[Design and Technology] Query

[pcranswick at aitkencollege.edu.au]

You can use whjat you like really but I STRONGLY recommend you use
SolidWorks - 3D Modelling engineering software.  I can go on about
it
but here are the basics:

Post Secondary education- Desgree courses in Product Design ,
Engineering use solidworks above the others, so why not expose our
students to it earlier? So here is a list:
RMIT University (VIC)
Deakin University (VIC)
University of Melbourne (VIC)
Swinburne University of Technology (VIC) 
Queensland University of Technology (QLD)
University Of Technology, Sydney (NSW)
University of Sydney (NSW)
Sydney Institute of Technology (NSW)
University of Western Sydney (NSW) 
UTS Faculty of Design (NSW)
University of South Australia (SA)
Douglas Mawson Institute of TAFE (SA)
Australian National University (ACT)
Curtin University (WA)

I teach it to years 9 to 12 - 9 and 10 as a full on 3D Design
elective this prepares the students to use it for Sys Tech, Des Tech
VCD for VCE.  ( I also have got the year 6's onto it too ).

It's used widely in industry around the world Growing fastest too.
eg: 
USA – Wake County, North Carolina (17 high schools, 425 lic.)
standardized on pre-engineering instruction on SolidWorks. 

USA – Thompson School District, Fort Collins, Colorado (5 middle
schools, 5 high schools, 160 lic.) introduces seventh graders to
SolidWorks to teach design and engineering. 

France – 5.000 French ‘collèges’ (middle schools) and ‘lycées’ (high
schools) are teaching SolidWorks, having about 65% market share in
French secondary education. 

Northern Ireland – 300 high schools (9.000 lic.) standardized on SWX
for technical secondary education, taught subject since 2 years now
is called Design & Technology 

Germany – a regional school authority (RP Freiburg – most
prestigious
mechanical engineering region in Germany) signed a central purchase
agreement to standardize on SWX, almost all 30 technical schools are
now using SWX.

Norway – 1.300 schools (30.000 lic.) will be standardized on SWX,
students aged 14-18 roll-out just has started.

INTERCAD, the local provider is in Box Hill - Tech support is
included in cost and is EXCELLENT.

Site liscences cost a bit more HOWEVER when you factor in the cost
of
setting up a computer lab its pretty minor in my view for the
relevance, quality of what you introducing the kids too.

My friend in Vancouver whos taught CAD for over 20 years says after
AutoDESK CAD he moved on to AudoDESK INVENTOR then moved on pretty
quickly to SOLIDWORKS.  BECAUSE Excellend support and ONLINE
TUTOREIALS and TEACHER SUPPORT.

VERY popular with small manufacturing.

Save small models as . STL files and you can hve them "printed" in
3D
in Hawthorn (prototyping) Great for a VCD work

Like I said at the beginning, Inventor and Prodesktop will serve you
well but you will find  SolidWorks will prepare the students the
best
for life afterschool in my opinion.  

Call me any time 9333 1866 or phone InterCAD.

Good luck. All the best,

Philip Cranswick Head of Technology - Aitken

PS : Check out these sites! 

http://www.solidworks.co.uk/pages/successes/Success_Stories.html
note: these are case studies, follow the links.

http://www.cadventureinc.com/company/solidworks-videos.html
note: this site has links to sights where you can download small
solidworks video files. Army Research Laboratory is a neat one.

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/products/SolidWorks_2007/SolidWorksOfficePremium2007.html
note: This site talks about new features of Solidworks 2007. I like
it because it shows how the design and development of the software
is driven largely by the feedback andneeds of engineers and
industry.

http://www.solidworks.co.uk/pages/successes/viewsuccess.html?record=1140
Great story the "Buckeye BulletV16" electric car design in
solidworks land speed record for electric powered car.

In the TEAV News you may notice that I'm offering a PD on using
solidworks in schools. It's hands on and you'll learn how to use the
program. Free single education version for coming too! Dec 1 and 2.


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