Introduction to 3D Printing¶

Title: Introduction to 3D Printing

Target Audience: High school students (grades 9–12), with primary focus on grades 10–12 enrolled in CTE, STEM, engineering, or pre-engineering pathways. Suitable as a one-semester or full-year elective. Designed to be eligible for community-college articulation or dual credit through Advanced Manufacturing, CAD Technology, Engineering Technology, or Digital Fabrication departments.

Prerequisites:

Algebra I (working comfort with units, ratios, percentages, and basic geometry)
Basic computer literacy (file management, downloading and installing software, navigating a 3D viewport with a mouse)
No prior CAD, engineering, or manufacturing experience required
Recommended (not required): an introductory physical science or geometry course

Course Overview¶

This course is a rigorous, hands-on introduction to additive manufacturing (AM) and the design, materials, and processes that make 3D printing a transformative industrial technology. It is built on four anchors recommended by major U.S. additive-manufacturing education organizations: PLTW engineering pedagogy (engineering design process, portfolio assessment, iterative prototyping), ASTM International / ISO 52900 additive manufacturing terminology and standards for technical rigor, America Makes workforce competencies for industry-aligned skills, and explicit alignment with community-college articulation pathways so students can pursue dual credit at institutions such as Hennepin Technical College, Dakota County Technical College, Dunwoody College of Technology, and the broader Minnesota State system.

Students will learn to read and apply the seven ISO/ASTM 52900 process categories (material extrusion, vat photopolymerization, powder bed fusion, material jetting, binder jetting, directed energy deposition, sheet lamination), become fluent users of parametric CAD software, operate FDM and resin printers safely, troubleshoot common print failures, and apply Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles. Beyond machine operation, the course develops engineering judgment: matching material properties to functional requirements, evaluating print quality against tolerance specifications, and communicating design decisions through technical documentation and a portfolio.

Because additive manufacturing is evolving monthly, the course is delivered as an intelligent textbook with concept-graph navigation, MicroSims for slicer settings and material behavior, troubleshooting workflows, and AI-assisted design exercises. The capstone integrates everything: students identify a real problem, complete a documented engineering-design cycle, fabricate a working prototype, and evaluate it against measurable criteria — producing portfolio evidence appropriate for college applications, scholarship submissions, and articulated-credit transcripts.

Main Topics Covered¶

History and Context of Additive Manufacturing — invention of stereolithography, expiration of FDM patents and the desktop-printer revolution, the rise of America Makes and the national AM innovation institute model
ISO/ASTM 52900 Terminology and Process Categories — the seven AM process families, standard vocabulary, and how to read technical AM literature
Engineering Design Process (PLTW model) — define, research, ideate, prototype, test, iterate, communicate
Parametric CAD and Solid Modeling — sketches, constraints, features, assemblies, parametric editing using a tool such as Onshape, Fusion 360, or FreeCAD
Mesh Files and File Formats — STL, 3MF, OBJ, mesh integrity, repair workflows
Slicing and Toolpath Generation — layer height, infill, perimeters, supports, adhesion, temperature, retraction
FDM/FFF Printer Operation — bed leveling, calibration, filament handling, first-layer diagnosis
Resin (SLA/MSLA) Printer Operation — exposure settings, supports, washing, curing, resin handling and PPE
Industrial AM Process Overview — SLS, MJF, DMLS, binder jetting, material jetting at a conceptual level
Materials Science for AM — PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, nylon, polycarbonate, composite filaments, photopolymer resins; mechanical properties, glass transition, anisotropy
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) — overhangs, bridging, orientation strategy, support minimization, wall thickness, tolerance allowances, lattice and topology concepts
Dimensional Accuracy, Tolerances, and Metrology — calipers, micrometers, GD&T basics, calibration cubes, expected vs. actual dimensions
Print Failure Diagnosis and Troubleshooting — warping, stringing, layer separation, elephant's foot, ringing, under/over-extrusion, root-cause analysis
Post-Processing — support removal, sanding, smoothing, painting, annealing, chemical smoothing, UV curing
Safety, Ethics, and Sustainability — VOC and ultrafine-particle exposure, resin handling, fire safety, recycled and bio-based filaments, intellectual property and licensing of 3D models, ethical use of AM (e.g., medical, weapons restrictions)
Digital Manufacturing Workflows — version control of CAD/STL files, print farm concepts, queue management, AI-assisted CAD and generative design
Engineering Communication and Portfolio Development — engineering notebooks, technical drawings, BOM, design rationale, photo and video documentation
Career and Articulation Pathways — manufacturing career clusters, NC3 and NIMS certifications, dual-credit options, community-college and apprenticeship routes

Topics Not Covered¶

Programming microcontrollers, robotics, or embedded firmware (beyond following an existing slicer/firmware workflow)
G-code authoring from scratch (students will read and modify G-code, not write it line-by-line)
Subtractive manufacturing (CNC milling, lathe work) except for brief comparison
Industrial metal additive manufacturing hands-on operation (covered conceptually only — equipment is not safe or affordable for high school)
Bioprinting laboratory work (covered as an emerging-topic survey only)
Construction-scale and concrete printing hands-on (survey only)
Advanced finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
Business formation, pricing models, or running a print-service business
ABET accreditation processes (the course aligns with ABET-style outcomes but does not teach accreditation itself)

Learning Outcomes¶

After completing this course, students will be able to:

Remember¶

Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory.

Recall the seven ISO/ASTM 52900 additive manufacturing process categories and give a representative example of each
List the major desktop 3D printing technologies (FDM/FFF, SLA, MSLA, DLP) and the materials commonly used with each
Identify common thermoplastic filaments (PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU, nylon, polycarbonate) and their key property differences
Name the principal components of an FDM printer (hotend, nozzle, heat break, extruder, build plate, gantry, stepper motors, controller board)
Recite standard safety practices for filament printing, resin handling, and post-processing
Recall the PLTW engineering design process steps in order
Recognize the file formats used in AM workflows (STL, 3MF, OBJ, G-code, project files) and their purposes
Define core AM vocabulary: layer height, infill, perimeter/wall, raft, brim, skirt, support, retraction, adhesion, anisotropy, glass transition temperature
Recall key milestones in the history of additive manufacturing, including the role of America Makes
List measurement instruments used in AM quality control (calipers, micrometers, feeler gauges, dial indicators)

Understand¶

Constructing meaning from instructional messages, including oral, written, and graphic communication.

Explain how each of the seven ISO/ASTM 52900 process categories builds a part layer by layer
Describe the relationship between slicer settings (layer height, infill, perimeters, temperature, speed) and the resulting print's strength, surface quality, and print time
Summarize the differences between FDM and resin printing in terms of resolution, materials, cost, safety, and use cases
Explain why anisotropy occurs in FDM parts and how part orientation affects mechanical strength
Describe how stepper motors, lead screws, and belts translate G-code commands into physical motion
Explain the engineering design process and why iteration is central to additive manufacturing
Interpret a manufacturer's material data sheet (tensile strength, elongation at break, glass transition, print temperature)
Explain the role of support structures, when they are needed, and how DfAM minimizes them
Describe how community-college articulation, dual credit, and industry certifications (NC3, NIMS, SME, America Makes) connect a high-school course to careers
Summarize ethical and intellectual-property considerations when downloading, modifying, or distributing 3D models

Apply¶

Carrying out or using a procedure in a given situation.

Create a parametric CAD model of a functional part using sketches, constraints, and feature operations
Export a CAD model to STL or 3MF with appropriate resolution settings
Configure slicer settings (layer height, infill density and pattern, wall count, temperature, supports, adhesion type) for a given part and material
Level an FDM printer bed and perform a first-layer calibration
Load filament, change nozzles, and perform routine FDM printer maintenance safely
Operate a resin printer through a complete print cycle including washing and UV curing, using appropriate PPE
Measure printed parts with calipers and micrometers and record dimensional data in an engineering notebook
Diagnose and correct common print failures (warping, stringing, under-extrusion, layer separation, elephant's foot) using a structured troubleshooting workflow
Apply DfAM principles to redesign a part for improved printability and strength
Use version control or an organized file-management workflow to track CAD revisions, slicer profiles, and print results

Analyze¶

Breaking material into constituent parts and determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose.

Compare two AM process categories (e.g., FDM vs. SLA, or SLS vs. MJF) on dimensional accuracy, surface finish, mechanical properties, throughput, cost per part, and appropriate applications
Analyze a failed print to determine the root cause among slicer settings, mechanical issues, material issues, or design issues
Decompose a multi-part assembly into individual printable components and analyze interfaces, tolerances, and fastening strategies
Examine a material data sheet and determine whether the material is appropriate for a specified load, environment, and service temperature
Analyze the impact of build orientation on print time, support volume, surface quality, and load-bearing strength
Break down the engineering design process for a completed project and identify the iterations, decisions, and trade-offs made at each stage
Analyze how slicer parameter changes (e.g., increasing infill from 20 % to 40 %) affect strength, weight, material cost, and print time
Compare hobbyist and industrial AM ecosystems in terms of cost, capability, materials, throughput, and quality assurance

Evaluate¶

Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing.

Judge whether a printed part meets specified dimensional tolerances using measurement data
Evaluate competing material choices for a given application against criteria including strength, stiffness, temperature resistance, cost, sustainability, and printability
Critique a peer's CAD model or print using a DfAM rubric and provide specific, actionable feedback
Assess the safety adequacy of a print setup (ventilation, PPE, fire safety, resin handling) against published guidelines from SME, America Makes, and OSHA
Evaluate whether a downloaded 3D model's license permits the intended use (personal, educational, commercial, modification, redistribution)
Judge the credibility of online 3D-printing information sources and distinguish between vendor marketing, hobbyist opinion, and standards-body documentation
Assess the readiness of a personal portfolio for community-college articulation, scholarship application, or apprenticeship interview
Evaluate the environmental impact of a print job (material choice, energy use, failure rate, end-of-life recyclability)
Critique a manufacturing workflow and recommend improvements in throughput, quality, or cost

Create¶

Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure.

Design and fabricate an original parametric CAD part that solves a specified problem and meets stated functional requirements
Develop a complete engineering design portfolio documenting problem definition, research, ideation sketches, CAD models, prints, test data, and reflection
Design a multi-part functional assembly (e.g., a hand tool, a mechanical mechanism, an enclosure for an electronic device) that requires interface tolerancing
Create a custom slicer profile for a non-standard material or application and validate it experimentally
Design a part using DfAM principles that minimizes supports while meeting strength and accuracy requirements
Compose a technical report or video that communicates a design's purpose, process, results, and limitations to a non-expert audience
Capstone project (recommended): Identify a real-world problem in the school, home, or community; complete a full engineering-design cycle; fabricate at least one working prototype; test it against measurable criteria; iterate; and present the final design with documentation suitable for a portfolio used in college applications or articulated-credit submission. Examples include adaptive devices for accessibility, replacement parts for community organizations, custom lab apparatus for science classes, or competition-grade robotics components.
Capstone alternative: Design a "print farm" workflow for a school makerspace including queue management, file naming conventions, slicer profile library, maintenance schedule, and quality-control procedures
Capstone alternative: Develop a teaching MicroSim, instructional video, or interactive tutorial that teaches a specific 3D printing concept to younger students, demonstrating mastery through pedagogy