I am putting together a grant for our elementary school to purchase a 3D printer. I am not trying to start a 'which is best' thread but I will offer my current thoughts and ask for constructive comments from those in the know.
Criteria: Fairly reliable with minimal tinkering (as mentioned, this will be set up as part of a 4th & 5th grade STEM program).
Design: SketchUp Pro, since there is a NYS free license available to all public schools
System: I am heavily leaning toward the Ultimaker 2
Questions:
1. Could someone provide me with a list of spare parts that are needed for this system? Nozzles, heaters... anything that a typical user finds is a much needed spare
2. Which material is easier/ more forgiving to build with, PLA or ABS?
3. Are there any must do upgrades that should be done prior to setting this up in the school.
I understand material wise the answer is 'it depends' but on average if we wanted to print each kid a small robot, how much material would be needed for 30 kids? This goes to my question of how much material should I keep on hand.
Thanks and I am sure I will have a ton more questions as I go.
As background, I have been using powder metal laser systems for the past 10 years but new to plastic extruded.