Grades 9-12

Engineering Design, Rapid prototyping, G-code programming

Teacher Resources

Design for Manufacturing is an activity developed by Learning Undefeated to help students understand the work of design engineers including product design and testing.

In this activity, students will be challenged with designing a custom part for a new product. Students will need to choose the correct tools to gather precise measurements as well as draw the needed part with labels for part lengths and angle connections. Once students have completed their design, they will be challenged to rapid prototype with the use of a 3D pen. To model prototyping with a 3D printer, students will develop the g-code for the pen handler to interpret and follow to create the design. Once created students can test to see if their part fit well and redesign to get tighter tolerances.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to

  • Measure a provided part for lengths and angle dimensions.
  • Select a schematic of the part needed with accompanying measurements and tolerances.
  • Use a 3D pen to rapid prototype and edit designs for fit and function.
Standards Alignments + Connections

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Principles of Manufacturing

HS.M.PM.2.C Use a variety of measuring instruments

HS.M.PM.3.E Use appropriate units of measure

Diversified Manufacturing I

HS.M.DMI.4.C Experiment with different manufacturing materials such as plastic, composites, fiberglass, stone, and wood.

Diversified Manufacturing II

HS.M.DMII.4.A Develop a CNC program using a computer-aided manufacturing program.

Manufacturing Engineering Technology I

HS.M.ME.2.C Fabricate a prototype design of a mechanical part.

Activities to Gather Evidence

Pre-Laboratory Engagement

Pre-Laboratory Engagement

Students should be familiar with measuring acute angles with a protractor. The link below has multiple levels of difficulty and allows for practice if physical protractors aren’t available.

 

We recommend using the following resource to review this topic: Measuring Angles.

Activity

Download Student Handout

Laboratory Activity

In this activity, students will see hands on the difference between precision and accuracy. They will do this using a variety of measuring tools and units of measure with 3 metal dowel pins of different lengths and diameters.

In the first half of the activity, students will use the measuring tools provided to determine the length and diameter of each given metal dowel pin. Class data will be collected so the class can discuss what an average is as well as what a standard deviation is. Students will also learn the importance of tool calibration for best accuracy as they realize that the rulers provided are not actually measuring 12 inches but rather 11 inches. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of using English and Metric measurements and why one can be preferred over another in certain circumstances.

In the second half of the activity, students will see that small differences can lead to greatly different part functions. Students will use a tolerance block with slightly different sized holes to see that though they all look the same, the pins fit differently into each: some slide right through while others can be pushed in and hold firm. Students will make an informed decision about the size hole needed for a specific situation based on their observations.

Post-Laboratory Extension

Post-Laboratory Extension

Students can explore 3D modeling with Tinkercad and if a 3D printer is available, print their own designs!

The following resource provides a detailed workshop to introduce students to Tinkercad and its tools: 3D Design & Print with TinkerCad.

The following resource provides an overview of the TinkerCad Sketch Tool,  which can be used to create a 3D model of the part designed in the main activity: Tinkercad Sketch Tool.

Additional Resources

Design for Manufacturing: A Complete Guide

This article review DFM principles, outlining the timeline and benefits, as well as examples of DFM in different manufacturing industries.

Your Ultimate Guide to Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

This article shares expertise on DFM best practices, common pitfalls to avoid, and how to leverage DFM principles to create better products more efficiently.

3D Printing G-Code Tutorial

this article review the most common commands use in g-code, the program used to control CNC machinery.