By Phil Cotton, learnbylayers founder.

Today, I am pleased to share that we have formed a new partnership with FlashForge USA where the learnbylayers will be bundled with the Inventor and Inventor 2S machines and sold via the FlashForge network. FlashForge are well known as having some of the most reliable machines in the industry and have made their way into classrooms around the world. Their printers are well suited for education with their ease of use, fully contained print enclosures and excellent consistent outcomes.

I have personally used FlashForge 3D printers in the classroom with great effect and I know many schools and teachers around the world who put their trust in the FlashForge. The printers are reliable, easy to use and affordable, especially for schools on a limited budget. They require very little maintenance and deliver consistent outcomes time and time again. Pair this with learnbylayers and schools will have the winning formula for teaching 3D printing in the classroom.

Curriculum aligned to FlashForge 3D printers

We have created a unique offering with FlashForge where alongside the purchase of an educational FlashForge 3D printer bundle (Inventor or Inventor 2 model), they will receive a customised version of the learnbylayers curriculum that is aligned to FlashForge 3D printers.

We have re-written the lesson content so that the curriculum mirrors FlashPrint slicing software, meaning teachers and students get a tailored experience that directly mirrors the hardware and software they have invested in for their classes.

As well as the bundle with FlashForge, the new version of the curriculum will be available for direct purchase from us, for schools who have already invested in FlashForge printers.

The bundle includes the Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced lesson pack. This contains over 190 editable resources that teachers can start using straight away with their 3D printer.

One of the main barriers for integrating 3D printing into the classroom, is what to teach and the planning time involved in creating curriculum content. Designing lesson plans, homework tasks, learning CAD modelling and planning assessments is not an easy task for teachers starting out with 3D printing. This is where learnbylayers provides the outcomes that teachers need for successfully integrating 3D printing into their lessons. Learnbylayers is trusted by schools all over the world, especially in the USA where the curriculum is taught in schools across the country.

3 lesson packs included in the bundle

The Beginners lesson pack is ideal for Grades 5 and 6 who have no experience of 3D printing. There are 7 lessons introducing students to the basics of 3D printing and how to design and prepare models for 3D printing. All the modelling lessons are based around the free software TinkerCAD. This is web browser based and designed for children. This lesson pack introduces students to basic slicing using FlashPrint software.

The Intermediate lesson pack is aimed at Grades 7 and 8. This can build on the Beginners lesson pack or be used straight away with this age range. Lessons focus on different types of 3D printing, uses of 3D printers in everyday society and an introduction to parametric modelling. The software used is Autodesk Fusion 360 (free for education). There are 2 slicing lessons using FlashPrint teaching students more advanced custom settings for preparing files for 3D printing.

The Advanced lesson pack is for Grades 9 and 10. This focuses on 3D printing and manufacturing along with sustainability issues involved with 3D printing. The CAD modelling lessons use Autodesk Fusion 360 and focus on more advanced design challenges encouraging independent learning and design thinking. As with all the lesson packs, resources include video tutorials to assist teaching and learning in lesson.

Complete classroom solution

With learnbylayers combined with FlashForge 3D printers, schools now have a complete solution for teachers and their classes, a high quality, affordable 3D printer paired with world class curriculum resources.

To ask us any questions or speak to us about 3D printing in the classroom, use the contact form below.