In this activity, students will learn the manufacturing process of casting and molding as well as 3D design.

Students use Tinkercad to design and create molds for pourable candies and figurines. The molds are typically quick to print, minimizing 3D printer time. The casting process has multiple hands-on steps extending the activity beyond 3D printing.

Giving students the chance to design their own mold is a perfect opportunity for students to practice process engineering by spotting steps in the candy making process that need improvement. And, working with the positive and negative versions of a molded 3D object help people to develop spatial and geometric awareness.

Simple prompts for 2-3 hour projects can focus strictly on making functional molds, allowing first-time Tinkercad users to focus on learning and using Tinkercad. High school students and/or students who are already skilled with Tinkercad can be assigned complex, higher-order-thinking prompts that require additional time for intense research, collaboration, design, and sharing.