3D4VET is preparing the training for trainers in Venice...

In March 2019 the first training of trainers will take place in Venice of the 3D4VET project. During the last months the consortium, led by FORCOOP and BIOAVAN, has been preparing the contents for this training.

The training will be focused on the 3D printer’s software, it will have a duration of 30 hours and will tackle some contents such as the websites, file downloads, change to STL language, 3D printing types, different materials, regulation of parameters, among others.

The second part of this capacity building for trainers will take place in Seville in April. This part of the module will make an approach to the 3D printer’s hardware and will also last 30 hours. Among other contents, it will be taught contents like how to assemble a 3D printer, the different parts and pieces of the printer, adjustments and maintenance, regulation of parameters and the materials that can be used in a 3D printer.

After this capacity building for trainers, the fine-tuning of the training will be done, and the trainers will make a pilot testing of the entire training in the partner’s country VET Schools.

3D printing in the European Commission

The European Commission has developed the “Digital Transformation Monitor” which aims to foster the knowledge base on the state of play and evolution of digital transformation in Europe. This site provides a monitoring mechanism to examine key trends in digital transformation. It offers a unique insight into statistics and initiatives to support digital transformation, as well as reports on key industrial and technological opportunities, challenges and policy initiatives related to digital transformation. This initiative is coordinated by the Directorate-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Directorate of Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing.

3D printing is considered one of the digital transformation motors, as the different advances in additive manufacturing technologies have transformed the ways in which products are designed, developed, manufactured and also distributed. This situation will have a direct impact in the market and by 2021, 3D printing market is estimated to reach €9,94 billion (Wohlers Report 2016).

Improving the quaility of life through 3d prosthesis

3D printing is a very useful tool which can improve the quality of life of a large number of people, helping them to make their daily life better. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 100 million people need prosthesis, a quite expensive orthopaedic tool that could be simplified through and thanks to the 3D printing.

In order to respond to the need of creating prosthesis for people in need, most of them issued from conflictive countries, many NGOs have been created to print and give 3D prosthesis to people around the world. For instance, the Spanish young engineer Guillermo Martínez has created “Ayúdame 3D”, an NGO in charge of distributing prothesis in Kenya. Another example is “Po Paraguay”, an organisation that has delivered about 250 prosthesis in that country in 2014.

These and many other examples are prove the importance of 3D printing development for the improvement of health and wellbeing in a variety of different contexts