Imagine you are taking a Computer Aided Design (CAD) class in school. Why? You want to design a product, and need to start prototyping to test out different materials. You’ve never studied engineering and you’ve heard and read from trusted sources that learning this particular CAD software is a must if you are going to have your prototype.
Imagine no 3D printer in this classroom.
Imagine this was your school, but you had heard that other schools were beginning to use more advanced technology.
Wouldn’t you want a 3D printer so students could see and touch their designs?
I would if I were either a student or the teacher.
This particular CAD class caught a break. A brand spanking new MakerBot 3D printer was purchased for Mason High School this year with a grant from the Mason Schools Foundation. Located in Mason, Ohio, home of the Mason Comets.
One CAD teacher at Mason High School in particular is very grateful.
“Mason Schools are devoted to providing our students with cutting-edge technology so that they can be successful in today’s society. The grant gives us the opportunity to take our technology design labs to the next level in design and manufacturing career paths and gives our students a head start in the ever-changing world of design,” explained David Weismann.
Then special guest Adam Clark arrived with the Tangible Solutions team to treat the class to a special presentation about 3D printing apps, among them was Pango, their new app on Kickstarter.
After starting in a garage, filling small 3D printing orders two years ago, Tangible Solutions provides modeling and design services in 3D. The company’s clients range from retail customers who ask for small orders to big manufacturing companies whose varied requests range from individual prototypes to large orders for thousands of parts.
Adam Clark, who previously worked for a local defense contractor and has a military background, is the business’s managing partner. He loves seeing that students in Dave Weismann’s CAD classes are getting their hands on a 3D printer to visualize and hold a physical representation of their design.
“We are using augmented reality to enable the user to “look” at their drawing through their phone or tablet, and see it in 3D,” explained Clark. “Our goal is to enable students to make things faster, and have easier access to professional grade 3D printers.”
Clark mentioned how important it is to him. “This isn’t going to replace what you do, its only going to make what you do even better.
