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Open Research in Additive Manufacturing for Educational Toy Kits

by Dhamodaran KKP

Vision

To explore and openly share sustainable, affordable, and pedagogically rich 3D printed educational toys that empower students and teachers to engage in hands-on STEM learning aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 9, and 12).

About This Project

This project documents the open research journey in:

• Designing 3D printed educational toy kits

• Integrating them into classroom learning (5E Constructivist Model)

• Testing materials, print settings, and student usability

• Sharing all outcomes as open educational resources (OERs)

The project is maintained by Dhamodaran,

Research Focus Areas

Theme	Description
Additive Manufacturing for Education	Applying 3D printing for rapid, low-cost toy production
Sustainable Filaments	Using recycled PLA and eco-materials
Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)	Teaching design thinking through print constraints
STEAM & Maker Pedagogy	Integrating making into science and engineering learning
Open Source Hardware	Sharing printable educational kits openly

Objectives

1. Develop a library of open-source printable learning kits for K–12 education.

2. Evaluate educational impact through classroom testing.

3. Promote sustainability by using recycled materials and modular design.

4. Foster collaboration among educators, makers, and students.

5. Contribute to global Open Science and SDG goals.

Structure of This Documentation

Section	Description
Introduction	About the project and goals
Toy Kits	Each 3D printed kit with design, lesson plan, and print data
Research Notes	Experiments, testing, and analysis logs
Materials & Methods	Printing parameters, material trials, DfAM principles
References	Literature, papers, and open datasets
Collaborations	Contributions and acknowledgements

How to Use This Repository

1. Educators can download printable kits for classroom use.

2. Students can remix and design their own kits using shared 3D files.

3. Researchers can replicate or extend experiments and submit improvements.

4. Makerspaces can use this repository for STEM outreach and local fabrication.

All files are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0).

SDG Alignment

SDG	Description
SDG 4: Quality Education	Hands-on STEM learning kits for all students
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure	Promoting local innovation via 3D printing
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption	Use of recycled and biodegradable materials

Contact

Name: Dhamodaran Research Portal: Coming soon – GitHub Pages Link

Future Directions

• Expand to multi-material prints (flexible and rigid for dynamic toys)

• Explore embedded sensors for smart learning kits

• Collaborate with rural schools for design feedback

• Publish annual Open Research Reports via Zenodo

“Learning by making is the most natural form of curiosity-driven science.” — Dhamodaran