Incorporating Additive Manufacturing (AM) Technologies into the Undergraduate Design Curriculum

Abstract

The Computer Aided Design (CAD) curriculum at UAH, as well as other dedicated graphic design courses, do not typically explore the realization of CAD models as part of the design process. While consideration of the design is absolutely necessary in industrial manufacturing, so are the materials and methods used to create them. The authors propose the consideration and design-focused incorporation of additive technologies (such as 3-D printing and 3-D scanning) into undergraduate design and graphics courses; this will allow the students to explore design concepts, particularly those at the intersection of technology and art, more effectively. In addition to exploring forms and shapes, the students can better understand material selection, fabrication, affordances and constraints. This would enhance the real-world applicability of design education and make technical design a more inclusive discipline, open to more types of learners.