Cork primary school students are using a high-tech 3D printer to repair old puzzles

When children at a Cork school were given the latest 3D printing technology, they did what any inventive 9-year-old would do: they used it to solve ancient puzzles.

Instead of throwing away old gadgets or games when parts go missing, it would be great to have your own 3D printer to replace the missing parts – and a tech competition has given kids across the country the chance to do just that. Manufacturing a Healthy Future encouraged students to use 3D printing to support sustainability in the classroom – and children at Drinagh National School in West Cork took the chance to build and replace the missing pieces of some old puzzles.

Meanwhile, students at Ballinacarriga National School used the technology to extend the life of their classroom chairs, with both Cork schools winning €500 in teaching materials. The competition was coordinated by I-Form, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Stryker and aimed to promote interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the classroom.

Barry O’Driscoll, teacher at Ballinacarriga NS, said: “’Manufacturing a Healthy Future’ is a great initiative that I would recommend to all teachers. 3D printing allows students to let their imagination run wild and promotes creativity in a playful way. The program also inspires children to think about pursuing a career in STEM in the future.”

Drinagh Year 4 teacher Melissa Swanton said: “The students were so excited to be named winners of the Manufacturing a Healthy Future competition. 3D printing involves many key student skills, such as teamwork, design, mathematics and art.” . The competition also teaches the children about important sustainability issues. It was very rewarding to see the students working together and developing problem-solving skills.”

Osric Cooke, Laoibhse Hayes, Gary Bennett, Chloe Walsh at Ballinacarriga National School(Image: Michael O’Sullivan/OSM Photo)

Mag O’Keefe, Vice President of Global Additive Technologies: “Stryker’s participation in the Manufacturing a Healthy Future campaign demonstrates our commitment to developing innovative technologies that address real-world problems, promote sustainability and support local schools and communities. We want to inspire young minds to be imaginative and discover the potential of 3D printing. Stryker is proud to support initiatives that lay the foundation for a more sustainable and innovative future.”

Professor Denis Dowling, Director of I-Form, added: “We were delighted to see so many young people involved in this innovative EIT Manufacturing programme. As a Science Foundation Ireland research center, a key part of our public engagement strategy is to inspire students and demonstrate the exciting and innovative career opportunities in advanced manufacturing and this project allows us to do this. As the manufacturing sector continues to evolve, we hope to inspire young people to prepare now for the jobs of the future.”