3D Printers for Schools & Education

25th February 2020 • News

First of all, a few key points about the survey itself. Please bear these in mind when analysing the results:

• The data was gathered as part of our 7-day trial application forms, and so the audience had an interest in PrintLab’s 3D printing curriculum. This is important to note because there are some 3D printer brands who offer their own curriculum solutions (e.g. Robo 3D) and their customer base may not have an interest in PrintLab. Therefore, these brands will not have ranked highly on our list.
• As mentioned, the data gathered specifies what 3D printer brands are present in the participants’s school/organisation. If 2 brands were listed by the participant, 1 point was allocated to each brand.
• The majority of the data was gathered from teachers in the US (58%), with the rest being spread out across the globe.

So without further ado, here are the results…

And here are a few key takeaways from the survey:

• Makerbot and Ultimaker take spots 1 and 2. Interestingly, both these brands offer 3D printers at higher price points than the rest of the field. The most common models were also the Ultimaker 2+ and Makerbot Replicator+, both of which don’t have an enclosure.
• Dremel are on the rise in education, with great reviews from the community (including our pioneers). More and more we’re hearing amazing things about the Dremel DigiLab ecosystem. Their products pay particular attention to quality, ease-of-use, safety and connectivity.
• With the price point and features Flashforge offer, there’s no surprise they feature highly on the list.
• Prusa currently sit in our number 5 spot. With the release of their new Mini printer, which retails at just $349, we’re predicting big things in education from Prusa. In particular, we’re excited at the possibilities of schools and libraries setting up print farms affordably.

Whether you’re trying to decide which 3D printer to buy or you’re a company interested in the data, we hope you enjoyed the survey! We’re looking forward to seeing the progression and growth of all 3D printer brands in education.

Finally, if you’re a teacher looking at bringing 3D printing into the classroom, don’t forget to check out our FREE 7-day trial, which includes a whole range of exciting and meaningful 3D printing projects for students in the 8-16 age group.