Make an Assistive Bottle Opener
Students will manufacture an assistive device to help users with arthritis - available to subscribers of The PrintLab Classroom
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In this 2 part lesson, students will design and manufacture an assistive bottle opener to help users with arthritis or a weak grip to open screw cap bottles. The lesson teaches about the concepts of simple machines and lever principles, before students design their models in Tinkercad software. The models are 3D printed, tested, analysed and can be improved in an iterative process.
Subject Areas
The lesson can be incorporated into the study of physics, design technology, art and design, physical education, computing and maths. The material can be adapted for ages 8-16. The curriculum is aligned to NGSS, CCSS and UK National Curriculum standards. A comprehensive list of standards met is included in the lesson platform.
In this project students will:
Develop an understanding of levers and simple machines
Explore how simple machines exert a bigger force at the expense of smaller movement
Communicate design ideas for an assistive bottle opener using 3D, mathematical and computer-based tools
Use 3D printing to manufacture a functional assistive tool
Test, evaluate and suggest refinements to their manufactured product
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