Educational, Entertaining, and Useful 3D Printing

Have you heard the news? Sam’s Club has started to sell 3D printers. In a press release, they call the Makerbot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer “just right for the office, classroom, or home.” On the Sam’s Club website, they have it listed at $1375, though this is crossed out and the page says the price is “too low to show.”

The Makerbot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer challenges the user to “unleash creativity” with a machine that is described as “educational, entertaining, and useful.” This blog is about ways to use your very own Makerbot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer for these very reasons.

3D Printing for Education

You don’t have to be in a classroom to teach others, and with 3D printers you can enrich any lesson to the fullest. From apples to zebras, you can print out all the essentials you’ll need to make learning hands-on fun for everyone. Here’s a great example: a map/puzzle of the United States which will make geography lessons exciting!

Wonderful Engineering

3D Printing for Entertaining

The sky’s the limit when it comes to using your 3D printer for entertaining. You can print out all sorts of toys to keep the kids busy, items such as beads for crafting, things for bakers, things for builders, things for just about anything that tickles your fancy! This is a 3D-printed chess set that doubles as planters for those of you who like to garden.

xyzworkshop

Useful 3D Printing

You can define what is or is not useful to you in whatever way you wish, but nothing screams useful like those items that actually improve one’s quality of life. You can print things such as tools, clothing, and jewelry. Scientists are even working on developing the technology to make human parts, like this ear.

engadget

Need more ideas on what to make with your Makerbot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer? Check out Thingiverse for more inspiration.