3D designs to life, turning digital ideas on a screen into real objects that you can hold it in your hand. 3D designs to life, turning digital ideas on a screen into real objects you can hold in your hand Filament is one of the most important parts of 3D printing because it is the special material that turns a digital drawing into a real-life object. You can think of it like the "ink" for a 3D printer, but instead of flat liquid on paper, it is a thin plastic string that the printer melts and stacks into layers to build things you can actually hold. For 5th graders, filament is awesome because it allows us to become inventors who can create anything from custom toys to models for science class. It teaches us how to take an idea from our imagination and make it physical, which helps us understand design and problem-solving in a fun, hands-on way