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Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to questions we're often asked

A. TERMINOLOGY & TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

  1. What is 3D printing and how can I use it in the classroom? 3D printing is a production method used in areas as diverse as architecture, toy manufacturing, medical prosthetics and clothing manufacture. For a quick tutorial on 3D printing, how it works and its applications, take a look at our Beginners’ Guide to 3D printing short videos on YouTube.

  2. What are the advantages of 3D printable teaching aids and models? With 3D printable teaching aids, you can print as many of the objects as you need - you don’t need to re-order or wait for delivery if you have access to the printable files. This also means that if any printed parts get lost or broken, you can simply print replacements.

  3. Where should I put the 3D printer in my school? While 3D printing is pretty safe, it should be done under adult supervision, as the extruder nozzle of the printer gets very hot, and should be kept away from small hands. For fuller information about safety and 3D printing, take a look at our YouTube video. If safety is a priority choose a printer with an enclosed build area or a printer such as the 3D Systems Cube which has a guard around the nozzles and is certified safe for ages 8+.

  4. Printer filament is made from biodegradable PLA. Does that mean that the prints will be useless in a year’s time? PLA is made from corn starch, and is designed to biodegrade over time, but only in the right conditions, i.e. when buried in soil. It will not start to degrade if left in normal classroom conditions or in the open air, so your prints should last for years.

B. ABOUT I CAN MAKE SUBSCRIPTIONS AND PRODUCTS

  1. What is in an I Can Make subscription, and how can I use it? Each I Can Make school subscription gives you unlimited access to all available I Can Make print packs, which include 3D printable kit files for use with a 3D printer, plus instructions and curriculum-mapped session plans with associated worksheets for each kit. The subscription package runs for 12 months from the time of purchase, and as new kits are launched on the I Can Make platform these will be automatically added to your package at no additional cost to your school. There is no limit to the number of kits you can print out during the course of your subscription period.

  2. What is a print pack? What does it contain and how can I use it? Our print packs contain all the files you’ll need to 3D print a model kit - or several model kits - of the objects in our range on your school’s 3D printer. The print packs also contain downloadable lesson plans, teaching guides and instructions - everything you need to bring real-world objects to life in the classroom via 3D printing. There is no limit to the number of kits you can print out during the course of your subscription period.

  3. How do I become an I Can Make subscriber? You can sign up via our online platform today! You can also email us if you have any questions: hello(at)icanmakehq.com.

  4. Do you sell 3D printers? If not, where can I buy one? I Can Make does not sell or supply 3D printers. If you are looking for advice about purchasing a 3D printer for your school, we recommend you get in touch with the nice people at Creat3d, as they will be able to help and advise you.

  5. Which 3D printers do you support and how? We have tested many printers and we are currently recommending the 3D Systems Cube3 and MakerBot Replicator 5th Generation. We aim to support as many different types of printer as possible, so we will be adding to this list as we continue to develop our range. With the supported printers we will be providing pre-sliced files which you can put on a USB stick and print directly on your printer.

  6. My 3D printer is not on the list of supported printers, can I still use I Can Make in my school? Yes, absolutely. You will be able to use any filament based 3D printer with a minimum build area of xx x yy. We will supply you with the raw STL files and you will need to slice them using the software which comes with your printer. Over time we will add more printers to our list of supported printers where pre-sliced files can be downloaded.

  7. Will my children be learning CAD (Computer Aided Design) when using I Can Make? I Can Make is not a CAD tuition package, and as such we don’t include CAD learning as part of our school subscription. However, if you are interested in CAD learning packages for your classroom teaching, we recommend TinkerCad as a great place for beginners to start exploring the possibilities of CAD.

  8. How much will it cost to implement I Can Make in my school? A subscription package for schools costs just £300 for 12 months*. The subscription allows any teacher at the school to print out the model kit parts and supporting resources as many times as they need to. You’ll need a reliable 3D printer, and you’ll also need to purchase a few different types of printer filament (the plastic that the printer will use to print out the objects). Printer costs can vary from £500 to £2500, depending on the sophistication of the printer - we advise you to get in touch with a supplier such as Creat3d to discuss your school’s needs, we have worked with them to build bundles of our content, the filament and user friendly reliable machines. Printer filament costs around 25p per metre, and comes on spools that you can order from filament suppliers such as Faberdashery.

  9. Are bundles of I Can Make content and 3D printers available? Yes. You can buy a bundle from Creat3D starting at under £2000. This includes the machine, the filament, our content and support and training from Creat3D

*price correct as at November 2015.

C. OTHER

  1. My school does not have a 3D printer, can I help them? Yes, we are part of an initiative with the Centre for Accelerating Social Technology to get 3D printers into schools. Initially we will be matching people who would like to donate a 3D printer package to either the school of their choice or to a school who are in need. If you would like to donate a printer, please pledge here.