CAD/CAM in Schools ~ Your Questions Answered

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CAD/CAM - Your Questions Answered

CAD/CAM Overview

Why CAM/CAM?

Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture is the way things are made these days. Without this technology we wouldn’t have the range and quality of products available or, at least, they wouldn’t be available at a price most of us can afford. Hand-building and manual techniques still very much have their place and Design Education needs to treasure and foster these skills so that future generations will have the ‘hands-on’ skills to understand the man-made world and provide the next generation of engineers, designers and technicians. All of these professionals will be using CAD/CAM techniques or CAD/CAM products in their work, alongside practical hands-on skill. Design and Technology education has to reflect modern practice so it is crucial that students have the opportunity to use real CAD/CAM tools in their designing and making.
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What is CAD/CAM?

Sketching is still an essential tool for exploring ideas but CAD has long-since replaced the drawing board and pencil for design detailing and proposal. Although CAD images are referred to as ‘Drawings,’ a CAD file contains mathematical data that defines shape and geometry. In early systems, this numerical data could be coded to control a machine – hence CNC; Computer Numerical Control. Modern CAD/CAM systems do the coding automatically so ‘what you draw – is what you get’. When you output a file (a drawing) to the machine there is just a simple dialogue to let the machine know what you want it to do and what settings it should use.

The TechSoft Advantage

In many cases, TechSoft’s 2D Design software outputs directly to machines, so this has huge advantages for teaching. Simple 2D drawing can start with the youngest pupils and be developed as they move up the school regardless of which material area they may be working in. TechSoft’s 2D Primary software can let this start even earlier. Drawings could be for simple milled-shapes, iron-on or embroidered logos, laser-cut badges or superb presentation sheets. Whatever the desired outcome, the start will always be with an increasingly familiar software tool. Because we write the software and work closely with machine manufacturers, we make sure that output is easy from 2D Design and, where possible, direct from the desktop with a common output dialog box. This is far more than simple ‘compatibility’.

2D or 3D Software?

2D CAD is still an important tool commercially and certainly the most appropriate for graphic design where outcomes are (necessarily) 2D. 2D profiles are quicker to cut-out than true 3D models, and slot-together 2.5D projects offer a huge range of possibilities and are a great teaching tool where the design advantages of flat pack assembly can be explored and developed. There is, however, no doubt that 3D CAD is increasingly the norm for commercial designers and it is important that students have access to a good 3D modelling system as well. After much searching and trialling, TechSoft were delighted to be appointed UK Education re-sellers for SolidWorks – world leading 3D CAD. SolidWorks has excellent support letting students quickly get up to speed and onto the important thing which is using it to design better products.

For education, TechSoft’s 2D Design V2 and SolidWorks sit very well alongside each other and share much common ground. 2D sketches can be imported into SolidWorks for 3D ‘treatment’, and elevations created in SolidWorks can be imported into 2D Design for quick profiling on a CAM system. Many schools introduce students to 2D Design at KS3, SolidWorks at KS4, and then use both 2D and 3D CAD as appropriate to project work right through to ‘A’ level.