Creating Didactic Resources Using Additive Manufacturing

Currently, technical degrees continue to use classic methodologies based on the exposition by the teacher of well-structured content according to the descriptors established in the degree report, leaving little space for the teacher to establish his or her own structure. This generates stress for both students and teachers, seeing how their efforts are not well received by the students. The didactic resources used, such as written texts or slide presentations, are usually insufficient. Furthermore, for more practical subjects, heuristic methodologies are used together with inductive methodologies in which the student puts into play previous knowledge to solve problems, developing new skills with great acceptance in the working market, but with less transmission of knowledge. When it comes to theoretical-practical contents in which developed skills such as spatial skills are required, the teacher encounters problems, despite the use of three-dimensional modeling techniques and the development of animations, of disconnection on the part of the student generated by uncertainty. This is the case of learning the geometry of cutting tools, basic contents in “Manufacturing Engineering”. That is why the article presents an alternative using attractive didactic resource, physical models obtained by Additive Manufacturing at different scales, teacher, student, where the different geometric concepts are in the hands of the student, allowing the teacher to use these prototypes as an immersive technique that even allows to implement new teaching methodologies valued by the student demonstrating their involvement.