Session: 09-01-01: Curriculum Innovations, Pedagogy and Learning Methodologies

Paper Number: 70652

Start Time: Monday, 12:15 PM

70652 - Targeted CAD/CAM Workshops for Freshmen to Improve Overall Performance 

Introduction to Computer Aided Design (CAD)/Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) is typically covered at the freshman level at several universities. This course is especially crucial for institutes where cooperative (co-op) education is mandatory. At our university, each engineering student is required to complete three semesters of mandatory co-op, and many of these companies require the students to have a strong foundation in CAD/CAM. EGR 113 is a 50 minutes course offered once a week for multidisciplinary engineering students in their second semester. It is the second course in the principles and practice of engineering analysis, design, construction, and evaluation. The topics in this already content-dense course include CAD, Solid Modeling, CAM, and graphical communication in the form of engineering drawings for parts and assemblies using SolidWorks. The culminating experience for this course requires all students to take the CSWA (Certified SolidWorks Associate) exam. Unfortunately, the 50 minutes weekly contact time is insufficient for students to acquire the required skill level in all the topics while also successfully completing the CSWA exam. This was very evident when only 47% of the students passed the CSWA exam during the last offering thus indicating the lack of total course time. This poses two concerns: the co-op employers will not be pleased with the level of the students’ CAD/CAM knowledge and this course is also a barrier for undergraduate retention.

Taking these into consideration, the authors decided to incorporate targeted two-hour practical workshops held every two to three weeks. The workshops are conducted remotely due to the pandemic and are available to all students, but attendance is not mandatory. The contents and delivery style were carefully chosen to effectively cover the following areas: fluency in SolidWorks, critical thinking and decision making, design intent, CAD management, software customization, and preparation for certification (CSWA). Fluency in the software includes feature-based and constraint-based modeling, parametric design, history-based modeling, and associative design. Critical thinking and decision making involve identifying the various methods of executing a feature in solid modeling and the ability to select the most efficient method. Design intent requires the student to define relationships between objects while considering the future possible modifications and propagated effects. An efficient design intent is required for reduced turn-around times. CAD management involves using recommended templates, following naming conventions, and saving the work for easier internal/external access. This step is important when forming assemblies. Customization of the software is another important aspect that allows the student to make the design operations faster, easier, and more efficient. The final area is the CSWA certification exam, the culminating experience. The certification is a three-hour, three-part exam containing 14 questions worth a total of 240 points; the three sections are part modeling, assembly modeling, and drawings. A grade of 70% or more is required to successfully complete the exam and become a certified SolidWorks associate.

These targeted workshops are structured to prepare the students in the various aforementioned aspects to increase their set of skills and success rate when taking the CSWA exam. This helps them secure their co-ops with relative ease by bolstering their resume and also helps solve the retention problem that we are currently facing. After each workshop, the students are encouraged to fill out a survey to analyze the efficacy of each workshop. The surveys are anonymous and completed electronically. One workshop has been successfully completed and the remaining ones will be completed within the next few weeks.

Presenting Author: Tikran Kocharian Grand Valley State University

Authors:

Tikran Kocharian Grand Valley State University
Sanjivan Manoharan Grand Valley State University