The overarching goal of democratizing manufacturing with 3D printing is the betterment of humankind, and one organization that really takes that to heart is e-NABLE. e-NABLE is a network of makers, hobbyists, schools, and professionals who volunteer their time and resources to 3D print free prosthetic hands and arms for individuals who have lost theirs or were born without them. There are thousands of e-NABLE volunteers around the world and I’m one of them, so I’m happy to help spread awareness of their cause by telling you about their contest where you can win an Ultimaker 2+ 3D printer and eight spools of 3D Universe Terrafilum PLA filament for your classroom.
The contest is a collaborative effort with 3D Universe and Ultimaker and it’s called e-NABLE The Future of STEM. It’s pretty straightforward to enter; all you have to do is:
- Make a short video (1-3 minutes) explaining how your classroom would help make the world a better place with a 3D printer.
- Have your teacher upload the video to the school’s social media page with the listed hashtags and sponsors.
- Submit an entry form to the 3D Universe contest page.
It’s that easy. Maybe your class would provide 3D models to blind students to help them understand geometry. Perhaps you’ll make bird feeders to rebuild declining bird populations. Or you’ll work with the elderly community to develop assistive devices that provide them more independence. You could create new medical devices for low-income regions. Ideas can be local or global, and they can relate to people, animals, the environment, education, or anything that could be better than it is. The choice is entirely up to you and limited only by the imagination of your class, so work together and have fun with it!
Runner-ups will receive e-NABLE hand kits that they can build as well as a completely assembled Phoenix hand. For those who already have a 3D printer, I encourage you to look into e-NABLE and consider volunteering for them. Volunteers can opt to just print the parts or also handle the assembly.
“Remember – you don’t have to do big things to change the world and you don’t have to wait until you are an adult to start making a difference! You can start today!”
