Education in 3D Print Technology for Sunshine Coast Schools and a business office is priority for Sunshine Coast Business Solutions. As a locally owned and operated business, we want our local schools to have the most up to date equipment available.
We are constantly looking for ways to improve our knowledge with all the technology on offer.
Building a winning business case for 3D printing
As an educator and champion of STEAM in your school, you already understand the value of regularly exposing students to emerging technology. You work every day to build robust, almost intuitive technological skills that your graduates will use in their careers.
But physically getting that equipment into daily use in your classroom or faculty is the first step. We understand. Sunshine Coast Business Solutions are here to help.
Here’s our tips to help you build a business case for 3D printers – either for internal stakeholders (like the Principal and the Board), or perhaps to help you ‘tick boxes’ for external grant funding applications.
Defining the ‘why’ for 3D Print Sunshine Coast
What may seem obvious to you needs to be cleverly, concisely articulated for your audience. Here’s a few compelling reasons why building competence in 3D printing on the Sunshine Coast is crucial:
- Future business and industry will expect proficiency and confidence in 3D print, in the same way today’s jobseekers are expected to know how to operate a laptop and peripherals.
- 3D printing is a disruptive technology – every day, people are finding ways to use it to solve problems and shorten processes.
- Additive manufacturing – building an object layer by layer – is the way of the future. With 3D printing, accuracy, functionality and selecting different media becomes a user choice, while simple, functional programming allows the user to visualise the end product without wasting resources.
- In a learning environment, 3D printing becomes an outlet for design thinking, creative expression, collaboration across subjects and year levels and more.
- Staying relevant to the needs of students is key to the success of the school as a business. Parents don’t hesitate to move their children to the education institution that offers learning opportunities that lead to career advantages.
School | Business Office Technology Education
Educating the powers to be in your school or business office is important. This way they will understand and can move forward into the world of technology.
It’s important to include an overview of the opportunities that can open up with this technology. You might include something like:
- Modern 3D printers are becoming standard classroom equipment, needing nothing more than a small desktop and electricity supply. Ultimaker’s S3 and S5 ranges are designed specifically for mainstream educational settings, and fit just as well in technical laboratories or makerspaces. Space is not an issue – dedicated rooms are not needed.
- The applications are endless, right across the curriculum and for every age. 3D printers enable such versatility that limits are only imposed by you and your learners’ imaginations. Think visual to functional prototyping. Simple to fully useable models, art projects, 3D teaching aids and more. How much easier is it to teach science, technology or the arts by turning theory into a tangible 3D model? A quick internet search reveals endless possibilities, ready to customise for your school’s teaching focus.
- Compare 3D printing against other ways of bringing design thinking to life. Most schools have used laser cutters, modelling clay, woodwork and metalwork for this.
Sunshine Coast 3D Print Solutions and Instructions
The use of Office MFD Photocopiers & Printers, Production Print Equipment and 3D Print Sunshine Coast had to be taught to staff. This is all part of the progression of print solutions and business solutions.
We suggest you address those ‘what about …’ objections up front:
- Who’s going to train the teachers and IT staff?
- The Ultimaker Academy runs online courses for all users, building from beginner to expert.
- We don’t have IT resources to keep them running.
- Set up is fast and simple with the Ultimaker range, and intuitive controls minimise the need for technical assistance.
- FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia can provide hardware service and support if you need.
- Will maintenance and consumables become a black hole of expense?
- Ultimaker’s education range has proven reliability and can handle high workloads. FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia provide a wide range of consumables too.
- What about capital costs?
- The cost of entry to sophisticated yet simple 3D printing is becoming more and more affordable.
- Depending on your financial needs, we can supply attractive pricing proposals and flexible options.
Sunshine Coast Business Solutions can help you with any decision on 3D printers. Contact the staff on 07 5451 7333 they can answer any questions you have.