Small-scale project: CAD, abstract – concrete

In addition to the basics of (e.g.) physics and mathematics, all first-year engineering students are introduced to the areas of product development, technical drawing and CAD. This project helps students learn how ideas and market requirements progress to become successful products. The focus is first to convey methods and procedures of product development and the introduction and explanation of the various building elements (function, selection, design / computation) to be used in a product. Second, students are taught how to bring ideas to paper and how to describe them visually and in text such that this may be built upon. In this context, besides the basics imparted in Technical Drawing (how can I represent something clearly enough to be manufactured?) they are introduced to Computer Aided Design, which is the central tool of an engineer and thus of great importance.

Today the courses in Technical Drawing and CAD are partially limited to paper and computer representations of the item to be constructed. The givens in the area of CAD are currently as follows:
In the first half of the semester the various functions of the CAD system are explained and imparted in the form of brief exercises. In the second part of the semester each individual student, within an exercise, conducts ‘followup construction’ on an already-existing construction. The experience of developing something from the abstract into something concrete to hold in the hand is lacking, even though it is of great pedagogical value and is very motivating for students.