15-294 Rapid Prototyping Technologies Monday / Wednesday 2:20 ‐ 3:40 in Hunt Library Studio A Spring 2021 Units: 5.0, Section: A

Course web page: https://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/academic/class/15294-s21

Staff

	Professor: Dave Touretzky, dst@cs.cmu.edu Office hours: by appointment		TA: Daniela Castleberg, dcastleb@andrew.cmu.edu Office hours: Wednesdays 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM (on Zoom)
	TA: Lee Poirier, lpoirier@andrew.cmu.edu Office hours: Fridays 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (on Zoom)		TA: Anushka Saxena, anushka2@andrew.cmu.edu Office hours: Thursdays 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM (on Zoom)

Course Description

1. The skills to design and fabricate artifacts using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, laser cutting, and 3D printing.

2. An understanding of some of the computer representations and algorithms that underlie these technologies.

3. An understanding of the current state of the art in 3D printing, and the many ways 3D printing is impacting society, from aeronautical design to medical technology.

The only prerequisite for the course is moderate facility in Python programming, equivalent to having taken 15-104 or 15-112 (but not 15-110). There will be two Python assignments.

Learning Objectives

1. Design complex two and three dimensional artifacts in SolidWorks.

2. Safely operate a laser cutter and 3D printer.

3. Combine fabricated parts with appropriate off-the-shelf hardware such as standoffs and threaded fasteners to produce functional objects.

4. Write Python code to procedurally generate DXF files for laser cutting or STL files for 3D printing, to go beyond what CAD software alone can do.

Learning Resources

• There is no textbook for the course.

• All software required for this course has been installed on the IDeATe laptops which can be checked out from the IDeATe lending booth. You also have the option of installing the software on your personal laptop. See the Software Setup page for instructions on how to do that.

• Two recommended books for those who want to go deeper into the 3D printing are:
  • 3D Printing: The Next Industrial Revolution, by Christopher Barnatt, 2013.
    History of 3D printing and a comprehensive survey of 3D printing technologies and companies.

  • Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing, by Hod Lipson and Melba Kurman. John Wiley, 2013.
    An in-depth look at current technology and the future of 3D printing.

• The IDeATe Resources site has information about IDeATe equipment, courses, policies, and more.

• SolidWorks 2020 Essential Training at LinkedIn Learning may be useful to you; log in here.

Assessments

Assignment #1: Spirograph	10 points
Assignment #2: Trees	20 points
Assignment #3: Molecule	15 points
Assignment #4: Duck	15 points
Quizzes	10 points
Final Project	30 points
Total	100 points

• In Assignment 1 you will make spirograph gears. It teaches you basic SolidWorks skills and gives you experience with the laser cutter.

• In Assignment 2 you will recursively generate random binary trees and do some geometrical calculations in Python to turn your trees into DXF files that you can take to the laser cutter. Now you'll be able to make more complex things than is possible with CAD alone.

• In Assignment 3 you will create a 3D model of an ethanol molecule and 3D print it. This will give you practice working with 3D shapes in SolidWorks, and teach you how to use the 3D printers available in IDeATe.

• In Assignment 4 you will write Python code to generate a custom version of a model rubber duck, which you will write out as an STL file. This will give you experience working with triangular meshes, which is a popular technique for digitally representing 3D surfaces.

• For the final project, which is 35% of your grade, you will design, fabricate, and document something meaningful to you, drawing on the various techniques you learned in the course. Your project will be displayed in the class gallery.

Grade	Percentage Interval
A	90% - 100%
B	80% - 89%
C	70% - 79%
D	65 - 69%
R (F)	below 65%

Grading Policies

• Late-work policy: Assignments are due at 11:59 pm on the date shown in the class schedule. They can be submitted up to two days late at a cost of 1 point per day. Assignments more than 2 days late will not be accepted.

• Make-up work policy: Students can make up work if they miss a deadline due to illness (with a doctor's note).

• Re-grade policy: If you believe your assignment was graded incorrectly, please contact the TA who graded it. We will be happy to take another look.

Course Policies

• Attendance policy: Students are expected to be present for all lectures either in person or via Zoom. However, students in other time zones may, with prior permission of the instructor, opt to view video recordings of the lectures instead of attending live. Students are free to switch from in-person to virtual attendance at any time, at their discretion. Brief online quizzes will be associated with some lectures; those quizzes must be completed within 48 hours for credit.

• COVID-19: Students are required to adhere to all university policies regarding COVID-19 infection prevention, as described in A Tartan's Responsibility. This includes filling out the daily self-assessment before coming to campus, wearing a facial covering while on campus, and using wipes to disinfect desks.

• Recording: All synchronous classes will be recorded via Zoom so that students in this course (and only students in this course) can watch or re-watch past class sessions. Please note that breakout rooms will not be recorded. I will make the recordings available on Canvas as soon as possible after each class session (usually within 3 hours of the class meeting). Recordings will live in our Canvas website. Please note that you are not allowed to share these recordings. This is to protect your FERPA rights and those of your fellow students.

• Academic Integrity and Collaboration: The work you submit in this course must be your own. You are welcome to help or receive help from your fellow students on general matters such as how to fix a SolidWorks error, but you may not share your SolidWorks files with other students, collaborate on writing Python code, or in any other way submit or take credit for work that is not purely your own.

  For final projects, it is common to take inspiration from and build upon the work of others. This is permissible provided that you cite your sources and explain how you went beyond their work to make the project your own.

• Class Communication: We will use Piazza as our primary means of online communication. Please ask questions via Piazza rather than emailing the instructor or TAs directly, so that your fellow students can benefit from the discussion. Sometimes a classmate may be able to answer your question more quickly than the instructor or TAs.

• Use of the IDeATe Facility: Please read and become familiar with the IDeATe lending and purchasing policies, which can be accessed at resources.ideate.cmu.edu. Please note that fines may be imposed for late return of equipment.

  The IDeATe facilities are shared student resources and spaces. As such, all members of the IDeATe community are expected to be respectful of the equipment, the spaces, and fellow students and their projects. Always clean up after completing your work, put things back in their correct place, and leave the lab in better condition than you found it.

• Reporting Problems to IDeATe: if you encounter problems with the laser cutters or 3D printers, please talk to the staff in the IDeATe lending booth, or email help@ideate.cmu.edu. That account is monitored by multiple staff persons and is the quickest way to get help.

• Accomodations for Students with Disabilities: If you have an accommodations letter from the Disability Resources office, I encourage you to discuss your accommodations and needs with me as early in the semester as possible. I will work with you to ensure that accommodations are provided as appropriate. If you suspect that you may have a disability and would benefit from accommodations but are not yet registered with the Office of Disability Resources, I encourage you to contact them at access@andrew.cmu.edu.

• Statement of Support for Students' Health and Well-Being: Take care of yourself. Do your best to maintain a healthy lifestyle this semester by eating well, exercising, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, and taking some time to relax. This will help you achieve your goals and cope with stress.

  All of us benefit from support during times of struggle. There are many helpful resources available on campus and an important part of the college experience is learning how to ask for help. Asking for support sooner rather than later is almost always helpful.

  If you or anyone you know experiences any academic stress, difficult life events, or feelings of anxiety or depression, we strongly encourage you to seek support. Counseling and Psychological Services (CaPS) is here to help: call 412-268-2922 and visit their website at http://www.cmu.edu/counseling/. Consider reaching out to a friend, faculty or family member you trust for help getting connected to the support that can help.

• Diversity Goals: It is my intent that students from all backgrounds and perspectives are well served by this course, that students’ learning needs are addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity of experience that students bring to this class is viewed as a strength and benefit. It is my intent to present materials and activities that are respectful of diversity: gender, sexuality, disability, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, and culture. Your suggestions are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups. In addition, if any of our class meetings conflict with your religious events, please let me know so that we can make arrangements for you.

Course Schedule

How to Succeed in This Class