When the new 3D printers and carver arrived this year in David Meirik’s classroom and are the subject of some speculation among students and staff. What are the machines being used for? As far as many people knew, there hadn’t been much planned for the machines… until now. There is a plan in the works to use the new 3D printers and carver to create student-made art and tools that will be designed on the computer and printed out into a tangible object, which can then be sold in a student-run business.

   “We got it this year, it was kind of a process getting it all, but it came from Perkins funds, which is CTE (Career Technical Education) funds given to just a few CT teachers, and so I chose to kind of enhance the room with Maker-type 3D equipment, so two 3D printers and a 3D carving machine,” said Meirik, the computer design and MakerSpace teacher.

   “There’s a big world of stuff we could do, the idea of a student creations-type business is just one avenue we could take (the equipment), because obviously culinary likes the idea, it sounds like Mr. Backman likes the idea, and it seems like the Maker class would want to be involved with it… the main students who would help manage and run the whole thing would be one section of my Entrepreneurship class,” said Meirik.

   The plan for how the business would run is that the Entrepreneurship class would design products they believed would sell, with the printers and carver being used to create these objects, and then they  would figure out how to get the creations to market, whether it be through an Etsy online store, or an e-commerce system through the school website. The question of what the business’ profits would go to is also still in the works.

   “It would be fundraising for whatever departments are involved, I think, but that’s one of many things we’re still going to sort out,” said Meirik.

   In addition to the planned business, the technology is being used in a variety of ways by students. Freshman Belen Altamirano, used the new technology to help her express her other interests, even relating to other academics.

   “I’m currently taking French and they were planning a trip to France, which I’m really interested in, and I finished all my work I had to do (in the design class), so (Meirik) told me I could do whatever I wanted to using AutoDesk, so I started work on designing the Eiffel Tower… then he told me I could print it using the 3D printer, but it was too thin and fell apart, so I’ve worked on thickening it, adding a base, so hopefully I’ll be able to print it out… it’ll be about 14 centimeters tall,” said Altamirano.

   Senior Jackson White also used the technology to print out something of his own creation: a 1960s-style spaceship model, reflecting White’s love of science fiction.

   “I was one of the first printed, like as a test object, to see the size, scale… the first one was kind of tiny because we were still trying to figure out the units on it, and a few classes later, he printed out a slightly bigger one out of a different material,” said White.

   “It was kind of strange (to see the design go from the computer to real object), but not that strange because I know what we’re capable of with this technology…. It took a long time to print, even for the small one, practically all class,” said White.

   The 3D printers and carver seem to have endless possibilities for expressing creativity, and with the student-run business plan being a viable option, it is possible next year’s students will see a lot more of what they are capable of.