2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Hands-On Approach to Teaching Tolerancing and Design for Manufacturing: Designing and 3D Printing Precision Puzzles and a Visor Connector

Presented at Engineering Design Graphics Division (EDGD) Technical Session 2

Mechanical engineering freshmen level students with no machining experience at Washington State University lack the understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing which affects the quality of their engineering drawings in the Engineering Computer Aided Design and Visualization course. An innovative pedagogical approach is being developed to address this issue and give students an opportunity to learn the concept and practical application of GD&T through a hands-on, design-based group project. The first project required them to design, model in SolidWorks, and 3D print four interlocking puzzle pieces; the second project involved students designing, modeling, and 3D printing a replacement bracket for a car visor. Both projects required precise geometric tolerance to function correctly. Analysis of tolerance and fit using 3D printed parts allowed students to learn from the tangible results of their designs. This approach was anticipated to help students’ understanding of dimension variation, and geometric control in creating functional assemblies. Initial assessment was done in Spring 2024 semester. Preliminary assessment indicates that this approach will have a positive impact on their understanding of tolerancing and design for manufacturing.

Authors

Dr. Nandita Biswas Washington State University [biography]

Dr. Nandita Biswas is an Associate Professor (Career Track) in the school of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) at Washington State University, Pullman since 2014. Before joining MME, she taught undergraduate level classes as an instructor in the department of Mathematics at the same university for 3 years. She received her M.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University, Pullman in 2007 and Ph.D. degree from the same department and same university in 2013. Her research interest includes Material behavior under Impact loading, Design and fabrication of high strain rate testing facility, Engineering Education and Engineering Design.
Dr. Emily Larsen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4794-3300 Washington State University [biography]

Emily A. Larsen is a Scholarly Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering (MME) at Washington State University (WSU), Pullman. Her current teaching focuses on design education, including CAD design/simulation and capstone design with research interests in engineering education. Prior to joining the faculty in 2022, Emily served for two years as the director of the Washington State Academic Redshirt program at (WSU), teaching several first-year engineering courses designed for students from disadvantaged backgrounds pursuing engineering degrees. She also earned her B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Washington State University with research on soft robotic mechanisms.
Dr. Jonathan Steffens Washington State University [biography]

Jonathan received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University. He worked at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a post-doctoral fellow. He was a visiting professor at Lafayette College. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor in the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department at Washington State University.

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