Teacher Resource
Procurement & Materials List
Everything you need to run this lesson, with estimated costs. Most items are already in a typical CTE shop. The only consumable cost is filament.
Equipment (Already in Lab)
| Item | Qty Needed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer | 1+ (more = faster queue) | Enclosed, warm classroom. Already owned per project spec. |
| SolidWorks 2025 workstations | 1 per student or pair | SimulationXpress (free) or Simulation Standard (if licensed) |
| Digital calipers | 1 per team | For measuring specimen dimensions and deflection. 0.01mm resolution. |
| Safety glasses | 1 per student | Required during physical testing. PLA fragments can fly on failure. |
Consumables
| Item | Qty Needed | Est. Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA filament (1.75mm) | ~200g per class of 30 | $5–8 | Each test bar (80×10×4mm, 100% infill) uses ~3.5g. At 3 bars per student × 30 students = ~315g. One standard 1kg spool handles 3 classes. Use a consistent brand/color for comparable results. |
| ABS filament (1.75mm) — Section 8 only | ~200g per class of 30 | $6–10 | Same calculation as PLA. Only needed if running the advanced investigation. P1S enclosure helps with warping. |
Testing Apparatus
Choose one option based on what you have available. Option A is cheapest and works well for this lesson.
Option A — Dead Weight Loading (Recommended)
| Item | Qty | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel rod or dowel, 5–6mm diameter, ~150mm long | 2 per test station | $2–5 total | Hardware store / shop stock |
| Support base (V-block, angle iron, or wood blocks with grooves) | 1 set per station | $0–10 | Shop-built from scrap. Two blocks spaced 64mm apart with grooves for the support rods. |
| Small bucket or bag + hook/wire | 1 per station | $3–5 | For hanging from specimen midpoint. A small paint can with a wire bail works. |
| Calibrated masses (assorted) | Set of 50g–1kg | $0–15 | Borrow from physics dept. Or use bags of hardware (bolts, nuts) weighed on a scale. |
| Kitchen/postal scale (0.1g or 1g resolution) | 1 per station | $10–15 | For weighing masses if not using calibrated set |
Option A total per station: $15–50 (most from shop stock)
Option B — Press + Scale
| Item | Qty | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small arbor press (0.5–1 ton) | 1 | $40–80 | Already in many shops. Harbor Freight / Amazon. |
| Bathroom scale or load cell (50kg range) | 1 | $10–25 | Under the specimen supports to read applied force |
| Support fixture (same as Option A) | 1 set | $5–10 | Shop-built |
Option B total: $55–115
Option C — Digital Load Cell Setup
| Item | Qty | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital force gauge (100N range) | 1 | $50–150 | Amazon / scientific supply. Gives precise digital readout of applied force. |
| Support fixture | 1 set | $5–10 | Shop-built |
Option C total: $55–160
Printable Materials (Included in Repository)
| File | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| test-bar.SLDPRT | SolidWorks | 80×10×4mm rectangular test bar |
| test-bar.STL | STL | Same bar, for students without SolidWorks access to print |
| data-sheet.pdf | Printable data collection sheet for Section 6 | |
| comparison-template.pdf | Printable comparison table for Section 7 | |
| material-properties-table.pdf | Published FDM material properties with source citations |
Budget Summary
| Category | Low Estimate | High Estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filament (PLA only) | $5 | $8 | Per class of 30 |
| Filament (PLA + ABS) | $11 | $18 | If running Section 8 |
| Testing apparatus (Option A) | $15 | $50 | One-time, reusable |
| Total per class (core lesson) | $20 | $58 | |
| Total per class (with Section 8) | $26 | $68 |
Bottom Line
If your shop already has a 3D printer, calipers, safety glasses, and basic hardware — the only cost is filament. One spool of PLA ($20–25) covers approximately 3 classes of 30 students through the full core lesson.
Standards Alignment (for Administrative Justification)
NGSS
- HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global problem — define criteria and constraints
- HS-ETS1-2: Design a solution using mathematical models and simulations
- HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution using prioritized criteria, trade-offs, and refinement
- HS-PS2-6: Mathematical expressions of Newton's second law (force/stress relationships)
NGSS Science & Engineering Practices Addressed
- Developing and using models (FEA simulation)
- Planning and carrying out investigations (physical testing)
- Analyzing and interpreting data (predicted vs. actual comparison)
- Using mathematics and computational thinking (stress calculations, percent error)
- Constructing explanations and designing solutions (error analysis, material selection)
CTE / Career Connections
- Mechanical Engineer
- Materials Scientist
- Quality Assurance Engineer
- Aerospace Structures Analyst
- Biomedical Device Engineer
- Manufacturing Engineer
- CSWA-FEA certification pathway (SolidWorks Associates — FEA specialization)