Digital Fabrication for Educators: Inaugural Fusion 360 Training

Fusion 360, a powerful cloud-based CAD/CAM software that is free for educators, has been gaining popularity in schools because the design files can be output to multiple digital fabrication tools such as CNC machines (like ShopBot tools), laser cutters, and 3D printers. While the price is right, sorting through the possibilities and keeping track of …

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Electronics, 3D-Carving, and Molding & Casting at Fab Labs

Soldering surface mount components to the PCB board: LED, switch, battery holder.

The first three months of 2019 saw a flurry of Professional Development in Fab Labs from Mississippi/Louisiana to California. Fab Labs have a full quiver of digital fabrication tools and a well-stocked electronics station. The goal for these Professional Development workshops or …

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Building Boats, and a River to Float Them On

Assembling the Weekend Dinghy

Imagine being a high school student and having the opportunity to pilot a plane or a boat, learn how to design and model planes and boats, and understand the businesses behind the aviation and marine industries—all while taking core high school courses. Davis Aerospace and Maritime® High School, a unique …

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Makerspaces in Education: Becoming Comfortable Using Your ShopBot and Other Digital Fabrication Tools

Showing off projects created on a ShopBot CNC and a laser cutter

Do you own or have access to digital fabrication equipment such as a ShopBot CNC machine, laser cutter, or 3D printer, and an interest in education? Do you want to know more about the software and machines available for digital fabrication in …

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The Future of Educational Technology

Say “Educational Technology” to a room of teachers, administrators, and vendors, and you will get many different definitions. Having recently attended the Future of Educational Technology Conference (FETC 2018) as a “civilian” rather than an exhibitor, I was able to attend workshops and presentations, visit the entire convention floor of vendors (387), and stop …

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ShopBot Joins the 2017 National Scout Jamboree’s Makerspace

One of the many campsite areas from the 2017 National Scout Jamboree

The 2017 National Scout Jamboree at the Bechtel Summit Reserve in West Virginia was a huge event for makers and an opportunity for 40,000 scouts and scouters to learn how much fun a Makerspace can be. The National Jamboree set up a …

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Digital Fabrication for Educators: Your Place or Ours

Whether it takes place at ShopBot, or on site, a 2 – 3 Day Professional Development workshop gives teachers a chance to hone their skills with digital fabrication machines. Educators starting at all levels, from newby to someone with a year or more experience running their ShopBot CNC router, end up with new techniques …

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It’s a Fidget!

In an attempt to keep the kids involved through the end of the school year, I asked my students what they wanted to make with the ShopBot. You can probably guess what they said if you’ve seen what the latest craze is: fidget spinners. My response was fidja-what? They proceeded to introduce me to …

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The Embracing of Digital Fabrication Technology in Polk County, Florida

Four Saxes: An original drawing (right) scanned and re-conceived with 3 different digital fabrication tools: Engraved in wood (ShopBot CNC router), 3D printed with ABS plastic (Ultimaker 3D printer), and laser cut out of thin acrylic (Epilog laser).

Early in May, I visited Polk County, Florida as a part of a TIES team. Polk …

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NYSTEEA and Chocolate Mold-Making for STEAM

The tastiness of making mistakes.

 

In the 52 years that the New York State Technology and Engineering Educators Association (NYSTEEA) has been meeting, there have been a lot of changes in the design software and equipment available to teachers and students. Schools have been adding digital fabrication equipment, including CNC, into …

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