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Code your 3D designs with Tinkercad’s new Codeblocks app
Rob Morrill
Informal learning
Technology
Tinkercad released Codeblocks last June, and now that it's out of beta, Pioneer Pioneer Rob Morrill tells us how he uses it at St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School.
Tinkercad has brought coding to its 3D modeling platform with the introduction of the web app Codeblocks. Rather than drawing the design, as one might in a turtle art graphics environment, this is object-oriented programming, meaning that you place a predefined object on the workplane and then modify it. The basket in the example below consists of a six-sided torus shape that is repeatedly rotated up and around 27 times to form a circle.
In traditional Tinkercad, you build models by dragging basic shapes like a box, cone, or wedge onto the workplane. Codeblocks is similar, but rather than dragging a shape out to the workplane and then resizing it, you drag a block of code for an object whose parameters you can adjust.
Note that the shape loads on the workplane at X, Y, Z coordinates 0, 0, 0. This means that half of a 20 x 20 x 20 millimeter cube will be underneath the workplane. Red, green, and blue lines delineate X, Y, and Z respectively. Following the Add Box block with a purple Move block with a value of 10 for the Z axis will raise the cube to sit on the workplane.
Here, a box and a sphere have been added and raised in the Z axis, while the cone was not only raised and rotated 180 degrees, but also turned into a hole.
Adding a Create Group block groups these three shapes together.
The power of Codeblocks becomes apparent the more you take advantage of coding aspects like loops and variables to control and iterate your designs. Here is a simple loop that uses a variable to rotate rings around 0, 0, 0.
This laser-cut cardboard disk helps students understand the polar and Cartesian movements in the Codeblocks environment.
Add a torus shape to 0, 0, 0.
Move the torus in a positive Y direction.
Rotate the torus around 0, 0, 0.
Add, move, and rotate a second torus.
Add, move, and rotate a third torus.
Repeat 8 times.
This basket is made up of hearts that have been duplicated and rotated.
The export button allows you to export as STL or OBJ files for 3D printing, but you can also export the design as a “Part”.
When you save a Part, the design becomes available back in traditional Tinkercad, where you can resize it and add it to other creations.
The red elements of this design have been added to the original blue Codeblocks design using traditional Tinkercad.
From traditional Tinkercad, you can also export the design in SVG format, which then allows you to paper or laser cut it.
These earrings were designed in Codeblocks and then laser cut.
The sides of this lamp were designed using a combination of traditional Tinkercad and Codeblocks.
This sign uses a combination of traditional Tinkercad and Codeblocks.
This clock’s face was designed in Codeblocks and laser cut.
For a good introduction to generative design, see “Some Thoughts on Generative Art” by Anders Hoff, and watch Kate Compton’s presentation “Generative Art (and Games and More)” from JSConf Iceland.
Codeblocks also makes it easy to experiment with generative design. The building heights in this cityscape and the ridges in this Martian crater were randomly generated.
Another great feature of Codeblocks for teachers and learners is the ease with which you can comment on your code. This helps students make their thinking visible, which aids both in their own metacognition as well as in allowing teachers to gain insight into their understanding.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Prehistoric prints, cutting-edge technology
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the Netherlands’ national natural history museum, is using 3D printing to create both partial and full dinosaur skeletons for public display.
History
Informal learning
Feel the Action: Learn about how a college is changing lives in ways we can touch!
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Code your 3D designs with Tinkercad’s new Codeblocks app
Tinkercad released Codeblocks last June, and now that it's out of Beta, Pioneer Rob Morrill tells us how he uses it.
Informal learning
Technology
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Primary education
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Mathematics
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Teacher training for 3D printing
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Elementary-College Engineering Design partnership
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Introducing Ultimaker’s Core Lessons Set for STEAM Educators
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Empower one MakerGirl, empower the world
how the group traveled 10,000 miles around the country to help bring 3D printing workshops to over 1,000 young girls. In this week's post we catch up with the organization that is still working to create a new generation of confident, creative women leade
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Building a mobile maker space: part 2—up and rolling
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Building a mobile makerspace: part 1— getting started
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Design Engine community project
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Technology
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Technology
Construct3D to Kamehameha Ed Tech Conference
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Technology
Ocean Plastic Community Project
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Secondary education
Geography
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3D printable molecular models
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Three reasons for open source tech in your 3D printing classroom
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Our 3D printing journey in Multivariable Calculus
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#1 reason to love math: 3D printed puzzles
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Thinking about the environment
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Informal learning
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Why I use 3D printing in the classroom (and why you should too!)
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3D printing artifacts from the Penn Museum
The chance to hold a 3D printed historical artifact in our hands is one of the greatest ways to boost students' engagement with science, engineering, and culture. Learn how challenging and exciting it can really be.
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Managing an open 3D printing lab
What’s it like to be a student administrator for a 3D printing lab space? What kind of knowledge and experiences could you offer to students at your own school by hiring them for such position?
