3D Printing for Classrooms and Med-Tech Prototyping
What FDM printing does well for schools and med-tech R&D: teaching models, class sets, device enclosures, rigs and fixtures, and ordering via Vendors@Gov.
Schools and med-tech teams ask us for very different things, but the jobs have a lot in common. Both need physical models that people can hold, test and learn from. Both often have a fixed date to hit, whether that is the start of term or a demo day. And both usually buy through a procurement process rather than a credit card.
This guide covers what FDM printing does well for classrooms and for medical technology prototyping, where its limits are, and how to order through Vendors@Gov or a purchase order.
3D Printing for Classrooms
FDM is a good fit for teaching because the parts are cheap, tough enough to be passed around a class, and available in many colours. A teaching model that gets dropped can simply be reprinted.
What schools and training providers print
- Teaching models: molecules, geographical relief maps, cutaway engines, gear trains and mechanisms that students can handle.
- Class sets: the same part printed 30 or 40 times, so every student or group gets one.
- Lab components: holders, stands, brackets and organisers for equipment.
- Student projects: FYP prototypes, D&T coursework, robotics and CCA parts, architecture models.
Material choices for the classroom
| Job | Material | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Display and teaching models | PLA | Crisp detail, wide colour range, the most economical option |
| Parts handled daily or used in labs | PETG | Tougher, copes with moisture and most household chemicals |
| Moving mechanisms and gears | Nylon | Tough and wear-resistant |
| Flexible demo parts | TPU | Rubber-like and bendable |
Multi-colour prints of up to 7 colours help with teaching models, for example colour-coding parts of a mechanism or layers of a landform.
For students ordering their own parts
Students can upload a file and get a price in seconds, with no account needed. There is a student rate: message us from your school email or show your student card and we'll confirm it for your job. Our students page has the details, and our guide to 3D printing your FYP or school project covers file prep, scale and deadlines.
Med-Tech Prototyping: What FDM Is Good For
FDM is useful for the non-patient side of medical technology work. It lets an R&D team hold a design in their hands within a day or two and change it the next day. Typical jobs:
- Device enclosures and housings for prototypes, fit tests and stakeholder reviews.
- Mounts and brackets for sensors, screens, cameras and cables.
- Training rigs that hold equipment or simulate a setup for practice.
- Fixtures for assembly, testing and holding parts during inspection.
- Demonstration models for trade shows, investor meetings and teaching.
What we don't make
We don't make implants, parts that contact patients, or parts for regulated medical use. FDM parts have small surface grooves, and our materials and process are not certified for those uses. If a part is heading towards clinical use, it needs a process, material and supplier qualified for that, and we'll tell you so plainly.
Picking a material for med-tech prototypes
| Need | Material | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Early form and fit checks | PLA | Cheap and accurate, but softens around 55–60 °C |
| Functional enclosures and mounts | PETG | Tough, handles heat up to about 80 °C |
| Strong, impact-resistant housings | Polycarbonate | High impact strength, heat to about 120 °C |
| Stiff, light fixtures | PA-CF | Stiff and heat resistant to about 150 °C |
| Grips and soft bumpers | TPU | Flexible and shock-absorbing |
If a prototype will be wiped down with cleaning agents, check those chemicals against the material before you commit. PETG has good chemical resistance, but every cleaning agent is different, so test on a printed sample first.
Keeping a design confidential
Med-tech R&D is often confidential. We sign an NDA on request before you share files. Your uploaded files stay yours, and we use them only to quote and print your order.
Getting the Design Right Before You Pay
Whether it is a class set or a device housing, every file gets a free check before printing. We look at wall thickness, tolerances, clearances, orientation and supports, and suggest fixes before it goes on a printer. We don't model parts for you, but we will tell you if a wall is too thin to survive handling or a snap-fit is likely to crack.
A few rules of thumb help:
- Walls of 1.2 mm for most parts, 1.6–2.0 mm for parts that are handled a lot.
- Expect ±0.2–0.5 mm accuracy, with holes 0.1–0.2 mm undersize.
- Use heat-set brass inserts for screws smaller than M6.
- Tell us the critical dimensions, for example where a PCB or sensor must fit.
For a part that needs to fit exactly, ask us for photos and a dimension check of the finished print before pickup or shipping.
Ordering Through Procurement
We're set up for schools, agencies and companies that buy through a formal process:
- Vendors@Gov: ZeroCore (UEN 53518608L) is a registered vendor, so government agencies and public schools can raise purchase orders and process our invoices through their usual channels.
- SAP Ariba: we are a registered supplier on the SAP Ariba Network.
- Purchase orders: welcome. We issue an itemised quotation up front and an itemised invoice for your records.
- Payment: a 50% PayNow deposit to start, with the balance on completion, or 100% upfront.
- Formal quotations: email your files and requirements to [email protected] and we'll issue a quotation your approvers can sign off.
Our business page lists the supplier identifiers your procurement team needs.
Planning around term dates and demo days
Most orders are ready within 24–48 hours of approval. Larger class sets and batch runs depend on our live production queue, so share your deadline when you ask for a quote and we'll confirm a realistic schedule before you commit. If we can't hit the date, we'll say so before you pay. For a big class set, consider ordering one piece first at the normal price to check it before printing the rest.
Quick FAQ
Can you print a class set of the same model?
Yes. Quantity discounts apply automatically in your quote as the number of copies grows, and every copy is printed to the same settings.
Do you print medical devices?
No. We print prototypes, enclosures, mounts, training rigs, fixtures and demonstration models. We don't make implants, patient-contact parts or regulated medical parts.
Will you sign an NDA?
Yes, on request, before you share your files.
Can my school pay by purchase order?
Yes. We're on Vendors@Gov and SAP Ariba, and a standard emailed quotation, PO and itemised invoice also works.
Planning a class set or a prototype run? Upload the file to see the price and the available dates. Get an instant quote.
