3D Printing in the Classroom: One Educator's Fabrication Lab With the MakerBot Sketch Sprint
Last Updated: April 29, 2026
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Eighty-four 3D-printed plant pots. Irrigation pipes. A pump on a timer. Students at Rahul Chopra's high school designed and built a Hydroponic Living Wall from scratch. A project like this used to take a full week to print. With the MakerBot Sketch Sprint, it finished in days. Chopra runs the fabrication lab as tech design department head, and since adding the Sketch Sprint, 3D printing in the classroom has gone from slow and frustrating to fast, reliable, and central to every project cycle.
From Prototypes to Living Walls: What Students Build
Chopra's fab lab covers introductory design courses through to upper-level engineering and product development. 3D printing in the classroom ties it all together.
"3D printing is a core part of how we bring ideas to life," Chopra explained. "Students create prototypes for real-world problems, design parts for robotics competitions, build 3D-printed aquaponic walls, and develop components for a host of other projects."
The Hydroponic Living Wall is the standout. It holds 84 printed pots connected by pipes leading to a tank below. A pump on a timer feeds water through a manifold at the top. Building it required design thinking, woodworking, basic engineering, and hydroponic gardening, all tied together by 3D printing. Students also designed and sold articulated toys. This is what 3D printing in the classroom looks like when the equipment keeps up.
How Speed Changes the Design Cycle
Before the Sketch Sprint, 3D printing in the classroom meant trade-offs. Students scaled down ideas, left work incomplete, or waited days for a single print run.
"My first impression of the Sketch Sprint was how instantly it aligned with the real needs of a high school fabrication lab," Chopra said. "It felt like a printer actually built for education."
The Sketch Sprint prints up to five times faster than older classroom printers. Work taking a full week on previous hardware now finishes in a couple of days. Entire feedback loops happen within one class period. Students design, print, evaluate, and revise without waiting for the next lesson.
"Students see results sooner, which keeps them motivated, engaged, and bolder," Chopra added.
Speed also changes how educators plan. Chopra now builds more complex, iterative lessons with multiple checkpoints in a single timeline. Students push ideas further because the printer keeps pace with their thinking.
"It's fundamentally teaching students how to problem solve for any kind of problem that occurs in life," Chopra continued.
Set It and Forget It: Reliability in a Busy Lab
Running multiple 3D printers in schools while teaching a class is tough. The Sketch Sprint's automatic levelling, guided setup, and plug-and-play design ease the load.
"The Sprint has transformed 3D printing from a time-consuming hobby into a streamlined, reliable classroom tool," Chopra stated. "With features like automatic levelling and intuitive setup, it truly is a 'set it and forget it' experience."
Fewer failed prints mean Chopra spends time teaching, not fixing machines. For 3D printing in the classroom to work, the hardware needs to stay out of the way. The Sketch Sprint works with UltiMaker Digital Factory for print queue management and Cura for slicing. Digital Factory gives educators a single view of all connected printers and student jobs, with remote access and collaboration built in.
"It's made 3D printing more accessible within the time constraints of a typical class period," he noted.
Safety Features Built for 3D Printing for Education
A classroom 3D printer needs to be safe around students of all ages. The Sketch Sprint has an enclosed print chamber, HEPA and carbon filtration, and a Printer Lock feature restricting settings to trained users only.
"The enclosure limits access to hot components, which helps maintain a safe workspace," Chopra noted.
For 3D printing in the classroom to succeed long-term, safety has to be built into the equipment. These features help Australian schools meet work health and safety requirements. An enclosed, filtered printer with access controls reduces risk in shared spaces where students of varying experience work side by side.
"Sprint minimises downtime, boosts student engagement, and ensures a safe and productive classroom and fabrication space. I'd recommend it to any educator looking to enhance their program," Chopra stated.
Ready to bring 3D printing for education into your school? The MakerBot Sketch Sprint Bundle includes everything needed to start printing on day one. See how another educator uses the Sketch Sprint for a hands-on monuments project in our classroom spotlight. Or view the full range of MakerBot products to compare options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does 3D printing in the classroom help students?
3D printing in the classroom builds design thinking, problem-solving, and iteration skills. Students go from a digital concept to a physical prototype within a single lesson. They evaluate their work, spot failures, and improve designs through repeated cycles. These skills apply directly to engineering, manufacturing, and product development careers.
What makes the MakerBot Sketch Sprint good for schools?
The Sketch Sprint combines speed, safety, and simple setup. It prints up to five times faster than older classroom printers, has an enclosed chamber with HEPA and carbon filtration, and includes automatic levelling plus a Printer Lock. These features cut failed prints, keep students safe, and let educators focus on teaching.
How fast is the MakerBot Sketch Sprint?
The Sketch Sprint prints up to five times faster than older classroom printers. Work taking a full week on previous hardware finishes in a couple of days. Full design-print-evaluate cycles fit within one class period. This speed makes 3D printing in the classroom practical for daily use.
What safety features does the MakerBot Sketch Sprint have?
The Sketch Sprint has an enclosed print chamber, HEPA and carbon filtration, and a Printer Lock feature. The enclosure stops contact with hot parts during a print. The filtration handles particles and fumes. Printer Lock restricts settings access so only trained users make changes.
Want to see more examples of 3D printing in the classroom? Read how Si Se Puede Foundation built a STEM centre with MakerBot printers.
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