We have just launched a new training course on design for 3D printing. The course will be delivered both in-person, and online, starting April 2023. We felt there was an unmet need for a high quality additive manufacturing (AM) courses that go beyond the very basics, and focus on what is actually useful to practicing designers.
Printpool has been manufacturing 3D printed parts for over three years now, we know a lot about what a well designed AM part looks like. The design rules for 3D printing are very different to those for other processes however, and without specialist knowledge, even very experienced professionals can make key mistakes.
The full course, ‘Additive Advantage’, is made up of four modules.. Participants will start by learning about each of the basic 3D printing types, how to choose the best one for a given project, and how to design parts and components that will build well. More complex topics like generative design and creating lattice structures will then be introduced to build upon this core foundation, and participants will leave with an excellent working knowledge of 3D printing design that they can apply straight away.
This course is for engineers and product designers, particularly those in the first 2-6 years of their career. If you are looking for training to help you develop your professional skills, and progress to the next level of your development, these training courses can really help you level up fast.
As far as possible, the course will be hardware and software agnostic. Participants will be encouraged to use the CAD packages that they are already familiar with, and 3D printing software discussions will avoid the classic “Click here, then here” approach. Printpool believes that understanding the intent behind processes is so much more valuable than learning how to navigate a particular software interface. This way, learning is directly transferable to whatever brand of 3D printing solutions your company already uses.
You won't directly operate a 3D printer in this course, unlike some other 3D printing courses. This is because the skills you need to be an effective designer of 3D printed parts are very different from the skills needed to be a technician.
We'll introduce each AM type in turn to build a strong foundation of knowledge, discussing the importance of build orientation, layers, supports and overhangs.
This will cover the technology behind 3D printers that use filaments, resins, and powders, and we will explore how their unique traits lead directly to design decisions.
Leading on directly from the previous module, we'll go deeper into the materials science involved in 3D printing, learn how to save significant amounts of money on prototypes, and talk about fits, tolerances, and threads in 3D printed parts.
This is one of the most important modules of the course, and many participants will be able to get a full return on investment just from the understanding this one module fosters.
Generative design, lattice structures, and part consolidation. These are powerful tools that complement a solid understanding of design for additive manufacturing, and we'll get to grips with how they work here.
We'll make use of the small, focused, classroom environment and use some direct software demonstrations, using well known engineering CAD software that most participants will already have available to them. Although each example will start by introducing beginners to the techniques, we'll quickly move through intermediate and advanced level applications.
You'll learn how to get the very highest levels of performance out of 3D printed parts, in ways you didn't think were possible. Computational design, digital texturing, mass-customisation and fluid flow get covered here, to round off the course with a bang.
This module is about the true potential and power of industrial additive manufacturing and advanced design. You'll learn how to design features and geometries you never thought possible, as indeed they weren't until quite recently. Each digital file used will be available to you afterwards, so you can continue to create and develop the examples at home, and leave with an understanding on how to create world class designs and models.
Unlike other training options that are available in the UK, the course will not revolve around setting up a cheap 3D printer, or simple design rules for FDM 3D printed parts. Instead, the course will teach participants how to rethink their design process, in order to get the most out of 3D printing.
Our programme will stand out from competitors, and online courses, by focusing on what designers need to know to produce great results. By opening your mind to new design possibilities, you will advance your career, and be able to create better products than ever before.
Participants will get a lifetime 20 per cent discount on 3D printing services from Printpool upon completion of the course. For many professionals who enrol on the course, this alone may be enough to recoup the course price in a matter of months, but most participants will unlock larger savings than that elsewhere.
The real value of this training is in the deeper knowledge of each additive process, which designers from various industries can use to design products with an advantage over their competition. Each manufacturing process must be carefully designed for, in every industry, and 3D printing is no different. Learners will be encouraged to work on their own designs, and will gain a deeper insight into how their teams can reduce the price of the 3D printed parts they make or order in the future.
If this sounds interesting to you, and you would like to attend our 3D printing courses, to learn about this exciting technology, its easy to join. To begin with, to let us know that you're interested - complete the form here. We will then be in touch with more information, including a brochure so you can find out more.
