“3D printing belongs in the classroom”

Message from the Education forum at Rapid.Tech 3D: The development of additive manufacturing (AM) skills must be integrated into the school curriculum.

Additive manufacturing plays an existential role for a high-tech country like Germany. “In order for us to maintain our lead when it comes to working with this key technology and to make the best use of the opportunities it offers, more is needed than just the industry and its researchers. We need to start working with additive manufacturing much earlier and begin teaching students about it, as well as giving them hands-on experience in schools. 3D printing belongs in the classroom. We are using Rapid.Tech 3D as an opportunity to raise public awareness of AM in education in a dedicated forum at the specialist conference to demonstrate ways for it to be integrated into the curricula,” emphasises Michael Eichmann, chairman of the specialist advisory board.

The vision and organisation of the forum on 17 May 2022, are in the hands of three partners: Alongside 3D printing system manufacturers Stratasys and MakerBot, there’s MedienLB - Medien für Lehrpläne und Bildungsstandards GmbH Starnberg. The company, headed by Dr Anita Stangl, produces innovative interactive working materials such as digital learning tools for the classroom, which allows them to reach the approximately 600 media centres in Germany. These centres enable teaching staff to borrow digital media for use in schools, free of charge. They also receive proper training on the use of learning aids. MedienLB will be organising a training course in Erfurt exclusively for the staff of the media centres, whichwill focus on the use of digital tools in the classroom.

Preparing young people for the world of digital work

During the public part of the forum on the afternoon of 17 May, representatives from industry, research and education will discuss ways of integrating additive and digital technologies into teaching in general education and vocational schools. In her presentation, Franziska Kaut from Procter & Gamble will highlight the industry’s training requirements in this field. Mira H. Wulff from IPN - Leibnitz Institute for Science Education in Kiel will talk about a collaboration with Danish partners. They are working across national boundaries in Southern Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein to prepare young people for the work environment in the region and to support skills for job-relevant digital technologies. Teacher Daniel Müller will explain how 3D printing is taught in the vocational college at the Louis-Lepoix school in Baden-Baden. Klaus Winkler from Synapsis will bring a suitcase to Erfurt that contains five model parts as well as the necessary hardware and software, including instructions, to construct the five parts using additive manufacturing. "Digital-Genial" is the name of this 3D design and printing solution for schools, which was jointly developed by partners from industry and education. Participants at the forum can view these and other solutions in an accompanying exhibition foyer.

High-calibre specialist programme with innovations from AM application and research

The Education forum is part of the high-calibre Rapid.Tech 3D specialist conference. At the conference, keynotes from Airbus Helicopter, Autodesk, German Emirati Institute, nFrontier, Porsche, Procter & Gamble, Sauber and Toolcraft will provide insights into current additive developments. The topics will be discussed in greater depth during the various trade forums. In addition to the Education forum, there will be forums on AM in Construction Engineering & Architecture; Automotive & Mobility; Design, Aviation; Medical, Dental & Orthopaedic Technology; Software & Processes; Tool, Model and Mould Making, and News from AM. The current perspectives and state of AM research will be presented at the AM Science forum. This strand of the programme will include a presentation from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft on the latest results and projects in the field of additive manufacturing.

Detailed information on the keynote speeches and the content of the individual trade forums can be found in the overview of the programme for the Rapid.Tech 3D specialist conference at the following link:

www.rapidtech-3d.com/visitors/congress-programme/

Well-known exhibitors have already booked their places

The Rapid.Tech 3D exhibition will also offer an insight into the latest developments and applications in additive manufacturing. Companies and research institutions such as alphacam, Farsoon Europe, FIT, Fraunhofer, Intamsys, Kaut-Bullinger, Nano Dimension, Oechsler, Stratasys and Trumpf have already booked their stands in Erfurt. There’s still time to book an exhibition space. More detailed information is available from the following link: www.rapidtech-3d.com/exhibitors/registration-prices/

 

Book tickets conveniently online

The Rapid.Tech 3D ticket shop is already open. Tickets to attend the conference on one, two or three days can be booked online at your convenience at: https://www.rapidtech-3d.com/ticket/

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