CAD
Do you want to learn how to 3D Model using Autodesk Inventor? Are you curious about how we design our 3D printed parts? Want to know how you can create parts for our robot from your computer at home? All of these skills and MORE are covered in Introduction to CAD! Here, we’ll teach you all of the Inventor basics, like making 2D sketches, building basic 3D solids, and putting different parts together to make more complex assemblies. By the end of the course, students will be comfortable making basic parts in Inventor and will understand how to go from imagining a part in their head to actually CADing it out in Inventor.
Resources
Practice Materials
Practice Exercises (Designed by RoHawks)
Intro 1 – Dimensions and Constraints
Intro 2 – Sketching and Extruding Sheet
Practice Projects (Designed by RoHawks)
Intro – Limit Switch Exercise (Extra materials linked here)
Intro and Advanced – Piston Assembly Exercise
Other Exercises (Not made by us, but excellent for practice!)
Select Exercises from this PDF: Intro CAD Exercises
Exercises from FRC Team 254’s Resource Page – here are our favorites: Shaft, Piston Mount, Plate
Cheat Sheets
CAD Cheat Sheet: Basic Sketching
CAD Cheat Sheet: Advanced Sketching
Videos
Here is our CAD YouTube Playlist. You can watch our first video below:
Another way to start learning CAD on your own is to watch someone else CAD (our top pick is CAD youtuber TFI, whose videos are displayed below). Try to copy his steps in your own CAD window and pause the video when you need a little bit more time. This can be a great way to learn about new tools and techniques!