Girl Scout Adventures in 3D Printing

Brownie and Daisy Scouts Learn about 3D Printing

The girl scout meeting went great! I have never heard so many ooh's and ah's! 

I had the girls start out by telling me what patch they are working on and how they are fulfilling the requirements of that patch. They are trying to earn their Inventor Badge by designing, building, and presenting a new invention. I then explained to the girls how they are doing the same thing real engineers and technologists do. 

I told the girls that one way that inventors design and create products is through the use of computer software and 3D printers.  I explained and demonstrated how a designer can use a computer aided design software to make a graphic of their product. Then the software takes the product design and slices it into layers that can be printed on the printer, one on top of each other, as an additive process. I gave the girls their necklaces so that they could see the layers of material within their charms. I explained how the the PLA material used to print their charms was recyclable as well as biodegradable. I used a glue gun to demonstrate how the 3D printer can take a solid plastic material and heat it through a nozzle to make a melted line of plastic that solidifies as it cools. 



I sent the girl scout charm digital file to the Cube printer and while the printer was heating, I answered questions from the girls. To my surprise, hands shot up in the air. Questions such as (a) how long does it take, (b) how big an object can it print, (c) what shapes can it print, and (d) how exactly does it work, were asked. Such great questions. 

After answering the final questions, the printer began printing. I immediately heard the best responses! Something to the effect of  "Oh wow, that's so cool" were heard for each girl. The charms take about 15 mins to print so after a few layers on the printer the girls went back to their tables to finish building their inventions out of their own materials from home. Periodically girls would run over to the Cube printer to watch the progress. Viewing was always accompanied by a "That's so cool!" At one point I got another question, "Does it carve out the letters now?" The answer to which was, no, it adds the letters. Again, an "Oh wow" moment.

I loved the energy and uninhibited interest these young girls had in the 3D printing process. The troop leader took our picture and is going to send it to the local news paper as well as the state girl scout website. 

Here are more pictures from the demonstration.