Dremel Launches 3D Printer for Classroom Use
Dremel has debuted a 3D printer designed specifically for
use in the classroom. The Dremel 3D Idea Builder is now
available to the
education market, complete with teaching tools and customer support and
training.
Available
for
about $1,000, the 3D Idea Builder is a 20-pound device roughly the size of a small
microwave
oven. Inside it is an extruder that heats and places the plastic on a
left/right and front/back axis. Its movements are controlled by a 3D
design
digital file that can be downloaded to the printer. Its reduced noise
quality
minimizes classroom distractions while printing.
Intended to enhanced science, technology,
engineering, art and math (STEAM)
subjects, the printer comes with 10 curriculum-based lesson plans and
3D model
kits. Customer support is available via phone, Skype, online chat and
e-mail.
"Because classroom technology continues to evolve,
we wanted to provide
students with a tool that truly captures their potential," said Dremel
3D
Education Manager George Velez. "Paired with support and resources that
help
teachers integrate the technology into their instruction, the Dremel 3D
Idea Builder
can spark students' interest in important STEM concepts."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.