Using the continuum of design modelling techniques to aid the development of cad modelling skills in first year industrial design students

Loughborough Design School (LDS) used the Design Modelling Techniques to aid the development of CAD modelling skills in first year Industrial Design (DP1) students. All 130 students were asked to create an external product form around a given set of internal components. They were required to both sketch the form and translate it into a foam model. They were also given the option of using 3D CAD to complement their manual techniques. Iteration between the different media was encouraged. The expected outcome was that students would develop a competence in 3D shape analysis and the transformation into 2D profiles. It was found that the vast majorities of the students had grasped the concept of key cross-sections and were able to identify these on images of existing products. Virtually all of the students became very competent in iterating between 2D sketches and a 3D foam model, where they would derive the key sections from their model, re-sketch the shape they wanted and modify the foam accordingly.