3D Printing: Improving Creativity and Digital-to-Physical Relationships in CAD Teaching - Abstract and Introduction

Oct 24, 2026

Some undergraduate design and engineering students struggle with abstract CAD concepts, where features must be built through linear, logical operations such as adding, extruding, protruding, or cutting/coring holes. Students also need to interpret 2D orthogonal views to understand 3D geometry, and face difficulties converting between 2D drafting and 3D models, especially for assemblies and relationships. 3D printed objects are introduced to strengthen understanding, improving student engagement and enabling clearer comprehension of objects across digital and physical space.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

1 INTRODUCTION

CAD fundamentals and teaching goals

Visual thinking and spatial awareness

Drawing-to-CAD and CAD-to-drawing crossover

2 3D CAD AND 3D SKETCHING-THE PROBLEM

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENGINEERING AND PRODUCT DESIGN EDUCATION 4 & 5 SEPTEMBER 2014 , UNIVERSITY OF TWENTE, THE NETHERLANDS 3D PRINTING: IMPROVING CREATIVITY AND DIGITAL-TO-PHYSICAL RELATIONSHIPS IN CAD TEACHING Jeff BARRIE University of Bath, United Kingdom ABSTRACT Some undergraduate design and engineering students can struggle with many of the abstract concepts of producing a CAD (Computer Aided Design) model. Features often have to be formed linearly and logically to build up the design intent of an object. Bosses need to be ‘added’, ‘extruded’ or‘protruded’. Holes need to‘cut’, or ‘cored’ out of a shape. Some of these ‘building’ principles are similar to the construction of a 3D hand-drawn sketch, where features are added or subtracted to form the final shape. Both 3D sketching and 3D CAD modelling practices require good understanding and interpretation of 2D orthogonal views to understand 3D geometry. Difficulty arises when parts come together to form assemblies and relationships within a separate environment. Additional difficulty is found when students have to convert 3D objects back into 2D draft drawings. The 2D to 3D and 3D to 2D relationships can be somewhat confusing-but they are vital for engineering design and drawing. To improve the understanding of CAD practice, 3D printed objects have been introduced to enhance teaching activities. The introduction of 3D printed models has been well received, with better student engagement and an understanding of a 3D object within digital and physical space. Students are now inspired to expand their modelling knowledge as now, what was a simple vehicle modelling assignment, has developed into a creative student challenge where the end goal is a physical 3Dprinted model of their own CAD work. Keywords: Computer Aided Design (CAD), 3D Printing, Creativity 1 INTRODUCTION Proficiency in CAD is an important skill for a designer or engineer. The aim of introducing first year Mechanical Engineering students to CAD is that they will be able to carry out simple design tasks using the software. At the same time, these students are introduced to design processes and visual thinking, producing and interpreting engineering drawings as well as freehand engineering sketches. These activities relate directly to the design projects students will be undertaking in their studies as well as their future careers. Within the first semester CAD skills and design processes/visual thinking are unrelated-separated into different teaching units. All this is part of the first formative years of a Mechanical Engineering student; however the entry requirements of many engineering degree programmes focus heavily on Mathematics and Physics qualifications. It is only in some more design-orientated courses would one find requirements for D&T (Design & Technology) or Art & Design. Therefore, many engineering students start their academic career with little or no qualifications in drawing, visual thinking and design process. This is despite several pieces of research that indicate skills in visual thinking and spatial awareness contribute to career success in Engineering [1][2] . This is why our Mechanical Engineering students have to start with the basics, producing 2D orthogonal engineering drawings with drawing boards, interpreted from 3D views. After that, they produce 3D isometric views interpreted from 2D orthogonal views, progressing into perspective drawing and freehand sketching. Equally, students are introduced to CAD from the basics; they learn how to build a part using features, progressing into assemblies using parts, exploded views and 2D drafting. The main learning outcome of these classes is to carry out simple design tasks. Despite being two separate teaching activities; there is some crossover between drawing 3D objects by hand and using CAD. For example, there is the geometry building technique-in which students draw construction boxes and add or cut geometry

FAQs

Why do some students struggle with CAD concepts?

Students can find CAD’s abstract idea of building models linearly and logically difficult, including operations like adding/extruding features and cutting/coring holes. They also struggle with interpreting 2D orthogonal views to form 3D geometry.

What teaching approach is used to improve CAD understanding?

3D printed objects are introduced to support teaching activities, helping students connect digital CAD with physical models. This improves engagement and understanding of how objects exist in both spaces.

What does the document identify as a key crossover between CAD and sketching?

Both drawing and CAD involve graphic ideation and mentally rotating/manipulating images, leading to similar learning difficulties related to spatial awareness and spatial visualization.

Oct 24, 2026

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