A study on the relationship between major and preferred shape of technical college students

As the use of 3D printing technology increases, various applications in engineering design are advancing. However, research on the influence of different shapes on the interests of engineering students is limited. This study aims to investigate the shape preferences of students from different engineering fields, including mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and materials engineering, toward 3D printed models. A survey was conducted with 203 students from the National Institute of Technology, Tokyo College, asking about their preferences for four 3D printed models with different characteristics. The results show that shape features such as "soft," "smooth," "symmetrical," "transparent," and "round" were widely preferred across all fields. However, preferences for specific characteristics such as "cute" and "technical" varied by field. These findings suggest that designing 3D printed models with universal features can appeal to a broad audience, while considering field-specific preferences is crucial when targeting a particular group.