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A new dimension in printing

Dave Borowski | Catholic Herald

Technology coordinator Mary Briody shows students the plastic filament that will be used to create three-dimensional objects.

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Our Lady of Good Counsel second-graders (from left) Sophia Truong, Peter Francese and Aidan Linegang watch patiently Feb. 11 while the schools new 3-D Printer creates a Valentine’s Day heart.

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Briody displays plastic objects created by the MakerBot Replicator.

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St. Isidore of Seville sometimes is called the patron saint
of computers and the Internet. The fourth-century Spanish
saint wrote numerous books, including an encyclopedia, a
dictionary and rules for religious orders.

St. Isidore probably wouldn’t know what to make of the
computer lab at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna and
the large black open box tucked away in a corner.

The MakerBot Replicator is a three-dimensional printer that
makes objects.

The printer was a gift from the parents of a student who want
to remain anonymous. The family is not Catholic, but when
looking for a school for their child, they were “impressed”
with Our Lady of Good Counsel.

When Mary Briody, school technology coordinator, met with
these parents, they asked her about her hopes and dreams for
the chool.

The 3-D printer was a dream primarily because it can cost
thousands of dollars.

The printer was ordered in December and arrived in January.
Because of winter storm closings in January, they had only 11
days to set it up and test it.

They’re still learning how to use it but are practicing by
printing things like plastic nuts and bolts and Valentine’s
Day hearts.

The printer works by heating coils of thin plastic filament
and extruding them onto a plate inside the printer. A
computer program guides the nozzle to build up successive
layers of material that will take the shape of some
three-dimensional object. Plastic filament come in different
colors and cost about the same as printer cartridges.

“It’s like a Play-Doh factory on steroids,” said Briody.

She wants the students to design their own 3-D objects using
the MakerBot software instead of relying on premade models.

It’s not a fast process. Nuts and bolts could take 45 minutes
to create, while large objects take longer.

Briody said the teachers have brainstormed ideas for the new
printer, including the religion teacher who wants to make 3-D
images of Pope Francis.

The social studies teacher wants to build a 3-D colonial
village, while the math teacher thinks using the printer to
create three-dimensional images from equations would be a
good learning tool.

The 3D printer joins an impressive arsenal of technical
equipment available to Our Lady of Good Counsel students,
including Apple Ipads, Google Chrome tablets and ClamCase
Pros, another tablet brand.

St. Isidore would be impressed.

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