then challenge pupils to 3D model their own objects or use simple, auto-help programs like Claybot’s Quickvase for those with fewer skills.

To give but one example of what this technology brings to schools: nozzle sizes vary from 1mm to 4mm, extrude at a rate of up to 50mm per second, meaning the students’ creations appear in minutes rather than hours. And, of course, they can be worked physically and/or artistically after being printed.

If you would like to see what the machine can do, there is a series of videos of the machine in operation on our website.  You can also find technical details, etc, at www.claybot.co.uk.

If you are interested in taking a 3d clay printer for six weeks for free in your school in either the late spring or summer terms (places for the year are disappearing fast!), please do call us on 01926 865109 or email mike@claybot.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mike Ellis

How best to demonstrate 3d Print technology in a classroom…

 ….and create a 200mm high printed pottery piece in under 15 minutes!

Of course, to demonstrate to your students exactly how 3d printing works you need a 3d printer and 3d model content which fits the bill for a single or double lesson.

It was through thinking of the issues of how best to get 3d printing to bridge Art and Design & Technology that we evolved the notion of a portable 3d printer that works with clay. And now, in its 2nd evolution, we have created an ideal combination of machine and material which can be made available for a free six week trial in schools.

Such an approach, we reasoned, would also allow students to channel their creativity post-print – because clay allows carving, surface decorations, handles, and, of course, glazes to be added … all actions that 3d printing with plastic does not offer.

And so this is what we have produced.

Because our 3d clay printers are light and portable, they can be moved within the school into other departments.  In fact many schools plan to share their 3d clay printer with other schools in their area with each school having the printer for (for example) half a term.

Setting up the 3d clay printer is simplicity itself, and once set up one has a printer that produces its items within the time constraints of a standard lesson – all without any of the environmental impact that 3d printing in plastic can bring.

If you would like our 3d clay printer on a six week free trial we will deliver it free of charge, provide full training to the relevant member of staff, and remove the printer at the end.  Example 3d computer-models are provided to begin with, and our Vase Creator offers a simple and fast introduction to model design for those with fewer computer skills.

In terms of technical details, the 3d clay printer has a footprint of 550 x 350mm and a total height with the cartridge loaded of 1235mm.  As for installation, there are no special requirements – just two plug sockets.  And we deliver by hand at a time convenient to you.

If you would like to see what the machine can do, there is a series of videos of the machine in operation on our website.  You can also find technical details, etc, at www.claybot.co.uk.

If you are interested in taking a 3d clay printer for six weeks for free in your school in either the late spring or summer terms (places for the year are disappearing fast!), please do call us on 01926 865109 or email mike@claybot.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mike Ellis

With 3D clay printers it is not just the printing, but also what comes after

For most people, seeing 3D printing with clay for the first time is quite an extraordinary experience.

But in many ways the production of a clay item is just phase one.  For after that the students are able to carve, add surface decorations, handles, and, of course, glazes …  all actions that 3D printing with plastic does not offer.

Indeed in terms of the printing itself we should not just think of traditional clay objects, because a 3D clay printer can work to produce many things, from fossils to artefacts.  As such the 3D clay printer is the perfect mechanism for cross curricular activities bringing in both science and art as well as design and technology across the whole process.

Additionally, because 3D clay printers are light and portable, they can be moved within the school into other departments.  In fact many schools are sharing their 3D clay printer with other schools in their area with each school having the printer for (for example) half a term.

Setting up the 3D clay printer is simplicity itself, and once set up one has a printer that produces its items within the time constraints of a standard lesson – and without any of the environmental impact that 3D printing in plastic can bring.

And just in case that were not enough, a clay printer produces products that parents will be pleased to have in the house – and indeed pleased to pay for, if sold at the school fete, etc.

A six week free trial

Naturally before you commit yourself you’ll want to see that the 3D clay printer really can do all that we say.  Which is why we are currently offering it to schools in your area for free, without obligation, for six weeks.

The 3D clay printer is delivered free of charge, provided with full training to the relevant member of staff, and removed at the end.  Example 3D computer-models are provided to begin with, and our Vase Creator offers a simple and fast introduction to model design for those with fewer computer skills.

In terms of technical details, the 3D clay printer has a footprint of 550 x 350mm and a total height with the cartridge loaded of 1235mm.  As for installation, there are no special requirements – just two plug sockets.  And we deliver by hand at a time convenient to you.

If you would like to see what the machine can do, there is a series of videos of the machine in operation on our website.  You can also find technical details, etc, at www.claybot.co.uk

If you are interested in taking a 3D clay printer for six weeks for free in your school in either the late spring or summer terms (places for the year are diappearing fast!), please do call us on 01926 865109 or email mike@claybot.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Mike Ellis

3D clay printers are so light and easy to set up they can easily be shared among schools

There are many benefits to using 3D clay printers as opposed to 3D printers that utilise plastics or other materials.  And key to better and wider use is that the machines are portable.

This means that once you have a 3D clay printer you can easily share it with other schools in your cluster – thus making the technology readily affordable across several schools, while allowing a large number of students to experience 3D printing for themselves.

What’s more, setting up the 3D clay printer is simplicity itself, and once set up one has a printer that produces its items within the time constraints of a standard lesson – and without any of the environmental impact that (for example) plastic 3D printing brings.

And just in case that were not enough, a clay printer produces products that parents will be pleased to have in the house – and indeed pleased to pay for, if sold at the school fete.

Now I appreciate that having 3D clay printers in schools is a new idea and we need to prove their worth, and that is why we are willing to let you have a 3D clay printer in your school for free, without obligation, for six weeks.

The 3D clay printer is, of course, delivered free of charge, provided with full training to the relevant member of staff, and naturally removed at the end.  Example 3D computer-models are provided to begin with, and our Vase Creator offers a simple and fast introduction to model design.

In terms of technical details, the 3D clay printer has a footprint of 550 x 350mm and a total height with the cartridge loaded of 1235mm.  As for installation, there are no special requirements – just two plug sockets.  And we deliver by hand at a time convenient to you.

If you are interested in taking a 3D clay printer for six weeks for free in your school in the spring term 2018, please do call us on 01926 865109 or email mike@claybot.co.uk

If you would like to see what the machine can do, there is a series of videos of the machine in operation on our website.  You can also find technical details etc at www.claybot.co.uk

What is by far the most time-friendly 3D printer that can be used in schools?

3D printers come with a variety of issues: not least is how much time it takes to produce an object, the design merits and functionality of the products produced, and the environmental impact.

Indeed, what is needed is a 3D printer that produces its items within the time constraints of a lesson, which has none of the environmental impact that (for example) plastic brings, and which produces products that parents will be pleased to have in the house – and indeed pleased to pay for if sold at the school fete.

It is with such ambitions in mind that we have been working on producing a 3D printer for schools which meets all these requirements.

We believe we’ve now done this, and we are now looking for schools to take our 3D clay printers for free for a six week trial,  starting at a date convenient to you from January 2018.

To be clear, there is absolutely no obligation to buy.  We’ve already installed them in several schools, and now we have ten more machines ready to be used in our second phase of free trials.  We deliver at the start and collect at the end.

All you have to do is agree to take a machine for six weeks and use it with pupils and/or students in your school.  Then at the end of the trial let us know how you got on.

Certainly the feedback we had in the last school year has been extremely positive, so you are not taking on a concept which has not been used in schools before.  And I should add that teachers thus far have said the high quality clay products produced by the 3D printer have been well received by parents, and selling to them is a potential source of revenue.

The 3D clay printer is, of course, provided with full training to the relevant member of staff. Example 3D computer-models are provided to begin with and our Vase Creator offers a simple and fast introduction to model design.

In terms of technical details the 3D clay printer has a footprint of 550 x 350mm and a total height with the cartridge loaded of 1235mm.  As for installation, there are no special requirements: the equipment is delivered to the school and carried in by hand at a time convenient to you.

If you are interested in taking a 3D clay printer for six weeks in your school in the spring term 2018, please do call us on 01926 865109 or email mike@claybot.co.uk

www.claybot.co.uk

Research: students who use web-based testing progress at a faster rate

Students who regularly test their literacy and numeracy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects

According to research carried out by Andrew Gallacher (an education coordinator at the University of Glasgow), students who regularly test their numeracy and literacy skills with web-based games progress fastest overall across the subjects.

Which is exactly why Education Quizzes exists – and why we are offering free sign up for schools to Education Quizzes for a whole year.

Our library of KS3 Design and Technology quizzes covers a range of topic areas, making them ideal for revising what your students are being taught in their D and T lessons, past and present.

Education Quizzes is also ideal to set as homework tasks as it involves little to no PPA time – giving you more time to focus on planning and preparing future lessons and assessing the work of your students from lessons which have gone before.

To see the KS3 D and T quizzes that we have produced thus far, toggle through the topic area links below. Alternatively, you can email admin@educationquizzes.com to request more information.

If you would like to sign up free to Education Quizzes for a year, simply visit our schools’ registration page – www.educationquizzes.com/schools-uk-registrations/.Topic area

Communicating Ideas 01 

Communicating Ideas 02 

Food 01 

Food 02 

Needs and Likes 01 

Needs and Likes 02 

Resistant Materials 01 

Resistant Materials 02 

Textiles 01 

Textiles 02 

See all

An Interactive FOOD TECHNOLOGY Software Free Trial Offer, At An Unmissable Price. No School Should Miss Out On This. It Is Simply Unbelievable!

This offer for ALL 8 titles is packed with hundreds of stunning curriculum 3D animations describing difficult to understand concepts for FOOD TECHNOLOGY, text, voice-overs, quiz zones, drag and drops, multiple choice quizzes and more.

Includes a full school site PC and network licence, nothing more to pay EVER! Free 14-day trial , so if you don’t like it you can just send it back. All 8 of these individual great titles are included in the pack for just £100 for everything:

Contamination of Food; Functional Properties Of Food; Keeping Food Safe 1; Keeping Food Safe 2; Labelling; Packaging; Safe Working Environment 1; Safe Working Environment 2

It’s just £100 for all 8 of these software titles in
one pack!

Now isn’t that truly staggering value for money for all these titles from the UK’s leading curriculum software supplier? Let’s beat the cuts!

To order your free trial please click here

 

Multimedia Workpacks for Design and Technology

The Design & Technology Multimedia Workpacks provide the equivalent of a factory tour and explore different aspects of production from a real world perspective. Each Workpack includes worksheets and a series of short film clips that can be shown to the whole class via a DVD player or viewed by individual pupils across a network. They provide an insight into the issues faced by designers and technologists in real companies.

Worksheets expand on the topics and issues.  These are available as printed sheets for duplicating and also in an electronic version that can be adapted to fit within existing schemes of work. The materials can be used in the classroom but are also appropriate for homework, cover lessons, revision, and to help students who have missed lessons.

Titles

Issue 1: Job Production – “Tailor Made”

This workpack looks at handmade products, where the designer and maker are the same person.  Two different businesses, a jewellery maker and a wedding dress designer are profiled to illustrate the process of commissioning by a client, the choice of materials and production method, to the completed product.

Worksheets on: An introduction to job production, Researching your ideas, Design for function, Selecting materials – textiles, Job production – jewellery, Prototyping, Joining materials

Issue 2: Mass Production – “It’s a Plastic World”

Paperfeel designs and manufactures co-extruded polyethylene film to meet the technical, functional, economic and aesthetic requirements of its customers.  These films will typically be used within the packaging industry in the form of sacks, bags, and food wrappings.

Worksheets on: Mass production, Manufacture of polyethylene film, Ensuring quality production, Types and usage of plastics, Materials testing, Selecting materials in packaging

Great value at £42.50 each (plus VAT). P&P is included in the price. If you wish to put the resources on a school-wide network, you will need a site licence for each product priced at £30.50 (plus VAT).

To download brochure, click here

Visit www.istudypacks.co.uk/design-technology for further information or email info@istudypacks.co.uk

Holdsworth Associates, Century House, Market Street, Swavesey, CB24 4QG 01954 202789