STEM News
Year 12 Product Design & Technology excursion
On 6th May, year 12 Product Design & Technology students attended Banyule Nillumbik Tech School. Tech schools are venues set up by the Department of Education that provide zoned schools access to cutting edge STEM, design and innovation facilities and provide students with creative and critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The students were met by the program coordinator who took the students on a tour of the impressive facilities. Spaces dedicated to creating podcasts, rooms to foster creativity and design, a sewing and Textiles space, digital design spaces and rooms with the latest technologies for prototyping and product manufacturing such as CNC machines, laser machines and 3D printers. After the tour, students learnt some digital 2D design skills on Illustrator. These designs were printed and cut out on their large and fast laser machine.
After a break, students focussed on learning skills in 3D design and design program Fusion. Students were able to design a quick 3D shape that was 3D printed on the Bambu Lab 3D printers. They found this task challenging, but they wanted to extend their learning by creating their own unique shapes and decorations.
After lunch, students were introduced to a design brief on the Flow Hive beehive. Students got to touch and feel the sample hive in front of them. They were challenged with the task of exploring the design of the manmade hive and looked at ways to improve parts of the design. In the short amount of time students had left, many decided to design a handle, and were able to quickly whip up an innovative 3D design to meet the design brief.
Students showed the values of curiosity and resilience on this excursion by wanting to push and extend their skills in 3D design for prototyping. All students now have basic to intermediate skills to design products in 3D, and have applied hands-on skills on how the development of products begin using these technologies, to prepare them for their upcoming SAC.
Ebony Pham
Year 12 Teacher
Technology Coordinator