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3D printing (3DP) has been becoming pervasive in the K-16 education system. However, in many schools, new 3D printers arrive, work for a certain period, and before long break down due to lack of maintenance and support. It is therefore imperative for teachers to develop a deeper understanding of 3D printing in order to fully release its potential in engineering design. In this project, the course of engineering design for preservice teachers (PST, current undergraduate students) is developed and implemented with mechanical components from dissected 3D printers. The approach is to dissect a 3D printer’s hardware, explain each component’s function, introduce each component’s manufacturing methods, describe possible defects, and elucidate what works and what does not. This allows the PSTs to develop a better understanding of 3D printing process, have a better idea on how to fix a 3D printer when it breaks down, and design components that are compatible with 3D printing. The evaluation results show that the course was well received by the PSTs who have improved their knowledge in 3D printing. In the future course offering, both knowledge gain and efficacy will be evaluated to help us better understand the impact of the course.