THE APPLICATION OF 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY IN ART AND DESIGN TRAINING

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing is one of the major innovations in technology. There has been much emphasis on the usage of technology in education. 3D printing is a process of creating objects directly, by adding material layer by layer in a variety of ways. This paper, therefore, discusses the role of 3D printing in education. Also, numerous disciplines and how 3D printing technology can be used effectively to teach them were also discussed. 3D printing has increased student's proficiency in technology and also improved learning. However, much emphasis was laid on 3d printing technology application in art and design education. It highlights the design software that is necessary for teaching 3D printing. Furthermore, this study has also suggested the adoption of 3D printing Technology in Art and design curriculum in the Department of Art, Design and Printing Technology, The Polytechnic, Ibadan Nigeria. With the aid of questionnaire instrument, students offering various art and design courses such as textile, sculpture, ceramics, graphic design and painting were selected to receive the survey. Their perception on 3D printing is gathered. The sample size for this study is a total of 140 students, and Purposive sampling technique was used to select the students. Suggestions and recommendations of the possible areas where 3d printing could be beneficial to them were suggested. This paper, therefore, concludes that students need more orientation on 3D printing technology.