This study explores the use of mini-fabrication exercises for helping students learn design for rapid prototyping in computeraided design and prototyping courses in engineering curricula. To this end, we conducted mini-fabrication exercises in ME444—an undergraduate course at Purdue University. The exercises provide hands-on exposure to design for rapid prototyping principles using simplified design problems. We developed two mini-fabrication exercises in ME444; (i) gear pair design & box design using laser cutting, and (ii) toy catapult design using stereolithography printing. These exercises were tested in a classroom-setting with 51 undergraduate students. Results show the mini-fabrication exercises facilitated students’ learning of geometric dimensioning & tolerancing, part sizing, and material properties in laser cutting and stereolithography printing.
