Fabricating turtles to understand turtles – SCOPES-DF
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Lesson Details

Subjects *
Multi-Cultural Learning, Science, Technology
Age Ranges *
11-14, 14-18
Fab Tools *
3D printer, Molding and Casting, Laser cutter, laser cutter
Standards
Fab-Fabrication.1
Author
Regiane Pupo

Author

Regiane Pupo
Regiane Pupo
Fablab manager
Regiane Pupo is an architect and has a doctorate in Civil Engineering from UNICAMP – University of Campinas, in Brazil. Currently a teacher at Federal University of Santa Catarina, in Florianópolis, Brazil, her major interests involve digital fabrication tools applied… Read More

Summary

This activity includes a “hands on” strategy that mixes the use of two different digital fabrication tools (laser cut and 3D printing) and silicon mold, to produce replicas of animals threatened with extinction. The activity explored in this lesson raises students’ awareness about animal conservation and preservation.

 

 

What You'll Need

Materials for 5 turtles:

  1. A 3D Printer (FDM);
  2. PLA or ABS: aprox.200g;
  3. White or Blue Silicon: 1.250kg;
  4. Cardboard (Thickness = 1mm): a 540 x 300mm sheet for each kind;
  5. Play dough: 45g for each shell.

 

Lesson Materials

The Instructions

FDM 3D print the five different kinds of turtle shells;

Using a FDM 3DPrinter, print the 5 turtle shells, in PLA or ABS, any color and the two guides (a cross shape), one for the body and the other for the play dough shell.

Make a paper or mdf box that fits each kind of shell;

Using a simple paper (300g) ou 3mm MDF make boxes that can fit each shell individually.

Make a silicon mold from each kind;

Place each shell in the box and fill it out with blue or white silicon, occupying the whole box.

Make a silicon mold from each kind;

Make a silicon mold from each kind;

Making the turtle body

Laser Cut the body in 1mm thick cardboard (21 pieces) and mount the body using the cross shape as a guide..

Get the play dough shells

Smash the play dough inside the silicon mold and place the guide to make a cross shpe on the top of it.

Get the molded shell and assemble the turtle

Get the molded shell out of the silicon mold and place it in the stacked mounted paper using the guide as a reference.