New Rapid Prototyping Course Mirrors Industry Approach

As industries continue to expand their reliance on 3D Printing, it is important for classrooms to create experiences that mirror 3D printing in the workplace.  Familiarity with 3D printing is important in sparking individual creativity, but industry is looking for team members who know how to use 3D printing as a tool in a larger organizational process.  That process begins with ideas and challenges from consumers, managers and colleagues.  These ideas are measured, designed, tested, and modified.  Then, the process ends with presentations back to managers, colleagues, or consumers.  It is a team-based process that requires student experience in planning, measuring, CAD, 3D Printing, and communication.  So, when faced with the question of: “What do we do with this 3D printer?”, think of teaching and presenting 3D printing as a tool within this larger process.

A single course that integrates design, CAD and 3D Printing

Our partner, Digital Quest, has a course that addresses that question and process.  Their “Rapid Prototyping:  Projects in 3D Design” course is a turn-key solution that links CAD & 3D Printing in a process/project based format to put it all together.  A true rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing course that mirrors industry with student exploration and teacher facilitation!  Using the Prototyping Process, students learn how to manage ideas, measure parts and space using tools, design using industry programs like SolidWorks, create with 3D printing, and evaluate in a single lab.

It also features real world scenarios from conversations with companies like Ranger Boats, so students learn skills that mirror what engineers and manufacturers do in their day to day careers –  like recreating a part for prototyping with a new design or creating a custom tool.  That is a key use for most engineers and designers today: they can create new designs for prototyping or create custom parts for single use without lengthy expensive manufacturing products.

A Program for All Students

This program is an ideal fit for CTE, drafting, manufacturing, or general tech ed classes.  But 3D printing uses extend to all industries, so students schoolwide will likely work with this technology in their careers.  Doctors print specific patient models for surgeries.  Chemists print molecular models.  Fashion Designers print jeweler.  But those uses of 3D printing still require knowledge of the tools and processes to create a working finished prototype.  You will have a unique opportunity to bring STEM, designers and other nontraditional drafting and CAD students into your program.  Encourage administrators, parents, colleagues, and counselors to take advantage of a rapid prototyping class that teaches these essential tools, problem solving, and team work – even if it is a small component of their typical program of study.

In short, your class can duplicate real world projects of engineers and designers in the manufacturing and design industry to teach cross-curricular problem solving skills; while simultaneously teaching drawing, calipers (and measuring tools), SolidWorks, 3D printing, and more.

What’s in the Course?

  • For students, the course is step by step when introducing skills while also allowing for student driven solutions.  Available in SolidWorks now and shipping in Inventor specific versions soon.
  • Suitable for a 3D printer with a 5x 5 build chamber or larger.
  • For teachers, we have full turnkey teacher materials that include lesson plans, presentations, assessments, discussion topics, videos and more. This allows the teacher to facilitate the classroom with enough flexibility to accommodate teacher driven and student driven models.
  • We also offer kits with tools for assembly, measuring tools, standard parts for fastening, & even wires, switches, and soldering irons to complete each unit.
  • All the materials are fit to be used by anyone from experienced teachers/professionals to new or learning teachers.

For brochures, samples and more visit: www.digitalquest.com/prototyping.html. To get more info, request a webinar, and more contact: request@digitalquest.com.