PrintLab is undoubtedly going to be a great help for schools everywhere—with learning institutions that already have labs up and running wishing indeed this new service had been around for them too, as they set out with the best intentions but often shooting in the dark as there was so little help initially with 3D printing lab setups. As the technology has become popular around the world, especially at the desktop, many institutions now may feel somewhat remiss if they don’t have at least one machine tucked away in a classroom somewhere.
For the most part though, schools are beginning with one and then adding on, sometimes ending up with a ‘lab’ through simple accumulation over time, offering a great resource for students—but sometimes lacking in the best organization possible. There are other issues that factor in with opening a 3D printing lab at a school as well, in terms of faculty being educated regarding the hardware, curriculum, and a host of concerns related to networking, expenses, and the ever lurking responsibility for maintenance.
PrintLab, headquartered in the UK, is on a mission to make opening a lab a streamlined processes for schools just entering into offering 3D printing for their students. With a complete ecosystem, they work to support schools and universities with a method allowing them to choose from a range of products, including everything from hardware to software to curriculum and materials, with the goal being a ‘bespoke solution’ that can be found all in one place.
Well aware that as digital design and 3D printing are changing the face of education for many students engaged in STEM learning, the PrintLab team is intent on paving the way for as many educators as possible to have the technology—and with the best solution possible for their specific learning institution. Working with a team of resellers, PrintLab is able to make this an international venture. They work with each reseller individually, and customize 3D printing ecosystems for each country, considering their specific needs in terms of local demand as well as educational requirements.
In a recent press release, PrintLab stated that their initial collaborations were with:
Fast forward to today, and they now have resellers in 19 countries signed up to distribute the PrintLab platform.
“By combining the products of our collaboration partners with those offered by PrintLab’s local resellers on one easy-to-use platform, we can efficiently give schools and universities all the necessary tools to improve the way students engage with core subjects. The route we have taken allows us to educate and inspire on a global scale whilst offering key local services such as installation and training,” says Jason Yeung, Business Development Manager at PrintLab International. “The 3D printing retailers we work with are one community who support each other every day using an online forum. We created a central platform so that together we can share our experiences and knowledge with everyone, in a collaborative effort.”
Around the world, each PrintLab reseller is able to offer educational 3D printing solutions to meet each client’s needs, all put together in one platform, ‘Build Your Lab.’ Resellers also offer pertinent advice, support, and training.
“PrintLab created a central platform so together with our partners, we can share our experiences and knowledge with everyone, in a collaborative effort to revolutionize education,” states the team.
PrintLab has been working in the industry for several years now, and responsible for distributing desktop 3D prints to markets worldwide. In total, they’ve shipped out more than 3,000 3D printers going to over 27 countries. They now want to use that experience to help their customers in the educational system gain access to building their own labs seamlessly—and offering students a spectacular experience in the 3D curriculum. Discuss further over in the 3D Printing Lab Ecosystem by PrintLab forum at 3DPB.com.
