I teach biology at a California community college. I know very little about 3D printing - but I do see alot of potential in helping students be successful.
I have aquired 2 makerbot replicators for use. one main issue was making models for vision impaired students, but obviously, in biology, we use lots of models. I can envision printing out mini skeleton kits that students would assemble in their anatomy classes for example.

So I need not only access to files in STL, but I also want to get to the point of scanning and producing our own images and products.

Ijust recieved 2 computers to run the makerbots, and they want to know what software I want loaded onto the computers.
1. Obviously the makerbot desktop is a good start
2. I do have access to autocad - so I assume that probably ought to be loaded

3. and what else? preferably freeware, to maximize the uses for these machines? am very interested in being able to scan a 3 d model and replicate it, possibly shrunken down, also kave alot of interest in taking 2D images of things and converting them to a 3 D image for our vision impaired students .

thanks
Carl Johansson'
Fresno City College