2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Design for Manufacturing (DFM) ensures that products are designed in ways that align with the capabilities and limits of manufacturing processes such as machining, casting, and additive manufacturing. Although DFM principles are commonly taught in engineering programs, they are often delivered through rigid lectures and 2D drawings. Students may understand the rules conceptually yet struggle to apply them practically in design. There is a need for instructional tools that translate abstract manufacturing constraints into tangible learning experiences. The objective of this work was to develop an interactive learning tool that improves engineering students’ understanding of manufacturing design considerations. To achieve this, 3D printed ManuCubes were created, with each learning cube dedicated to a single manufacturing process: machining, casting, and 3D printing. Each face of the cubes integrates key design constraints, including wall thickness limits, corner radii, draft angles, tool access, and support requirements. The cubes were modeled in CAD to include both manufacturable and poorly designed features, enabling direct comparison through physical interaction. When implemented in classroom and outreach settings, students used the cubes to identify constraints, evaluate design feasibility, and propose modifications. Observations showed higher engagement and clearer articulation of manufacturing reasoning compared to lecture-based instruction alone. These findings suggest that experiential learning tools can strengthen applied understanding of manufacturing constraints. This work demonstrates a scalable approach for integrating hands on, process-specific learning tools into engineering education.