Machining processes are generally used to make protypes. However, machining processes usually require time consuming and costly set-ups and processing steps. They reqıire multiple machineries and toolings for producing parts before their assembly to obtain the final product. In some cases, it may be necessary to perform operations manually. For these reasons, it is often impossible for students to use traditional maching and other production methods to manufacture a prototype from a 3-D product design in their R & D activities. For prototype development purposes, 3D printing technologies are extremely easy to use and helpful by providing much lower manufacturing costs, requiring only one single machine, obtaining the product or part even with complicated geometric features in a single step. The aim of this study to show the importance of the usage of 3D printers and their softwares for the students in their R&D project assignments for their courses at Mechatronics Program of Vocational School of Ostim Technical University in Ankara. The students used 3D printing machines to convert their designs to prototypes in their project assignments so that they could see the areas where improvements are required. After improvements, students could obtain new prototypes and see whether the improvements provided better product designs. The usage of the 3 D printing technologies clearly provided improved product designs and manufacture ready products. The students benefited from the usage of 3D printers by converting their design ideas to manufacture ready products and implementating their improvement ideas and observing the results on a prototype. The students who used 3 D printing technologies were much better in solving problems and developing manufacture ready products compared to the other students.