Lesson 3 Introduction

This two-week lesson will look at some basic manufacturing processes and how solid-object modeling software is used by engineers to design, test, and fabricate useful technologies. One reason that this lesson spans two weeks is that you are likely to need some time to identify and install (or make arrangements to access elsewhere) the software that you'll need to complete this lesson's primary assignment. You're also probably going to need to carve out a good chunk of time to learn how to use that software. It's time worth spending, however, because you're likely to use your modeling software again later in the course.

The first week focuses on choosing and installing a solid-object modeler, viewing a series of videos about modeling, and learning the basics of the modeling software that you've selected. The second week focuses on building a model of your own.

Learning Objectives

After completing this lesson, you should be able to do the following things:

• Define solid-object modelers and why they are important in engineering.
• Distinguish between subtractive and additive manufacturing processes, and give examples of each.
• Describe how solid-object modeling is used in your workplace. If your workplace is a school, you should be able to identify the modelers that are used by students and the classroom settings in which they are used (if any).
• Compare a couple of modelers and evaluate their utility in a specific educational setting.
• Demonstrate facility in using numerical coordinate systems by designing an object with a modeler.
• Exhibit and describe the model of a novel technology that you have designed on a computer.

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Lesson Readings and Activities

By the end of this lesson, make sure you have completed the readings and activities found in the course schedule.