Thursday, September 7 saw students from Cobram Anglican Grammar School race 3D-printed cars in the name of science and fun.
Computer Club students raced their creations on a roughly 15m track in front of their excited peers and the Courier.
Melonie Smith runs the after-school group for students and described the process of making the cars.
“We learn how to use software called Fusion 360 that teaches kids how to build three-dimensional shapes,” Ms Smith said.
“We then save them as a particular file type that can be sent to the 3D printer.”
CAGS has several 3D printers for students to use, and the Computer Club students can individualise their cars with names and colours.
“Some of them got their favourite football or race-car teams printed on them,” Ms Smith said.
“They designed the cars, sand them down, build wheels, put on axles.”
The cars are made of plastic, and each student has to follow strict specifications to ensure that each car can function.
The cars are powered with a C02 canister, and racing begins like a Formula 1 event.
“It goes one light, two lights, three lights, four lights, and then randomly the lights go out, and the kids have to react with their start mechanism,” Ms Smith said.
“The start mechanism launches a nail, which pieces the fuel canister, and then their cars rocket along the track.”
It all may sound like fun and games, but building 3D printed cars is another way CAGS helps students engage in STEM and, according to Ms Smith, allows students to learn things to a greater detail than they would via textbooks.
Engaging in STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and maths, is seen by experts as vital to ensure students are ready for the jobs of tomorrow.
“STEM is ultra important in kids’ development,” Ms Smith said.
“It gives them an outlet for their mathematical and science abilities.”
Year 6 student Hameesha Fernando is one of the students who built a race car.
She said she joined the Computer Club because she loved computers.
Hameesha said she loved using the 3D printer and that building the 3D cars made her a better learner.
“It helps me be more creative,” she said.
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