Makerbot Launches SKETCH Classroom

Makerbot, a 3D printer company and subsidiary of Stratasys, recently launched MakerBot SKETCH Classroom, a 3D printing setup for the classroom that maximizes student access and helps teachers manage printing resources and student projects.

Makerbot, a 3D printer company and subsidiary of Stratasys, recently launched MakerBot SKETCH Classroom, a 3D printing setup for the classroom that maximizes student access and helps teachers manage printing resources and student projects.

More and more schools are implementing new technologies to develop students’ problem-solving and design thinking skills, like 3D printing. It can be challenging for teachers and students to learn how to use the 3D printer, integrate the technology into the curriculum and manage 3D printing resources in the classroom.

The SKETCH Classroom aims to address these challenges by offering a workflow solution that addresses the printer-to-student ratio challenge and provides a setup for effective printing. In addition, SKETCH Classroom includes certification courses for both teachers and students that trains them on how to operate the printer and includes curriculum in 3D printing, innovative design thinking, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.   

“With SKETCH, we are changing the way 3D printing is used in schools and advancing the possibilities of learning to boost student innovation. We believe that SKETCH Classroom is the best 3D printing setup for the classroom, with an ideal student-to-printer ratio, making 3D printing more accessible to students, and setting educators up for 3D printing success,” Nadav Goshen, CEO of MakerBot, said in a statement.

The SKETCH Classroom includes two 3D printers with a fully-enclosed printing chamber, a heated and flexible build plate, a particulate filter, touchscreen capabilities, on-board camera, and Wi-Fi capabilities. The SKETCH firmware and print management software are connected to the MakerBot Cloud which includes a full suite of 3D printing applications. Students are able to submit their designs via MakerBot Cloud through their MakerBot account and teachers can manage, queue up and monitor students’ projects.

SKETCH Classroom is expected to begin shipping on Feb. 17. For more information about SKETCH Classroom, visit www.makerbot.com/sketch.

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Launches New Emergency Communications System

    The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) recently deployed a new emergency notification and incident management system for its campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with 911Cellular to launch Safe@UTC, a smartphone app allowing university officials to communicate and respond during emergency situations.

  • Indiana Wesleyan University Schedules Grand Opening for New Welcome Center

    Indiana Wesleyan University recently announced that it will soon open a new Welcome Center on its campus in Marion, Ind., according to a news release. The facility will serve as the home base for prospective students and their families to learn more about the university and student life there. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for February 19.

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.