In school, animal dissection day always had the ability to polarize the masses—some found it exciting (if a bit morbid) while more squeamish types tried to look the other way, and still others brought up issues of ethics and animal cruelty.
But despite the validity of these arguments, and a rash of other downsides (formaldehyde is a carcinogen, after all), dissections still go on because they’re essential for training biologists and technicians on conducting diagnostic necropsies.
3D printed lab rats—coming to a classroom near you?
Enter NecropSynth, a startup “devoted to production of 3-d designed and printed, macroscopically accurate, anatomical models for scientific and education purposes,” according to their website.
The organization claims that their goals are to:
- open high quality scientific education to a wider body of students, no matter their socio-economic status
- make scientific education more affordable for schools and educators
- reduce the exposure of students to potentially harmful chemicals
- increase ethicality of scientific education by reducing the number of animals sacrificed by providing an equivalent alternative
And NecropSynth is just one example of how 3D printing is being leveraged in education.
In 2014, the global 3D printing market in education was valued at $323.37 million, and this number is expected to reach $2,321.65 million by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 48.33%.
The intensity and frequency of innovations in the manufacturing, construction, and healthcare industries are opening up new areas of employment for people who have expertise in related technical processes and equipment, which is quickly starting to encompass 3D printing. This has created a conducive environment for the adoption of 3D printers, especially among education institutions.
Top trends in 3D printing in education:
Accessible experiential learning
One of the big advantages of NecropSynth’s printed lab rats is that they give students hands-on experience in a more accessible way than traditional dissections.
3D printing is quickly becoming an affordable way for educational institutions to offer experiential learning to students entering the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields
Customized packages
Market vendors are seeing the potential for 3D printing as a tool in education, and are developing specially priced packages for the education industry. As most educational institutions run on tight budgets, these services encourage them to consider the feasibility of implementing 3D printing on campus.
Industry collaborations
And it’s not just vendors offering deals to schools—various post-secondary educational institutions that cater to the STEM, technical and vocational education and training segments are collaborating and forming business agreements with 3D printer vendors.
Increased R&D spending by vendors
Vendors in this market are increasingly investing in R&D to provide better functionality and innovative products. This increased R&D spending by vendors is a trend that is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the market during the forecast period.
