Teaching 3D Printing in Australian Schools

Jackson B.

The Classroom Printer

3D printers are becoming increasingly common across Australian primary and secondary schools, driven by STEM funding programmes and growing emphasis on design, engineering, and technology based learning. When implemented properly, a school 3D printer becomes far more than a novelty item. It gives students the ability to turn ideas into physical objects, making abstract concepts in design, mathematics, engineering, and problem solving feel tangible and rewarding in a way few classroom tools can match.

When implemented poorly, however, the opposite tends to happen. A printer is purchased enthusiastically, and a few exciting demonstration prints are completed, then maintenance problems, failed prints, and lack of staff confidence slowly push the machine into storage, where it rarely gets used again. The difference usually comes down to planning, simplicity, and long term integration into actual classroom learning rather than treating the printer itself as the centrepiece.

This guide focuses on what genuinely works within Australian school environments and how to keep a classroom printer reliable, safe, and educationally valuable long term.

Safety in the School Environment

A school printer operates in a very different environment from a hobby printer at home, particularly when younger students are involved. Material selection should always be the first consideration. PLA is by far the safest and most practical material for classroom use. It produces relatively low emissions compared to materials like ABS or ASA, has minimal odour, and prints reliably without requiring high temperature enclosures or specialised ventilation systems.

Materials such as ABS, ASA, or resin systems should generally be avoided in standard classroom environments unless industrial level ventilation and proper safety procedures are already in place. Printer placement matters as well. Ideally, the machine should be positioned near optimal airflow or close to an openable window. Some schools also choose to use HEPA and activated carbon filtration systems for additional air quality management, particularly in smaller classrooms.

Physical safety is equally important. Students should never touch the nozzle assembly, heated bed, or freshly printed parts immediately after printing. Even relatively small desktop printers operate at temperatures capable of causing burns rapidly.

The most successful school setups usually operate with either the following or

• a designated teacher operator
• trained student leaders
• supervised printer access only

Clear procedures and consistency matter far more than trying to give every student unrestricted access immediately. See our comprehensive safety guide for a checklist that can inform a school safety policy.

Curriculum Integration

The most effective school 3D printing programmes do not teach “3D printing” as an isolated subject. Instead, the printer becomes a production tool used within broader STEM and design projects. Students identify a problem, create a solution in CAD software, prototype it, test the design, refine it, and then produce an improved version. That design, test, and redesign cycle teaches practical engineering and problem solving skills far more effectively than simply printing pre-downloaded models. 

Tinkercad remains one of the best beginner platforms for primary and early secondary students because it is visual, accessible, and relatively easy to learn quickly. For more advanced students, platforms like Onshape provide far more capable parametric modelling workflows while still remaining accessible through browser based systems.

Projects that consistently work well in classrooms include:

• personalised rulers
• name badge holders
• geometric maths models
• mechanical linkage demonstrations
• biology habitat models
• historical landmarks
• geography terrain models
• classroom organisers
• simple robotics components

The strongest projects are usually the ones where students can physically test and improve their ideas rather than simply producing decorative objects.

Managing the School Printer

Long term reliability in a school environment depends heavily on ownership and maintenance consistency. The most successful programmes almost always have a dedicated teacher champion: someone who understands the machine well enough to troubleshoot basic problems, maintain the printer, and keep workflows organised between classes.

Without that consistency, even excellent printers eventually become unreliable simply through neglected maintenance and calibration.

It is also important to keep the system simple:

• maintain a small selection of reliable PLA colours
• standardise slicer settings where possible
• keep maintenance routines documented
• train multiple staff members
• establish a booking system for printer access

A simple maintenance checklist can be very helpful:

• clean the build plate regularly with IPA
• check nozzle condition periodically
• inspect belts and moving parts
• confirm bed levelling regularly
• store filament correctly

A well maintained school printer can remain reliable for years while giving students genuine exposure to modern manufacturing, design thinking, and engineering workflows. More importantly, it helps build confidence around making and problem solving in a way that transfers well beyond the classroom itself.