PROTOTYPING WITH LASER CUTTERS IN LARGE ENGINEERING DESIGN CLASSES
DS 77: Proceedings of the DESIGN 2014 13th International Design Conference
Year: 2014
Editor: Marjanovic Dorian, Storga Mario, Pavkovic Neven, Bojcetic Nenad
Author: Meboldt, M.; Lohmeyer, Q.; Leutenecker ,B.
Series: DESIGN
Section: DESIGN EDUCATION
Page(s): 1411-1420
Abstract
Laser cutters are small machine tools that process CAD data to accurately cut sheet material made of wood or acrylic glass. This paper investigates the question of how prototyping with laser cutters affects a first year engineering design project conducted in 2013 with 456 mechanical engineering students, who designed and manufactured more than 80 high-fidelity prototypes. Based on a document analysis of 456 individually written reflections on most important experiences during the project, six clusters of key learning are deduced and discussed by means of exemplary student statements.
Keywords: prototyping, laser cutter, design education