Asst. Prof. Ramses Martinez developed the course to build students' confidence to design objects and spaces using 3D computer-aided design (CAD) tools, to further develop their leadership in multidisciplinary engineering teams.

"Every engineering student should be able to design and optimize prototypes in 3D, as well as [know] how to animate them and manufacture them in the most effective way," he said. "'Imagine, Model, and Make' teaches the students how to model and animate objects using 3D CAD software commonly used by the Hollywood film industry. The students will design a variety of objects and will optimize their designs prior to manufacturing them using the 3D Printing Lab at Grissom Hall."

"[It's] an active-learning course where the lessons are hands-on tutorials where the students apply the concepts they will learn," Martinez explained. "The tutorials are intended to be both educational and fun!"

Students will learn how to model anything (including their faces) in 3D, how to render to photo-realistic images of their projects, how to animate movies of the objects and characters they create, how to sketch by hand, optimize products, and meet tolerance requirements, and will also study modern manufacturing capabilities and rapid prototyping techniques.

"I am sure that the students will use what they learn on this course in the future," concluded Martinez.

The course is for undergraduates and graduate students, and is still open for registration.

Writer: DeEtte Starr, starrd@purdue.edu