3D printing is changing the process of creating affordable prototypes for manufacturing, food, medicine, engineering, and space exploration. With a little bit of research, it can also change the way you spend time with your family. Though it might seem a bit out of reach, 3D printing is a surprisingly accessible technology, showing up at a place you probably already take your kids: the library. Here are some reasons why you should introduce your family to 3D printing.
Make Library Time More Exciting
The library is a great place to foster growing minds and encourage your children to be better thinkers, but it can be hard to get your children interested in learning and reading when they have toys and video games on their minds. 3D printing can be an exciting technology for your kids to learn about at the library.
Incorporating productive technology into their routine helps keep them entertained and learning at the same time. Then, when it’s time to go, they can leave the library with something they created, and every time they look at it, they will be reminded of their hard work. Plus, your kids might even find a passion in science or engineering because of it.
Prepare Them for the Future
According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, 3D printing is influencing multiple industries and will only continue to grow. Currently, 3D printing is being used to create intricate food designs, build bridges, create medical implants, and to make replacement parts for satellite models. In the future, 3D printing will be used for bioprinting, water treatment, military applications, and nanotechnology.
3D printing is also helping to improve medical education for both patients and medical students and medical treatment. By using a 3D printer to make artificial body parts, it creates a clearer image that can help medical student and professional gain a clearer understanding of an issue, and can be used to better explain to patients what is going on. It can also prevent medical errors from occuring.
Teaching your kids how to use 3D printers can be a great foundation for them as they try to find their place in the job market. Not only can this inspire a passion for technology, but it will give them the added benefit of having practical knowledge and experience. It can lead to scholarships, internships, and jobs in the future.
Teach Them Valuable Skills
Learning how to use a 3D printer will also teach your kids complementary skills, such as problem solving. Completing a 3D project will require them to figure out how the printer works and how to get the machine to output what they have in their minds. It can be a bridge between arts and STEM subjects, as it involves both.
Additionally, 3D printing can help your kids learn about business. In creating a 3D print, your kids will be choosing a project and finding out how to make it come to life. When creating a business, you need to know how to make your thoughts into a reality. 3D printing also helps because many business use it to create prototypes and marketing samples, and you can incorporate this into your kids’ sessions.
By helping your family learn about this exciting new technology, you are engaging yourself and your kids in a mentally stimulating environment. The consequences of introducing your kids to 3D printing can only stand to benefit their future, and can even help you develop practical skills as well.