Abstract:

The growing accessibility of digital fabrication technologies is reshaping the possibilities of STEM education, enabling students to move from passive receivers of scientific knowledge to active designers of scientific tools. This presentation explores a multi-level educational initiative in which 3D modeling and additive manufacturing serve as both instructional strategies and catalysts for developing scientific literacy across educational stages.

The initiative centers on the iterative design and fabrication of two educational instruments: a modular 3D-printed weather station and a classroom-oriented seismometer. Undergraduate students were directly involved in the complete engineering cycle, including conceptual development, CAD modeling, structural optimization, filament selection based on mechanical and environmental constraints, additive manufacturing, electronics integration, and iterative refinement. The weather station evolved through two major iterations, transitioning from a hybrid printed electronic structure to a predominantly 3D-printed, weather-resistant system optimized for outdoor deployment, durability, and reduced assembly complexity. The redesigned seismometer similarly focused on minimizing non-printed components, reducing material waste and print time, and improving clarity of structure and function.

Beyond technical development, the fabrication process itself served as an experiential learning framework for undergraduate participants, strengthening competencies in engineering thinking, constraint-based design, material science, and applied physics. The resulting instruments are subsequently implemented in instructor-led workshops, science fairs, and outreach activities for middle and secondary school students. In addition, digital design files and documentation are distributed to schools, supporting replication and integration into technical and STEM-oriented curricula.

The presentation will discuss how digital fabrication can bridge engineering practice in higher education and secondary-level science learning, positioning 3D-printed instrumentation as an educational mediator between abstract scientific principles and tangible experimentation. The session will also reflect on the pedagogical implications of integrating design-based learning and additive manufacturing into contemporary STEM education.

Acknowledgements:
This work is supported by the QuakeQuest Immersive Educational Earthquake Simulation Project (PN-IV-P7-7.1-PED-2024-1386), funded by the Ministry of Education and Research through UEFISCDI, within PNCDI IV and Science in Schools Programme, project no.PN-IV-P10-SS-SC-2024-0042 (STEAM-EXPERIENCE).

Keywords:

Digital fabrication, 3D printing, STEM education, experiential learning, design-based learning, scientific literacy, additive manufacturing, engineering education, educational instrumentation, technology-enhanced learning.