THE DESIGN PROCESS OF AN OCCUPATIONALLY SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL 3D PRINTING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION

Authors

  • Ari Pikkarainen Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Kemi, Finland
  • Heidi Piili Research Group of Laser Materials Processing and Additive Manufacturing, LUT School of Energy Systems, LUT University, Lappeenranta, Finland
  • Antti Salminen Mechanical Engineering, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v7i12.3400

Keywords:

3D printing, additive manufacturing, learning environment, laboratory, occupational safety

Abstract

Learning environment is a physical environment which enables and supports interaction and learning of an individual. Practical learning happens usually in a physical learning environment allowing students to learn through using a certain technology when engineering education is in focus. 3D printing offers a low-cost and easy to access way to learn technology through different 3D printing technologies. There is lack of proper guidelines and solutions how to design practical and safe 3D printing learning environment in current literature. The design of a 3D printing environment consists of designing the physical environment and the operational model for the environment. The most important issue in the design work is the occupational safety of the environment including identifying different risks for health. This study presents a process of designing a 3D printing environment in Lapland University of Applied Sciences mechanical engineering degree programme (B.Sc. degree) including layout and operational planning from educational point of view. The study emphasizes the importance of connecting technology with learning in engineering. This study also includes an educational process model presenting the actions which the environment enables from educational point of view. Functionality of the environment refers to the possibility to learn by doing and work in the environment in a way that enables diverse learning possibilities. The process model presents how a 3D printing learning environment can be connected with other functions in a university or in a company and therefore be a part of a manufacturing chain from educational point of view.

Article visualizations:

Hit counter

Author Biographies

  • Ari Pikkarainen, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lapland University of Applied Sciences, Kemi, Finland
    Ari Pikkarainen, M.Sc (Tech.) is working as a senior lecturer in the Mechanical engineering degree in Lapland University of Applied Sciences (Lapland UAS), Tietokatu 1, 94600, Kemi, Finland. Pikkarainen is a teacher of technical subjects such as 3D printing, engineering design, mechanical calculations and energy technology. He has been working also as a mechanical designer in different areas such as steel- and paper industry. His M.Sc. thesis was about creating a learning environment around 3D printing for engineering student that combines traditional engineering design process into 3D printing and it was done in Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT). Pikkarainen has acted as a main responsible member of curriculum development team in the Lapland UAS mechanical engineering degree in 2008-2012 and he acted as the main responsible teacher (guiding a team of teachers and R&D personnel) in renewing the Lapland UAS mechanical engineering curriculum in 2014-2017. He is currently doing his D.Sc. (Tech.) studies at LUT and his doctoral thesis is about the connection between education and 3D printing. His dissertation is expected to be finished in summer 2021.
  • Heidi Piili, Research Group of Laser Materials Processing and Additive Manufacturing, LUT School of Energy Systems, LUT University, Lappeenranta, Finland
    Professor Heidi Piili, D.Sc. (Tech.) is working as professor in field of laser processing and additive manufacturing. She is also team leader of Research Group of Laser Material Processing and Additive Manufacturing of LUT University (LUT). Piili was working within industrial additive manufacturing during year 2017 at Electro Optical Systems (EOS) Finland. Piili has more than 18 years´ experience of laser processing (cutting, micro/mill processing, welding etc.) of various different materials. Her doctoral thesis in 2013 was about characterization and mathematical modeling of interaction between laser beam and material. Piili has been working more than 11 years with additive manufacturing, mostly concentrating to powder bed fusion of metallic materials. At the moment, she participates to national and international projects (academic and industrial) and also educates additive manufacturing and laser technology. She has more than 120 international publications in field of laser technology and additive manufacturing and her h-index is 11 (Google Scholar) and 8 (Scopus).
  • Antti Salminen, Mechanical Engineering, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
    Professor Antti Salminen, D.Sc. (Tech.) is working in Mechanical Engineering at University of Turku and as a Docent in Manufacturing Technology at LUT University. He has more than 30 years of experience of laser-based manufacturing processes and welding in both academia and industry. He has been Principal Investigator in several research projects funded by national, Nordic and European funding agents. His specialization is in the process development, laser system development, product design for laser processing, monitoring of thermal processes especially for welding and additive manufacturing. He has published more 100 peer reviewed scientific and more than 150 scientific conference publications. He is member of board of Finnish association for additive manufacturing and deputy member of board of Finnish Welding society and national delegate in IIW commissions I, IV and X. He has supervised 10 doctoral, 70 master, and 16 bachelor theses and is currently supervising 8 doctoral theses.

References

D Hubs, 2019. Knowledge Base. Selecting the right 3D printing process. https://www.3dhubs.com/knowledge-base/selecting-right-3d-printing-process/. Accessed 5 March 2020.

Finland Ministry of Justice. Finlex data bank. Government decree on the national objectives for Education referred to the basic education act in the distribution of lesson hours. § 422/2012.

Finland Ministry of Justice. Finlex data bank Occupational Safety and Health Act. § 738/2002. Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 2016. Model solution – The chemical safety of 3D printing in work places. Report. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland.

Floyd E.L, Wang J, Regens J.L., 2017. Fume emissions from a low-cost 3D-printer with various filaments. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 14(7): 523-533. doi: 10.1080/15459624.2017.1302587.

Formlabs, 2019. FORM 3, https://formlabs.com/eu/3d-printers/form-3/. Accessed 5 March 2020.

Garzon-Hernandez S, Garcia-Gonzalez D, Jerusalem A & Arias, A, 2020. Design of FDM 3D printed polymers: An experimental -modelling methodology for the prediction of mechanical properties. Materials and Design 188. doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2019.108414.

Gibson I, Rosen D, Stucker B, 2015. Additive manufacturing technologies. 3D printing, Rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing, New York, USA.

Haavi T, Tvenge N. & Martinsen K, 2018. CDIO design education collaboration using 3D-desktop printers. Procedia CIRP 70: 325-330. doi: 10.1016/j.procir.2018.03.277.

Kim Y, Yoon C, Ham S, Park J, Kim S, Kwon O & Tsai P-J, 2015. Emissions of Nanoparticles and gaseous material from 3D printer operation. Environmental Science and Technology 49:12044-12053. doi: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02805.

Kinshuk, Chen N-S, Cheng I-L & Chew S, 2016. Evolution is not enough: Revolutionizing current learning environments to smart learning environments. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education Society 26: 561-581. doi: 10.1007/s40593-016-0108-x.

Lapland University of Applied Sciences, 2017. Smart Development Environment for Mechanical and Production Engineering, Smart Lab. Project application. European Regional Development Fund, Finland.

Lapland University of Applied Sciences, 2018. Smart Lab, Development of know-how and education. Project application. European Social Fund, Finland.

Mikroyannidis A, Kroop S & Wolpers M, 2015. Personal learning environments (PLEs): Visions and concepts. Responsive open learning environments 1-16, London, UK.

Mohamed O, Masood S & Bhowmik J, 2015. Optimization of fused deposition modelling process parameters: a review of current research and future prospects. Advanced manufacturing 3: 42-53. doi: 10.1007/s40436-014-0097-7.

Savander-Ranne C, Lindfors J, Lankinen P & Lintula, L, 2013. Developing learning environments. Kehittyvät oppimisympäristöt. Report, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland.

Scopus Preview, 2020. Elsevier, https://www.scopus.com/home.uri. Accessed 27 July 2020.

SFS-EN ISO / ASTM 52900:2017. Standard Terminology for Additive Manufacturing – General Principles – Terminology.

Sinterit, 2019. Lisa 2 Pro printer, https://www.sinterit.com/shop/products/sinterit-lisa-pro-3d-printer. Accessed 5 March, 2020.

Stockmann-Juvala H, Oksanen K, Viitanen A-K, Kangas A, Huhtiniemi M, Kanerva T & Säämänen A, 2016. Instructions for safe 3D printing. Information card 34, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland.

Statista, 2019. Most used 3D printing technologies worldwide, https://www.statista.com/statistics/560304/worldwide-survey-3d-printing-top-technologies/. Accessed 24th of August 2020.

Unwin J, Coldwell M, Keen C & McAlinden J, 2013. Airborne emissions of carcinogens and respiratory sensitizers during thermal processing of plastics. The Annals of Occupational Hygiene 57(3): 399-406. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/mes078.

Viitanen A-K, Kangas A, Huhtiniemi M, Kanerva T, Stockmann-Juvala H, Säämänen A, Kukko K, Tuomi, J, Partanen J, Kallonen K & Hämeri K, 2016. Gas and particle emissions at the different work stages of additive manufacturing (3D printing). Report no. 114374, 114406, 114337, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Finland.

Wohlers Associates Inc., 2019. Wohlers report 2017, Colorado, USA.

Zontek T, Ogle B, Jankovic J & Hollenbeck S, 2016. An exposure assessment of desktop 3D printing. Journal of Chemical Health and safety 24(2):15-25. doi: 10.1016/j.jchas.2016.05.008.

Downloads

Published

2020-10-28

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 12 (2020)

Section

Articles

License

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).