Expecting students to recall the effect of numerous manufacturing parameters on materials’ properties for any given additive manufacturing process is both ambitious and potentially redundant given the pace of development. Instead, via guided practical manufacturing and materials testing activities, we aim to equip students with an appreciation of the complex nature of the links between manufacturing and materials performance. A low cost fused filament fabrication process and basic materials testing are used, but the methods could be applied to higher value manufacturing and more thorough materials characterisation. A research program is completed by the students, with the cohort defining experimental parameters for a full factorial experimental design, before each student individually manufactures and tests the experimental settings they chose. This gives each student ownership of a manageable experimental task, while the whole cohort data can be used to explore the complex interaction between terms and data repeatability. Here we describe the process used to complete this, alongside other activities that are introduced to foster a positive atmosphere during the course.