3D Printers Fill CAD Fab Lab at Nekoosa Middle School

Nekoosa, Wis. (WFHR, WIRI) – Students at Alexander Middle School in Nekoosa have a newly outfitted CAD Fab Lab this year. The 6th-8th graders each have their own 3D printer. Mr. Benjamin Peters helped design the CAD Fab Lab, or Computer Aided Design Fabrication Laboratory and teaches the Tech Ed classes in the district. He said the lab design at Alexander Middle School is a variation of well-known Fab Labs around the world.

These middle school students are learning what is called rapid prototyping as part of their Tech Ed curriculum. The new 3D printers in the CAD Fab Lab print quickly enough that small parts can be fully printed during one class period. The students design a part or project one day and are able to print it during their next class period while designing the next assignment. This process of quick iteration, quick ideation, and quick prototyping shortens the manufacturing process. Students are learning to identify what they need to design, design it, and produce a finished product in a short amount of time.

Partnering with Local Businesses

Mr. Peters is working with local businesses to have students design products for them. As part of their assignments in class, students work in Tinkercad to create the products which they will then be able to print for these local businesses. Tinkercad is a free online 3D modeling program available through Autodesk. The students are able to design their projects using simple shapes they can drag, merge, copy, and rotate. Once completed, the finished designs can be printed.

Delivering a finished product to a local business is a great experience for the students. They can meet the people they are affecting with their design and see the products they created being used at the business. Mr. Peters said, “I want them to see this ongoing through their design development where they can go through the world and see problems and see solutions in their own mind and create them quickly on their computers and develop them with any kind of fabrication equipment they have access to.” 

The Future Looks Bright

Principal Jason Julius said the credit for this new CAD Fab Lab at Nekoosa Middle School really goes to the vision of Mr. Peters and Mr. Wilcox who are the Technology Education Teachers in the district. Principal Julius said he’s encouraged by the level of excitement he sees from the students. They’re harnessing their individual skills in design and then coming together as a team to collaborate designs. He said it’s amazing to see students already engaged at a 6th grade level gaining hands-on experience in STEAM education fields. Mr. Peters said if a student continues learning computer aided design and manufacturing skills through high school, he expects them to be employable after graduation in engineering and design careers.

Links

You can follow along with these 6th, 7th, and 8th graders as they learn 3D printing this year. They’re sharing their journey on Community Stories Jr. which airs on Thursdays from 5 to 6 PM on WFHR. You’ll hear them tell the story in their own words along with stories from other young people in our community.