The Trials and Tribulations of Trying

By -
Our subsequent prints have led to some rather interesting results...

 It is our thinking that the filament got tangled about half way through the printing process which led the extruder to be pulled and the calibration offset.

Although the print was not what we intended, we do believe it is a rather beautiful failure - almost a work of art!

I sent our images to the M3D tech support and they stated it could be an issue with the motor. They suggested we conduct an x-axis skip test and record the process.

Let me pause here and note the vast amount of learning acquired through our trials. So far as part of this project we have uncovered the extruder and examined the mechanisms, learned the logistics of calibration, and used the manual to navigate the software to perform diagnostics tests.


It is clear from our x-axis diagnostic test that our motor is skipping. We attempted to rotate the rod to a looser position as it states in the troubleshooting guide with no luck.

M3D tech support responded that a new motor should solve this issue and have sent a replacement.

We are in a bit of a holding pattern in terms of printing until our new motor arrives ...


Have our experiences been perfect so far? Definitely not!
Have we experienced set backs and frustrations? Absolutely!
What learning is perfect and free from set backs?

Although we are looking forward to successful prints, we recognize that failure is a part of learning and this is an important, and often uncomfortable, realization.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Thoughtful Note (on Building Thinking Classrooms)

By -
Image
This past week I attended a PD session facilitated by  Peter Liljedahl   entitled Building Thinking Classrooms. Two things I noticed right away: 1) No mention of the word mathematics in the title. It's about the thinking. 2) Participants were tossed into the role of learners. It's about the students. (We were thinking about mathematics but the thinking proceeded the math) During his consolidation piece, Peter Liljedahl discussed the role of note taking and suggested that perhaps we encourage students to write notes entitled "A letter to my future dumber self" (or otherwise known as thoughtful notes). So here it goes... A letter to my future dumber self, It wasn't too long ago that you saw the acronym #VNPS and thought really?, isn't that just a whiteboard? A gentle reminder to dig deeper before forming an opinion. Vertical Non-Permanent Surfaces represent a shift in the learning environment that directly impacts the student experience. The name me...
Read more

Puzzle Cube Project: Spatial Reasoning & Design Thinking

By -
Image
The first 6 weeks with our 3D printer centered around experimentation and debugging. We familiarized ourselves with TinkerCad, conducted research, and spent many hours grappling with our failed prints and mishaps. With our new motor installed, and heightened appreciation for the functionality of this amazing tool, we got started on our first design project. I brought a few wooden mind puzzles into the classroom for interest and relaxation, but also for their value in developing spatial reasoning. They provided us with the inspiration we needed for our first project! My purpose for integrating 3D printing in the classroom stems from a curiosity of students' spatial reasoning abilities and how designing and creating in a virtual 3D world might enhance their thinking. These capabilities are essential in many STEM careers (science, technology, enginering, and math) and are linked with overall mathematical performance. Spatial reasoning is an area in mathematics education that is a...
Read more

[Summer Reading] Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action

By -
Image
"And today, fresh discoveries in cognition, inquiry, and collaboration show us even betters ways to help learners engage with ideas and drive each others' thinking- not just to remember information, but to build knowledge, to care, to act" (Harvey and Daniels, 2009, p. 7). How does what I know about teaching and learning in primary apply to the intermediate division? What structures and supports are necessary in the classroom environment to evoke the kind of thinking required for learning? My own "puzzle drive" led me to this book written by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels.  It came highly recommended by  @JennyLoebsack , a friend and mentor who I consider to be an inquiry-guru! What struck me instantly about this text, is the manner in which theory and practice are examined and explored. The authors share information and their own thinking in a highly conversational way. Part 1 lays the foundation, explains the why , of small group inquiry projects. ...
Read more