Year 6 swaps the classroom for a visit to Damvig’s 3D printing production
In March, 18 Year 6 pupils visited Prototal Damvig in Taastrup to learn more about 3D printing technology.
During the visit, the pupils learned, among other things, how a company such as Prototal Damvig works with various 3D printing technologies in production, why it is a smart technology, what Prototal Damvig excels at, and how 3D printing and sustainability are connected. The pupils also tried working with various 3D-printed items and were given an assignment to take home, which they were to continue working on at school. Here, they were to design/draw a new logo for Prototal Damvig based on the experiences they gained during the visit.
The pupils’ school has just had 12 new 3D printers installed, and in that connection the pupils have practised drawing objects in the 3D program Tinkercad, made calculations on scale ratios, and explored the advantages/disadvantages of using 3D printing—so the young people were academically prepared ahead of the visit to Prototal Damvig.
The visit is part of a new teaching programme developed by Åben Virksomhed, which has designed the programme for crafts & design and mathematics in primary and lower secondary school, where pupils are to create their own 3D designs, which later in the programme can be produced using a 3D printer.
“Together with a subject teacher, we have developed the teaching programme 3D Design – draw, calculate and print, aimed at Years 5–8 in the subjects of mathematics and crafts/design. The programme focuses on how to design the objects that are printed in 3D, the opportunities and challenges that 3D printing provides, and how it contributes to more sustainable production,” says Åben Virksomhed.
As part of the programme, pupils visit a company that uses 3D printing as part of its daily production, e.g., for manufacturing prototypes or finished products. During the visit, pupils will be presented with a design challenge, which they must continue working on back at school. Pupils must come up with their own proposal for a 3D design for the company that they believe can solve the challenge the company has set them.
About Åben Virksomhed
The Confederation of Danish Employers (DA) has established Åben Virksomhed to encourage more children and young people to take an interest in science, technology, IT and mathematics. Åben Virksomhed was created to build bridges between teaching in schools and companies in the business community. In Åben Virksomhed, school classes are matched with a company—and the teaching takes place first at school, then at a company, and back at school again. In collaboration with skilled teachers, Åben Virksomhed develops free teaching materials for all year groups—from Year 1 all the way up to 3.g—in all science and technical subjects.
Åben Virksomhed aims to inspire more children and young people to choose a vocational education or a higher education programme within the technological or scientific field.
There are currently more than 600 Danish companies ready to open their doors to Danish school pupils.
If you, as a company, would also like a visit, you can write to us at Info@am-hub.dk or to Åben Virksomhed here: https://aabenvirksomhed.dk/til-virksomheder/
