Home | purpledesignsolution

3D Printing is as easy as 1,2,3D.

123D Print

01 / Ease of Use

Current means to create 3D models requires a substantive understanding of CAD – a complicated computer design software – or the use of 3D scanners and photogrammetry software. Too much emphasis is placed on the technical expertise of the user. 123D Print eliminates the need for such expertise and focuses on the creativity and experimentation of 3D modelling.

02 / Time

Educators are already hard-pressed to cover required content without the concerns that a new new technology brings. As a result, many educators are hesitant to incorporate new, cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing into their classrooms, no matter the educational benefits. 123D Print provides teachers with an easy to use platform that promotes collaboration and creative problem solving. In-app lessons and the companion app 123D U provide educators with ready to use lessons and design suggestions.

03 / Cost Saving

School boards are challenged with providing meaningful and intriguing educational experiences on fixed budgets. This forces educators and administrators to make careful decisions when it comes to new technologies. CAD software licenses and 3D scanners are often not on the top of many administrators lists when it comes to the technology needs of schools. 123D Print provides a free solution to this concern. WIth in-app purchases to expand the capabilities, schools can provide a high performance technology at fraction of the cost of other 3D modelling technologies.

123D Print is a mobile application available on smartphones and tablets, which allow users to '3D' photograph an object and then send that design to print. Designed specifically for the education sector, 123D Print puts the needs and concerns of educators and students at heart of the design process.

With the rapid growth and interest in 3D printing over the past few years what has fallen aside is the training required for educators and student to take advantage of the educational benefits of 3D printing. Complicated software and tedious websites are roadblocks to student success – that is where 123D Print comes into play. By taking advantage of high definition cameras available in most smartphones and tablets, 123D Print is able to ‘capture’ any 3-dimensional object. The easy to use interface and editing tools allow the user to manipulate their digital model without the required expertise in Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. The resulting digital model is coded and exported to print.

Whether or not a school has the funding to purchase their own 3D printers, or if they choose to use external printing sources, 123D Print provides an engaging platform that encourages creativity and problem solving, while meeting curriculum requirements found in many STEAM programs.

123D Print harnesses the power of mobile technology to create 3D photos of an object. Think of a panoramic photo - except of an object. Using the same basic principles as 3D scanning, without the expensive scanner and additional software, 123D Print uses the High Definition camera available in most smartphones and tablets to capture a 360 degree photo of the object. The app uses photogrammetry software to triangulate and scale the image to produce an accurate 3-dimensional digital model of the object with little to no variation or distortion using the photographs taken.

The application offers a suite of modelling tools which allow the user to change, modify and scale the digital model to customize the object. Similar to tools found in popular image edtiting software, tools like 'Pinch', 'Bloat', 'Strectch', 'Distort', and 'Scale' provide the user the freedom to modify the original digital model to customize it for the given need or problem. In this way, students are using the application as a means to solve a task or project - emphasizing critical thinking, creative problem solving and collaboration skills.

Through in-app purchases, users can choose additional features from a digital library to add complexity to thier model. Several different galleries have been developed and items can be searched and categorized for ease of use. Additional libraries (specifically designed for different subjects/units of study) can be purchased through the application.

The final design is coded and an STL (Stereolithography) file is generated. STL is a 3D rendering that contains only a single colour - the most common type of printer used in education. Additionally, the app offers an upgraded version which will generate a VRML file (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) which gives the user the ability to print with multiple colours.

The generated file can be uploaded to any cloud server that the user subscribes to and then sent to a local 3D printer. Alternatively, 123D Print offers Bluetooth connectivity to a printer if a wireless environemnt exists.

Why 3D Printing?

3D printing in the education sector is virtually an untapped market, and is gaining traction with early adopters.

We understand that not all teachers will understand the complexities of 3D printing, or have the time to redesign curriculum to allow for 3D printing activities. However, we also know that teachers want to provide their students with rich, meaningful learning experiences through engaging and interactive lessons. 123D Print mitigates the learning curve and allows both teacher and student the opportunity to be creative and inquisitive. 3D printing is as easy as 1, 2, 3D.

The 2014 New Media Consortium Horizon Report lists 3D printing as an important technology to watch in the coming years. The NMC notes that, “One of the most significant aspects of 3D printing for teaching and learning is that it enables more authentic exploration of objects that may not be readily available to schools.”

In recent years, advances in 3D printing technology has resulted in lower cost units – one that are suitable for individual and educational purposes. As a result, 3D printing is now a viable technology for education and promises to have a transformative impact on education, changing the way teaching and learning take place. 3D printing in education can:

provide 3D visual aids to help students understand complex concepts;
open new opportunities for constructive learning across all subjects;
prepare students for career skills they will need in 21st century design and manufacturing;
engage students and teachers in hands-on learning activities.

Why education is ready for 3D printing:

123D U

purple design solutions

Our goal at purple design solutions is to create innovative mobile applications that teach students computer skills in an interactive and engaging manner. We strive to minimize the burden that introducing new technologies can have on teachers, making for an easy and successful expereince for all our users. With each product we design, we put education as our focus. Having worked in education for over 20 years, we are focused on helping to provide meaingful learning experiences for all learners.

In addition to our 3D modelling application, purple design solutions is also set to release 123D U, a companion resource application for educators and students. The application contains dozens of lesson ideas, tutorial videos and examples of 3D models created by students and professionals. A sophisticated tagging system allows the user to search for various projects based on age, subject matter or education stream (i.e. STEAM). In addition, students and educators can submit project ideas or final designs to our User Gallery which will be shared with all 1,2,3D users.

In a global learning world, collaboration and sharing are keys to success. Here at purple design solutions, we believe that it is through the sharing of ideas that true innovation and creativity happen. 123D U is a free application when bundled with our design application 123D Print.

OUR STORY

Created in 2015, purple design solutions is an Educational Technology firm that looks at solving the technology concerns of the K-12 market. With 20 years of experience in education and a background in Ed. Tech., the founders of purple design solutions are focused on providing engaging educational applications for educators and students..

OUR TECHNOLOGY

The common denominator in all the products and services designed by purple design solutions is a sound architecture that provides users with the best experience. By designing all our applications with the user in mind, we focus on the experience rather then the product. Our goal is to make simple to use mobile apps that address complex problems, making learning an engaging and enjoyable experience.

OUR VISION

Every application we design rests on our 4 design principles. 1) The application must address an actual need in education; 2) The application must improve the quality of education that takes place in the classroom; 3) The application must be designed well so that it is easy to use and accessible to students and educators; and 4) The application must be built on a sound architecture to provide users with an unparalleled experience.

01 / Student Engagement

Student engagement and success are the critical factors for all educators and 3D printing provides opportunities for student to learn in a creative and unique environment. By eliminating the technical barriers created by traditional software, 123D Print increases student engagement and success.

02 / Project-based Learning

Current trends in education pedagogy focus on providing students with realistic learning environments where project-based learning is the key strategy used. 123D Print provides students with real-world experiences which challenges them to be creative and collaborate with their peers.

03 / STEAM Trends

With a focus on problem solving and creativity, STEAM programs have become very desirable settings for education. 3D printing lines-up directly with the educational principles of STEAM programs, and 123D Print provides content and lessons based on STEAM education.

Rendering of a digital model created in 123D Print.

Output from 123D Print being produced on a 3D printer.

Beta version of 123D Print scanning a portarait sculpture.

Market Analysis

The global market for 3D printing and related services is expected to exceed $30.19 billion USD between 2016 to 2022. According to Markets & Markets (2016), there is an ‘increase in the demand for desktop 3D printer in schools and universities, allowing students to incline more toward inspiring and practical 3D modeling experimentation.

Investors seeking a 3D printing investment in the education technology (Ed Tech) market should consider 123D Print, a purple design solutions application. 123D Print provides users with a high performance, easy-to-use application, but also provides 3D printing STEAM-based content through 123D U, the companion application.

Due to a lack of teacher training and educational content, the education sector has been hesitant to implement 3D printing as a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) tool. This is ready for change as schools have embraced STEAM programs and parents and students alike look to schools for this type of instruction. Manufactures and software developers are shifting focus to include STEAM based content when creating new applications.

There are a number of factors to suggest that the 3D printing market will continue to grow. The increased interest form hobbyists, the availability of low-cost printers, and the expiration of key patents will increase the number of 3D printing products that will develop in the near future (http://www.cantechletter.com/2015/03/education-sector-on-cusp-of-adopting-3d-printing/).

As illustrated in the Printing Hype Curve below, the expectation is that the interest in 3D printing and associated services will continue to grow.

We believe that educational technology is the next market that will experience rapid growth with respect to 3D printing and are poised to take advantage of such growth with our suite of mobile printing applications. As administrators in large school boards look to make new purchases in technology, 3D printing is at the cusp of becoming that next major investment.

Pricing Strategy and Portential for Future Growth:

Of the four basic pricing strategies for mobile applications (free, freemium, pad and paidmium), purple design solutions will implement a freemium pricing strategy for 123D Print. The freemium model is the most common pricing strategy for apps available on major mobile operating systems. The original version of 123D Print will be free to users, with additional content and functionality made available through in-app purchases. The majority of revenue in the most popular apps comes from in-app purchases made in free apps while on 10% of mobile apps in the Apple App Store were paid, with that percentage declining every year (http://www.phunware.com/blog/freemium-paidmium-mium-latest-pricing-strategies-mobile-apps/).

The ability for educators to download a basic version of 123D Print will help to boost user engagement. As the limitations of the app are reached, educators will look to purchase updated content and new features which can be released over time. In 1:1 environment, school IT staff can use the functionality of Volume Purchasing programs like Apple’s VPP program to purchase in-app features in bulk and distribute these licenses through Mobile Device Management (MDM) software. In Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments, teachers can determine which features are required for students, and direct these students to the appropriate in-app purchases.

As 123D Print becomes an established application in the education sector, additional libraries will be created and offered to users as in-app purchases. In this way, revenue will continue to be generated after the intial application has been acquired by users (following the freemium model). As 3D printing continues to grow as a technology, we at purple design solutions feel confident in our ability to create additonal applications focused on the education sector that will add to our suite of applications.

User Testimonials

'123D Print is an amazing app - it has made 3D printing so much easier. Now I can focus on creating interesting models rather then hours of computer modeling.'

Grade 10 Student

'123D Print allows my students to experience in a very real way all that 3D printing has to offer. The educational benefits have been outstanding. Students are coming up with creative solutions to complex design problems. Students are collaborating in realistic situations that model workplace situations.'

Communication Design Teacher

'123D Print provides our students with a high end peice of technology at a low cost. Teachers feel comfortable using the technology and the impact on student learning and success has been very positive.'

School Administrator