UPDATE 7th September: Stephen Reid has released a “class set” of 3D printers world now – see the latest tweet:
Here's a #ClassSet of our #3DPrint #MinecraftEdu world for multiplayer creations. Easily create and export up to 32 x 3D print files in one session. Download for FREE here: https://t.co/Egxc1BNiUJ
#MicrosoftEdu #3DPrinting #Minecraft #MIEExpert pic.twitter.com/PQGiBrJV9i— Stephen Reid (@ImmersiveMind) September 6, 2019
One of the great things about Minecraft: Education Edition is the ability to export models you’ve built using the structure block. This is particularly good for creating evidence of learning and completing the link between rapid prototyping of models inside of Minecraft and then building them as proof of concepts with a 3D Printer. From a New Zealand perspective, this aligns with the Design and Develop a Digital Outcome strand of the Digital Technologies curriculum.
There is a helpful video showing how this can be done here:
However, new users often find it difficult to place the structure block correctly beside their model and to get the co-ordinates accurate to be able to successfully complete the export.
Enter Stephen Reid and the team at Immersive Minds who have created a clever Minecraft:EE world that actually looks like a large scale 3D Printer:
Helpfully, whatever you build on the white base plate of the model 3D Printer is perfectly positioned to be exported by the structure block sitting in the corner beside the sign.
This is a super example of how software can bridge the gap between the virtual and the physical worlds. Thanks to Stephen and team for this awesome world!
