100 Free Plug-and-Play 3D Printers Will Go to Schools
New
Matter will give away 300 3D printers to
schools over the next three months in conjunction with the widespread
release
of its plug-and-play 3D printing systems.
The
company, founded in 2014, has expanded distribution
of its MOD-t 3D printer and made it available for $399 in hopes it will
become
more accessible to consumers, not just in schools but in businesses and
homes
as well.
In
conjunction with that widespread release, New
Matter will give $200,000 worth of 3D printers and supplies to 200
schools
around the country. As part of its new Educate and Inspire Grant
campaign,
teachers and administrators can
apply for the free equipment before a February 5
deadline.
"New
Matter's ecosystem was designed to be simple
and efficient," said Steve Schell, New Matter CEO and co-founder. "We
are
working with educators to ensure that the MOD-t is the easiest and most
intuitive 3D printer for the classroom."
Each
of the 100 selected schools will get three
MOD-t 3D printers, 15 spools of filament and 15 build plate surfaces.
As
part of the effort to make 3D printing more
accessible, Schell pointed out that the MOD-t operates more quietly
than most
3D printers available, making it easier to use in a classroom or
library
without causing disruption. Likewise, because it automatically
calibrates,
teachers can focus on instruction, rather than operating the technology.
"Many
teachers who use 3D printers in their
classrooms say they often run into a bottleneck from having too many
student
projects to print, but not enough printers to print them all," Schell
said. "Because
of the affordability of the MOD-t, it is now possible for schools to
have
multiple printers in their classroom to print more student work faster."
About the Author
Michael Hart is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer and the former executive editor of THE Journal.