Students Design and Manufacture Parts with Plasma Cutter
Plasma Cutter Incorporated into Coursework
By Heidi Rethmeier
March 26, 2008
Last fall a proposal was presented to the Elgin Board of Education to purchase a Plasma Cutter which could be used in conjunction with several classes including CAD (Computer Aided Design), Entrepreneurship, and Ag Mechanics. With the Board’s approval the cutter was ordered, delivered, and set-up with plenty of time for the students to utilize it this semester. The speed with which the students learned the software was amazing. The software has the ability to transfer drawings from CAD programs to produce a wide range of mechanical components as well as transfer and manipulate drawings or clip-art to form more artistic pieces of work. Current designs include school inspired metal artwork such as the one shown in the picture. Other designs developed with the CAD program include license plate covers and miscellaneous mechanical components.
The students are learning some valuable skills that they otherwise would not have been exposed to. The ability to take a design from an idea to an actual physical product illustrates the need for more research, more details, and more precision throughout the design process. Knowing they can walk away with an actual product, the students are much more curious about the process and invest more thought and energy into producing a design that will work. The Plasma Cutter has already become a highly sought after piece of equipment as the students are anxious to see their ideas come to life.
Students Design and Manufacture Parts with Plasma Cutter
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