A free 3D-printed hand
Discover how Atomic Lab turns a thread of plastic into a hand prosthesis provided free of charge. Follow the journey from a digital model to a moving mechanism.
3D printingExplore
ATOMIC LAB ED
Hands on
science.
Curiosity is the first step.
Trying is the next.
An open lab for understanding how things are made. With Gino Tubaro, five challenges and science you can explore at your own pace.
An Atomic Lab series · Supported by 3M
5 episodesInteractive labsFree, no sign-upES / EN
The seriesOne question.
One question.
Many ways to learn.
The videos are under repair. Meanwhile, the explanations, simulators and challenges are ready to explore.
Why does one printer move its bed and the other doesn’t?
An Ender 3 and a Trideo Box inspire an engineering question: how many ways can you move a nozzle to the same point?
Motion and controlExplore
The 3D printing graveyard
A box of failed prints also holds energy, time and material. What can we learn from it before printing again?
Materials and sustainabilityExplore
Parts that come out already working
Seven parts, one print and no assembly step. The secret of a print-in-place mechanism also lies in the air between its parts.
Mechanisms and designExplore
Why isn’t your remote control 3D printed?
A little boat changes size. A mould changes the maths. Discover why quantity and design matter as much as technology.
Scale and manufacturingExplore
At home or in the classroomYou don’t need a printer.
You don’t need a printer.
You need a good question.
Each episode includes an activity with everyday materials. Print the learning sheet from an episode page and use it offline.
- PredictWhat do you think will happen? Explain why.
- TryChange one variable and observe the result.
- ExplainCompare it with your first idea. Mistakes teach us too.
Your toolkit
Words to get started.
Return to these ideas whenever you need them. Science starts with understanding what we are talking about.
- STEM
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics: four ways to ask questions and solve problems.
- Slicer
- Software that turns 3D geometry into layers and manufacturing paths.
- G-code
- Instructions that control movements and other printer actions.
- Clearance
- Space between parts that allows them to remain separate or move without interference.
- Polymer
- A material made of long chains of molecular units.
- Scale
- The size relationship between an object and its reference.