What started as a handmade prototype in a Massachusetts Makerspace has grown to become the best-selling 3D printing product with a community of creatives and educators in over 8,000 classrooms worldwide. 3Doodler pens provide a new way to create and learn with hands-on design projects.
The company offers three versions of their technology for users at various experience levels. This guide breaks down the differences between the three versions so you can choose the best option for your Makerspace starter kit.
3Doodler Start+
The 3Doodler Start+ pen is designed for kids ages 6-13. It works at a lower temperature, making it ideal for young students or those who need extra precautions. There’s a tactile X on the pen making it suitable for the visually impaired, and it’s USB rechargeable. A single charge gets you one hour of drawing on skin or a tablet, and the filament is hardened within 10-15 seconds. You can also draw 2D pieces on a card, then “weld” them together to create a 3D form. These pens use a PCL variant plastic, a proprietary material, that is compostable within 6-9 months.
3Doodler Create+
The 3Doodler Create+ pen is designed for kids ages 14 and up. This pen gets hotter than the Start+, but also has variable heat settings. A general idea to consider is if you trust your students with a hot glue gun or soldering iron, then you can trust them with a 3Doodler Create+. This pen must be plugged in at all times. It has slow and fast speed settings and the tip gets hot enough to “edit” older prints. You can draw in the air, straight up, and the filament hardens in just 4 seconds. The Create+ pen uses ABS, PLA, and Flexy/TPU filament.
3Doodler Pro+
The 3Doodler Pro+ pen is designed for professional use. It’s more precise than the Start+ and Create+ and is marketed towards architects, artists, designers, and engineers for concept testing and prototypes. It has an OLED screen and variable speed and heat settings and uses ABS, PLA, bronze, copper, wood, and nylon plastic filaments.
All 3Doodler Pens
Regardless of which 3Doodler pens you choose for your Makerspace kits, you’ll still have a wide range of benefits that apply to all models.
Specially designed for school tech supply, 3Doodler Learning Packs include enough plastic to last an entire school year if you use them 2-3 times per week at around 40 mins each time. They make a great alternative to a 3D printer since you can have many students working at the same time, versus a printer which can only manage one student at a time.
There are tons of projects on the 3Doodler app and website, and new resources are being added every month on their blog. Get students excited about creating bubble wands, bridges, Fibonacci spider webs, atoms, and more!
All pens have an unblocking tool, if filament gets clogged in the tip, or you can run the pen until it’s empty. If you encounter other issues, all pens have a 2-year warranty. Email 3Doodler with your issues and the serial number of the pen. Most of the time they can fix issues over the phone or a video call, but they may send you a replacement if necessary.
Shop 3Doodler 3D Printing Pens Today
3D printing is a huge trend in STEM classes and Makerspaces across the country. Get your students involved in this new technology with affordable, easy-to-use 3D printing pens from 3Doodler. We offer the Start+ and Create+ options for students age 6 and up. Still not sure which is right for you? Give us a call at 1-800-831-5904 to discuss your options. We’ll be happy to help!