The 3rd International Conference on Design Engineering and Science, ICDES 2014
Pilsen, Czech Republic, September 1-3, 2014

Learning Through the Use of CAD and 3D-RP Modeling(From Experience by Collaboration and Communication)
Tsutomu ARAKI*1, Shigeo HIRANO*2, Susumu KISE*3
Sozo SEKIGUCHI*4, Kazuya OKUSAKA*5 and Rei WADA*6*1

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsukuba University of Technology
Amakubo 4-3-15, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8520, JAPANaraki@a.tsukuba-tech.ac.jp*2
Professor Emeritus of Tokyo City University
3-44-5 Isobe Mihama-ku Chiba-shi, Chiba 261-0012, JAPAN
rs4775hirano@ybb.ne.jp*3, 4 , 5 Artner Co. Ltd
Sumitomo Nakanoshima Building 2F 3-2-18, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 530-0005,
JAPAN
kise@artner.co.jp, sekiguchi@artner.co.jp, okusaka@artner.co.jp*6
Artner Co. Ltd
Sumitomo Realty & Development Shin-Yokohama Building 5F
2-5-5, Shinyokohama, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-0033, JAPANr-wada@artner.co.jp

Abstract

1 Introduction

The National University Corporation of Tsukuba
University of Technology (NTUT) introduced an inkjet
type 3D modeling machine in 2007. Since then, we havebeen using the machine for the education of design
drawing, and collecting data on experience andknowhow for effective use. This report describes how
NTUT manages Self-Realizing Education where 3D
CAD and 3D modeling are used effectively as acommunication and a collaboration tool to motivate
hearing-impaired students to receive high quality
education of design drawing.
And more,“Collaborative Work” that was not possible in the age of
2D CAD has become possible.
Visibility is indispensable and useful in education ofdesign drawing. Referring to what is visible, we cancommunicate with each other and exchange concrete
views to evaluate mutually and enhance understanding.
NTUT has an education system which provides
cooperative education in mechanical design drawing
and CAD drawing in collaboration with Tokyo City
University (TCU) which leads drawing education in
Japan, giving high-quality education in design drawing.
It is necessary to be excited to see and feel thehigh-grade approach and performance of students fromother colleges and the real thing. CAD education has
realized cooperative education in that we can operateclasses by referring to concrete examples of 3D models.
And then, it is important to have collaborations with acompany. Knowing the enterprise teaching methods
and actual situation leads to the real mechanical designand drawing education.
Keywords: collaboration, 3D CAD and 3D-RP
modeling, self-realizing education, creative design,realizing communication,

The Tsukuba University of Technology is the only
institute of higher education for the hearing and thevisually impaired in Japan. Our aim is to make ourhearingandvisually
impaired
studentssocio-economically independent and able to participate
in and contribute to social development as active
professionals.
Educational support is provided to students withhearing impairments so that they can visually
understand the basic concepts of mechanicalengineering, for instance, the design, drawing, andprocessing methods. We aim to educate using teaching
methods that the students with hearing impairments caneffectively understand by fully engaging their senses in
an appropriately prepared educational environment.
One approach is modeling, and we are teaching students
such that they can actively experience and understandthe know-how of designing with communication andcollaboration.
This report describes that NTUT manages
Self-Realizing Education where 3D CAD and 3D-RP
modeling are used effectively as a communication tool
through collaboration to motivate hearing impaired
students to receive high quality education of design
drawing.

Copyright © 2014, The Organizing Committee of the ICDES 2014

2 Approach in design drawing
education of NTUT
NTUT Faculty of Industrial Technology is atechnology faculty to educate hearing impaired students.
Department of Industrial Information has two courses,
Mechanical Engineering Course and ArchitecturalEngineering Course. The author educates students in
Mechanical Engineering Course about machining
method, mechanical design drawing exercise,
CAD/CAM/CAE related subjects, relative experiments

and practices, etc. and also leads CAD basic exercise,etc. as a basis of special subject for first year students
before entering courses. These subjects are not special
but the same as those for ordinary colleges so that
NTUT students will be able to be independent highly insociety.
2.1 Approach in class for mechanical design anddrawing
As a matter of course, the class for second year
students will start with the first step of JIS mechanicaldrawing for special subject and mechanical design
drawing.
In the first half of second year, students exercise
manual drawing and in the latter half 2D CAD drawing.
After practice of how to write characters and how todraw lines, manual drawings starting with “V block” aredrawn. During in the summer holidays, hand-drawings
are redrawn by 2D CAD as a special training.
Students realize CAD operation through the special
training. As the drawings are those once prepared andstudents know where to be careful about, CAD drawing
is easily accomplished, even though they are requested
to revise over and over again, In the beginning of
exercise, however, quite a few students are confused tosee the drawing does not match the real shape. So, we
let students see the 3D model with accurate dimensions
produced by 3D modeling machine. Thus, we tellstudents rightly what we intend to transmit aiming their
deep understanding.
2.2 Preparation and use of drawing model as text
We use drawing models as a presentation text to
explain the shape of product, even though it cannot be
produced easily as a real product.
We lead students not only to study drawing throughthe preparation of bolt and nut drawings, but also to
study machining in connection with drawing in such a
way that students exercise, marking-off, manual
finishing like filing, and machining in accordance withthe drawing, and also measure surface roughness andperform 3D measurement in mechanical engineering
test. Students check and evaluate the measurement
results referring to the figures like surface roughness,
etc shown in the drawing.
2.3 3D model creation from 3D CAD drawing
In the second year, students learn 2D CAD drawing,
and in the first half of the third year they change all
drawings they have ever provided into 3D CAD
drawing. We carry out 3D modeling with STL data
which are converted from CAD drawing data. In
mechanical engineering classes, the author takes special
consideration to lead students to realize by themselvesto provide practical drawings which enable themachining of real product, not an imaginary productexisting in virtual environment like cartoon film.
Students provide drawings, based on which they
produce 3D models. We can see the understanding
level of each student from the drawings and models they
have produced.
It is possible to issue detailed
instructions referring to such respective understanding
levels of students. It is also observed that models help
students deepen their understanding by self-realization.
In 3D models, students reflect their understanding levels
much deeper than those obtained during the preparationof manual 2D drawings and 2D CAD drawings. Such
improvement in design drawing techniques can be seen
more concretely by themselves, friends and teachers.
Visibility is indispensable in NTUT. Referring towhat is visible, we can communicate each other andexchange concrete views to evaluate mutually andenhance understanding.

3 Expanding text development andcooperative education
Because of a set of 3D modeling machine we areusing in NTUT, cooperative education is being
expanded through the use of 3D modeling machine
among Mechanical Engineering course, other courses,
other departments, further other colleges andinternational exchange. 2D CAD drawing is provided
individually, even though time consuming, but the
production of 3D CAD drawing and 3D model enables
cooperative work. While students prepare drawings
and produce models jointly, they realize by themselves,
learn mutually to get more aware of CAD for
manufacturing. Students produce the model of handwinch by group work.
Even if it will be a simple example, it is important tolearn from manufacturing to fit the concept and how tomake it through experiences. Learning the sense of
manufacturing is important for mechanical drawings for
3D CAD.
NTUT has an education system to provide
cooperative education in mechanical design drawing
and CAD drawing in collaboration with Tokyo City
University(TCU) which leads drawing education in
Japan, giving high-quality education in design drawing.
It is necessary for NTUT students not to become a frogin the well, but to be excited to see and feel the highgrade approach and performance of other colleges
students. CAD education has realized cooperativeeducation that we can operate classes referring toconcrete examples of 3D models.
NTUT has overseas collaboration with Bauman
Moscow State Technical University(BMSTU). As partof cooperative education between NTUT and one ofcenters in BMSTU where hearing impaired students
learn, hold a competition in science, technology andeducational program “Step into the Future” for students.
Students from NTUT participated every year in thecompetition to give research presentation through videoconferencing system connected to Moscow. NTUT
students received good evaluation for the researchpresentation on 3D modeling and its precision everyyear.

4 Designer’s responsibilities forhigh quality drawing
In the end, all quality requirements return to thedrawing. Drawing, not just tracing, must reflects all
requirements for manufacturing, so designers carryheavy responsibilities. We must try to develop rightcommunication to realize thinking drawing form tracingdrawing. There is a video that we always show

students in the class of drawing. The video says strongly
that drawing is the language of engineers. Teacher
Kiyoshi Ohnishi says in the video, “Drawing is acommunication tool of engineers …” His words
encourages NTUT students.
It carries heavy
responsibilities to provide a drawing to transmit therequirements rightly to readers. We try to develop
right communication by finding out the exchange ofwords in drawings.
I believe that it is a good way to teach real drawings
through making a chance to communicate each otherusing mechanical drawings which were written bythemselves. Having some other party to convey
information by the drawing, it will be a drawing inthinking about the partner, understanding how to draw
correct drawing.
4.1 Issues in machining when 3D printer is used
Inkjet type 3D printer creates various shapes
seamless. 3D CAD is not applicable to those shapesthat can not be manufactured by ordinary machining
methods and as a result 3D CAD creates such shapesthat can not be machined actually. To avoid troubles
afterwards, it is necessary to consider ordinary
machining methods well in design.
4.2 Effective use of 3D printer features
Precision of 3D printer products are different
corresponding to each machine, and deformation after
machining is also expected. As the specifications ofmodel are also influenced by the material of work,
models are not always usable as an almighty product.
We need to select a right material at a right place, when
we produce a 3D model. For effective using of 3D
printer, thinking about it’s feature is necessary.
4.3 For more development in NTUT
We would like to enhance the effective utilization of
3D CAD and 3D modeling in order to lead students torecognize by themselves that they must have
responsibilities as a mechanical designer to provide
drawings. It is important to talk to students in amechanical drawing class that there are other parties toconvey information by his or her drawings.
We
consider that 3D CAD and 3D modeling is one of thebest tools to have NTUT students learn mechanicaldesigner’s sense while gaining experiences, move
forward clearing various kinds of subjects bythemselves, and sharpen their senses to do their best.
As drawings are considered as a tool forcommunication or conversation, there must be a partner
to read and use the drawings, so we would like todevelop the cooperative education so that students canimprove each other by the communication throughdrawings.
As it is said “drawing is the language ofengineering” as a tool of communication for engineers,
to learn drawing means to become an industrialist, so
we would also like students to realize that
communication is possible internationally throughdrawings. We expect to develop these kinds ofopportunities through the international cooperativeeducation. It is in practice just now.
On the other hand, students seem to think simply
that the completion of drawing is the completion ofengineering. We would like to plan such a way ofeducation to lead students to verify the rightness ofdrawing after the production of 3D model.
Inpreparation of 3D CAD drawings, special instructions
are needed considering the way of fabrication. Special
care must be taken not to create a model which needs anextraordinary way of fabrication. In 3D modeling,
dimensional tolerance must also be taken into
consideration. Students need to include all required
information in the drawing regarding manufacturing
procedures.
The cooperative work to assemble a 3D model inaccordance with 3D CAD drawings is most effective for
NTUT students to realize that drawings are one of tools
for communication, and gives a good opportunity tostudents to think how exactly they present their own
information. As a matter of course, actual experiencein manufacturing is indispensable in drawing education.
Recent experience in education through 3D modelingsuggests us that practical knowledge by experience isimportant more and more in design drawing education.
And one more important thing is to know about themethod of CAD/CAM education at the company.
In advanced CAD / CAM and mechanical designand drafting, thinking about it as the content in line withthe age of education that is ongoing at the university.
And finally, it becomes necessary, if the work of themodern enterprise is involved in any design drafting.
And how they are conducting education in the enterprisecompany for it. And nowadays the necessity is to
explore concepts which are the base methods.
And, then we get to learn from the concept ofcompanies that develop employees to performmechanical design and drawing is as follows.

5 Learning from the enterprise company
Searching after how does an unknown thing the planand design and make how it is the translation that must
support the design power that makes present actually.
To put it differently, we make the caricature that
expresses each source, mechanism of the design on thebasis of specification with the early period stage of thedesign. Furthermore we grope the demand that thinks
and would like you to design this sort of thing of thevisitor tip continually and search the hint and make therequest caricature. This process is the starting point of adesign and will said that 60% of the designs ended withthis stage.
5.1 Realizing communication by exchanging digital
information
3D CAD should realize an effective environment forcommunication among those who require accurate andcomplete data regarding production and techniques,
whenever and wherever data are needed, by a suitablemeans and at a low cost. In other words, 3D CAD
should help to realize accurate and speedy
communication.
The most important factor in realizing such
communication is product data management (PDM),
which enables integrated management and real-time
responses on the basis of digital information.
5.2 Examination using punch drawings
The imaging of an idea, namely, the representationof an idea using pictures and characters, is the mostsuitable method for maximizing the possibilities ofdesigning at operating branches and for simply
explaining information.
In designing, the designer focuses on a blank sheetof paper, lets the mind wander, and draws a component.
Creating an idea for a design probably means
incorporating new ideas into the shape whileconsidering the shape of new products by imaging theshape of products that are already known, that is, theproducts the designer had previously seen and touched.
We think that 3D CAD is unnecessary up to this stage ofdesigning.
5.3 CAE as a tool for designers
Designers wish not only to simply request an
analysis and wait for the result from a specialist but also
perform analyses themselves and obtain the required
result within a day so they may progress to the next stepin the design. To realize this goal, we must performseveral tasks, including ① the development of a
CAD-CAE integrated system, ② the establishment ofmodeling and evaluation methods, and ③ thedevelopment of a support system for design.
5.4 Problems caused by decrease in the number ofprototypes produced
The decrease in the number of production of
prototypes has led to a reduction in the opportunities tolearn from manufacturing substantial products.
In a design method, design skills for achieving
mechanical requirements such as light weight and highstiffness, production technology that enables the timely
provision of products in accordance with users’ needs,
and manufacturing technology that realizes the value of
products at an appropriate cost, comprise the frameworkof manufacturing. However, full attention should be
paid when these skills and technologies are applied.
5.5 Results of CAE depend on experience and sense
There is an obvious difference in the quality ofdesign between designers, depending on their skill, evenwhen the same tools are used. This can be regarded asa problem in training. In other words, designers are
required, not only to learn how to use CAE, but also tohave the ability to decide, in order to accurately
examine the behavior of objects.
Decisions aresupported by experience and sense, which can be gained
from experiments and theoretical considerations.
When we receive an order from a customer, therequested specifications are presented by the customer.
We then aim to manufacture and realize products withfunctions that meet these specifications within a budget.
This is the goal of design.
As design efficiency and cost performance aresought, the adoption of familiar designs that use existing
techniques rather than techniques that require tests of
new elements is frequently observed. As a result, inrecent years, fewer trial and error methods have been
carried out in the process of design, and priority has
been given to design efficiency.

6 Conclusions
We cannot easily imagine the nature of design
without any 2D drawings. What is most important indesign is how accurately product information can beconveyed to manufacturers.
3D CAD is merely a tool in the design process, andproduces no products in practice. It is expected thatmost of the design processes will be carried out
automatically using computers through an innovativechange in design business. However, a question arises
whether it is acceptable to leave all the
manufacturing-related work to computers.
After all, we believe that people are still the mostreliable, with the flair, experience and skills that they
have cultivated for a long time.
Innovation in design work is clearly necessary, but weshould have good judgment in determining its direction.
I want to teach students the fun of Mechanical
Design and Drawing, learning from their experiences.
Therefore they,・Learn from the enterprise, like from a university.
・Immerse themselves in a class.
・Acquire a good sense.
・Put emphasis on learning the sense, before considering
advancements in technology and skill.
・Think deeply.
・Self-evaluate, improve and advance onward.
・ Appreciate that Mechanical Design and Drawing
contain the origin of human joy.
Mechanical Design and Drafting, CAD / CAM /CAE education, finally come at this stage.

References[1] T.Araki and S. Hirano, “Learning about mechanicaldesign and drawing through the experience of 3Dmodeling”, Proceedings of The 15th International
Conference on Geometry and Graphics (ICGG
2012), pp.28-35.
[2] T.Araki and S.Hirano, “Development of Cooperative
Education and Basic Engineering Education --Aided
by 3D CAD and 3D RP Modeling”, Proceedings of
The 2013 Asian Forum on Graphic Science, (2013),
pp.l35-142.
[3] S.Hirano, S.Kise, S.Sekiguchi, K.Okusaka,
T.Imagawa, “Investigation of Actual Situation ofCompanies Concerning Use of Three-Dimensional
Computer -Aided Design System”, Proceedings of
The 2013 Asian Forum on Graphic Science, (2013),
pp.85-90.