The ISK was the first school to test the "FH4Schools" offer. The young people attended a workshop at the FH Workshop Academy as part of the subject "IB Physics".
Insight into the Makers Lab
The workshop "Makers Lab - Just make it: from design to a finished product" was conceived by the bachelor's degree programme in industrial engineering and brings the participants closer to manufacturing technology. The workshop met with great approval from the ISK students and teacher Mag. Klaus Reitberger, MSc, PhD. "A workshop on the topic of "3D printing" is of great value to the students of ISK Tirol, as the skills learned there can also be used in practical projects. As part of the international degree with the IB Diploma, pupils are required to carry out experiments independently. Know-how in "3D printing" is very helpful here. The ISK faculty is glad that there are such useful offers like this at the joint campus," Reitberger said after the workshop.
Biology teacher Mag. Daniela Spielmann, MSc accompanied the group to the workshop. During the event, Spielmann had the idea of making teaching materials such as human joints etc. herself in the Makers Lab. The possibilities for this are certainly given in the Lab.
Learning by Doing
The aim of the workshop for the students is to be able to work independently in the Makers Lab and gain their first experience in this environment. Especially since "learning by doing" is the top priority when dealing with 3D printing. The great advantage of additive manufacturing is that idea sketches and concepts can be quickly and easily checked for implementation and function by using the 3D printers - true to the motto "Just make it".
Sustainable materials in use
Another interesting point in the Makers Lab is that mainly cheap and sustainable plastic material, so-called PLA, is used here. This is made from maize starch and therefore contains no petroleum products. Under the right conditions, the material is compostable and can thus be recycled.
Exciting exchange for the Fachhochschule
For the FH Kufstein Tirol, the workshop is also associated with great benefits, as the students can gain their first practical impressions in the field of the study programme. "For me as the workshop leader, the coolest moments during the workshop were when the young people started discussing among themselves what can be produced with 3D printers. For example, one student asked if it was possible to produce a model of a special wind turbine for the physics class using the 3D printer. He would then have a physical model or visual material for his presentation on wind turbines," says laboratory manager Markus Ehrlenbach, MSc, enthusiastically about the first workshop success.
