Abstract:

The 3D printing technology is spreading its application domain into many branches of industry as well as research and education [1]. The paper relates experiences on how the student’s creativity can be boosted by the use of this recent, affordable and attractive technology in education. A survey of the 3D printers and 3D printing is given mostly for educational purposes. All authors are working in the Institute of Technology. The Institute of technology offer professional qualifications for bachelor of technology. Here, the electrical, mechanical, maintenance engineering departments welcome the authors sharing their experiences. The paper points out completed applications designed by the students in the educational process. It also describes the Fab Lab generation as a new interface between industry, education and social organisations that makes some courses more relevant to the labour market. One section is devoted to the completed projects. They are based on the same topics: mechanics, electronics and computer sciences, but are different on the teaching and managing point of view and and on how students are getting involved: mechanics for designing a product, electronics for plugging in the components and measuring signals, computer science for programming the functions. The first project is concerned with a finger print device. Two students in the second grade of electrical engineering bachelor worked within six months with an engineer. The subject is to build an autonomous device able to check the student’s presence in any classroom. The project has been completed thank to the daily availability of their supervisor. The second completed project is concerned with a 3D digitizer coming from a game pad to be use next to 3D print out any human face avatar. Two Japanese students from a Kosen went in France for one month to discover and apply the learning methods based on projects. Thank to the collaboration of the French students during that short period, a new project arise and should going on. They have chosen to design a smart medicine box. The third completed project refers to a design and realisation process. Twelve students in maintenance engineering domain free from the 3D technology and focus on a common application leading them to share their skills and knowledge during one year. Design an exoskeleton hand in order to restore the left hand damage of a person is the subject. That leads their supervisor to write down a patent application. Another section deals with the fabrication laboratory or Fab Lab generation. Most of Fab Labs are equipped with professional tools as 3D scanner and 3D printers. Close to educational purposes, the Fab Lab proposes as main topics to learn, create and share. The section describes a current usage of a Fab Lab in connection with a mechanical engineering department. In any previous situations, the student’s initiative guaranties the success of the experience. The multi skills required in the process also invites the teachers to share their basic knowledge and to learn themselves from their students. Such a behavior is boosting all motivations.

References:
[1] Dans la future société du coût marginal zéro, les imprimantes 3D rendront-elles serviles ? J.-P. Bécar, J. Vareille, proceedings of CNRIUT'2017 : 4-5 Mai 2017, Auxerre.

Keywords:

Multi-skills, sharing, learning by doing, team working.