Funding from the Training and Development Agency, has enabled provision of nine Dimension BST 768 machines, which means that nine support centres, one per government region, have ownership of this state of the art machinery. This equipment means that they can provide 3D printing capability to promote the development of innovative, high quality activities to enhance the secondary design and technology curriculum. These centres offer a range of additional training opportunities to maximise the use of the printers across the region.

If you have items that can be made on the printer (in ABS) please make contact for details of file formats and maximum size. The preparation software (CatalystEX) can be made available to partner schools so that pupils can explore the manufacturing parameters before sending to the printer.

In addition, some centres now have a Rapman 3D printer. Details of those centres that host the 3D printers are found on the Regional Support section of this site.

New terminology?

“Rapid Manufacturing” has become a generic term that is applied to any process that produces manufactured goods quickly. To avoid confusion, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers has adopted a new term, direct digital manufacturing. The association’s definition of direct digital manufacturing is “The process of going directly from an electronic, digital representation of a part to the final product via additive manufacturing.“
Another common term is Additive Manufacturing to contrast with manufacturing by removal of material (e.g. lathes and milling machines).

Intoduction to 3D printing: http://www.ted.com/talks/lisa_harouni_a_primer_on_3d_printing.html

3D Printing Industry News: http://3dprintingindustry.com/