ASCENT Blog

ASEE - 118th Annual Conference and Exposition

By Paul Burden

I am just back from beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia where we attended the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition. ASCENT was one of over 100 exhibitors in the Exposition Hall this year. Thank you to everyone that stopped by to speak with us – there were some familiar faces and a lot of new faces for us at this year’s event.

Here are a few observations I gathered while speaking with attendees of the conference this week:

• There is a wide variety of CAD software being used by schools and institutions providing engineering education. Among the software being used by people we spoke to are AutoCAD, Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, SolidWorks, NX, Revit Architecture, Civil 3D, MicroStation, and the list goes on.
• The educators we spoke with are passionate about ensuring that the curriculum they use when teaching courses involving CAD software provides students with usable skills and modeling strategies.
• Courseware that is modular is preferred so that topics can be reorganized to fit the scope of a class.
• Some educators develop their own tutorials for CAD software, but find it very time consuming to keep up to date.
• Interest in using digital versions of textbooks, such as eBooks, is growing.

In a number of sessions and events, I also saw incredible cooperation between corporations and schools to ensure that those enrolled in engineering programs are developing the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in industry. To continue this theme, educators should feel welcome to provide feedback to us and other publishers of textbooks and training courseware so that these offerings can address the unique requirements of academic institutions.  So at events like this conference and anytime in between, tell us how we’re doing and what you need. Within the realm of CAD software, we want to ensure that the engineers of tomorrow can graduate with skills that will enable them to use these tools immediately.

Finally, we had a lot of fun passing out our Brain Age Testers. Hopefully, it reported an age you were happy with.  

By Paul Burden

3D in a 2D World - Part 2

By Elvis Sverko

We can design 3D models.

We can create 2D drawings of our 3D models.

We can manufacture or build 3D real world objects from our 2D drawings.

But the question we need to ask to anyone learning any CAD software for the first time, is “can you THINK in 3D?”

Not everyone can.

And that’s OK. Not everyone can do everything. We need different people to do different things. We’re all unique. That’s what makes us special.

But any software, in general, can be taught to just about anyone. CAD software is no different. Anyone can learn which command creates a cube, which one rotates a 3D model, or which one helps you create a spiraling G2 continuity spline. Anyone can follow the instructions for any of these actions, and do it successfully.

It’s easy to take a 3D model and create the 2D drawings of it. We looked at that in a previous post - 3D in a 2D World - Part 1. But what about going the other way around?

Using CAD, especially 3D, isn’t always about following set instructions. It’s about designing a new 3D model. It’s about creating something new. And you can be as creative as any artist. But to do that, you need to be able to THINK in 3D.

So how do you know if someone can think in 3D?

I’ve used a simple test before. Give them a 2D drawing with an isometric view of a fairly simple 3D object, such as:

 

Ask them to draw a quick sketch of the front, top, and side of the 3D object. If they don’t even seem to think about it, but finish it correctly in a few seconds, they’re ready. But if they struggle, pondering it for some time, and ultimately get it wrong, they may need to first get some training in the understanding of 3D, or CAD software may prove to be extremely challenging for them. And that’s OK, because we’re all different and unique. And with the right attitude and training, learning CAD can be accomplished!

By the way, here’s the front, top, and side view of the model above.

 

“We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.” - Mary Dunbar

 

Publishing Documents in Various Formats

By Lisa Kemp

In my experience, technology is evolving quickly with new gadgets just around the corner. In another 6 months, publishing will probably have changed again to meet the demands of the changing technology.

With advances in technology and communication, it is possible to publish books in a variety of formats including printed books, interactive pdfs, and ebooks. Publishing the same content in different formats enables you to reach a wider audience and provides people with a variety of options for how they use the material. The choice of type of book by the user can be influenced by how and where they're going to use it and what hardware they have access to. For example, someone learning CAD might want to have a hardcopy book next to them to save screen real estate. However, this can also be achieved using a tablet, smartphone, or ereader, so it depends on whether they have access to the hardware and whether their software has the ability to take notes, highlight text, etc., as they would do with a paper book. The experiences don't need to duplicate each other, just reflect the needs of the user and their preferences when interacting with the book.

• Printed books: This is the traditional method of printing a book and is still widely used. The books are printed on paper, bound, and shipped to the customer. Ordering and shipping can be a time-consuming process, but does provide the customer with a book that does not require electronic hardware before it can be used.
• Interactive pdfs: The book is saved in PDF format and then bookmarks, hyperlinks, page numbers, etc., are added to make it easy for the user to move through the various areas of the book. You can click on a bookmark to go to a section or click on a link to go to a page. You can also add a video to explain how to use a command or include a 3D image that can be rotated to explain the steps in an exercise more clearly. Pdfs can be distributed on CD or DVD or downloaded from a website. You can use hyperlinks to link to additional information on your company's website, or to social networking sites to generate interest in other services offered by your company, such as training, blogs, videos, additional book titles on an estore, elearning sites, etc.
• eBooks: The book can be accessed on a smart phone, tablet, or computer using software or an app. The users can download the book wherever they are and don't have the delay of waiting for it to be shipped or dealing with possible delays. Some ereaders allow users to highlight text, make notes, bookmark pages, share information, etc. You can also zoom in, change font size, or further customize the book.

3D in a 2D World - Part 1

By Elvis Sverko

We live in a 3D world. We design objects, machines, and buildings to interact with in three dimensions. We’ve even gotten to the point where we design these objects in 3D. And 3D solid modeling has gotten so precise and easy to use, that you wouldn’t want to do it any other way.

But in order to manufacture and construct these objects and buildings, we need to make 2D drawings of them first, and then use these flat pieces of paper during the assembly process. Autodesk Inventor has been doing this process very well in the manufacturing industry for some time. And Autodesk Revit is just as equal in the building industry.

But for a huge portion of the CAD users out there, AutoCAD is the highly utilized product. Therefore, many of you out there already know how to use viewports in layout tabs to create different angled views of your 3D model from the Model Space. And when you want more than just a view of the 3D model at a specific angle, you know how to create actual 2D views of the 3D model using the Solid View and Solid Drawing commands. In some cases, maybe you even use the Solid Profile command. Or maybe you take advantage of the Flatshot command. Or any combination of these. They all have their unique reasons to be used. Where some update when the 3D model is modified (ie Viewports), others do not (ie blocks created from Flatshot).

And that’s where the new Drawing View commands come in. AutoCAD 2012 has added the power to automatically generate intelligent documents based on AutoCAD, Inventor, or other imported 3D models. Like viewports, they update automatically when the model is modified. But they can also maintain a wireframe with hidden edges style.

The new Drawing View commands are found on the Annotate tab of the ribbon.

 

You first need to create a Base View. It’s then from this view that you create Projected views (ie side, top, orthographic).

After creating your 3D models for our 3D world, it’s just a quick command to create your 2D drawings to get you there. Who would have thought that we still need 2D drawings?

 

“What can this piece of paper do; imagine?” – Alamgir Hashmi

 

What's new in ASCENT's Autodesk® Inventor® 2012 books - Part 2

By Jennifer MacMillan

In my last posting I told you what was new with ASCENT’s Autodesk Inventor 2012 Introduction to Solid Modeling class. The majority of changes were made in this book but I also wanted to share what was done with our other titles.

Advanced Part Modeling

• Small enhancements to existing functionality were added and are identified in the book with the  icon. This is true in all books. We love to use the  icon (see already used it twice in this bullet alone). Although it isn’t all that helpful for students that are new and learning the software for the first time it is helpful for you trainers.
• Ray Tracing was added to Chapter 1 Tips and Tools.
• In Chapter 2 Multi-Body Part Modeling we have added a new multi-body part design exercise to focus more on its use in part modeling. (We heard you! The existing exercise is still in the Chapter and is now marked as “Optional”.)

  
(Drawing of the new multi-body part modeling exercise)

• In Chapter 10 Importing Surfaces we have covered the new Repair tools. We left the old construction environment materials as optional but all the exercises use the new tool. We don’t get into Fusion; however, we will be looking at adding something on this for next revision.

 Advanced Assembly Modeling

• No new major changes in this guide, again only small enhancements () to existing functionality were incorporated.
• We removed the Skeleton Modeling Appendix now that this really isn’t a common workflow used in Inventor anymore. We have heard from a lot of people that this material wasn’t being used and was only adding to page count.

 Sheet Metal Design

• No new enhancements to any of the Sheet metal functionality in 2012. I don’t think that I used  even once.

To update you on the Inventor 2012 Update for 2010 and 2011 Users training guide that I previously mentioned... it is now with our editors. This training guide will be designed for 2010 and 2011 users going to 2012. There will be  and  icons used in the guide to help users and instructors differentiate what was new in each software version. This training guide will provide you with one day of class material. Keep an eye out later next week to order your copy.

Happy Training!

Limits

By Elvis Sverko

I am a runner. At least I am now. I just recently completed my first marathon.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve run before. I’ve run around the yard with my kids. I’ve run while participating in other sports. I’ve run a few miles around my neighborhood. I’ve even competed in 5k and 10k running events. But I wanted to push my running limits farther. As I like to say, “you can’t push it too far, until you know how far you can push it.” And that is why I ran the marathon. I now know that I can go beyond my limits.

While training for the marathon, (for eighteen weeks), I stayed within my limits, running between six and sixteen miles at a time. It wasn’t until I was properly prepared, that I was then able to attempt the full 26.2 miles of the marathon.

The same can be said when “training” in the use of the AutoCAD software. It’s so big and powerful, it may seem too daunting for anyone getting started in it.

When I’m instructing an AutoCAD Fundamentals class, I’ve seen many students struggle early on. Model Space seems too large for them. They get a bit lost while zooming and panning. Then when they start drawing something, it’s way off the screen. Having the Grid Display toggled on and going infinite, doesn’t help.

One solution is to set the Limits of the AutoCAD drawing, using the limits command. Limits will help keep a student grounded. By seeing the grid only within the set limits, they’ll know to just create their drawing within it. Limits will prevent them from selecting points (or typing in point coordinates) outside those limits. (Limits are useful for everyone too, as you can choose to Print (or Plot) your drawing based on the Limits that are set.)

In order to succeed in training someone in this fashion, you will need to set it up for them first. You’ll need to set the lower left and upper right corners for the limits. You’ll also need to make sure that Limits is toggled on. Regarding the Grid Display, it will also need to be toggled on. Also, in the Drafting Settings, Snap and Grid tab, Grid behavior area, you’ll need to uncheck the Display grid beyond Limits.

Once a student has trained properly and feels comfortable, you’ll be able to set them free, so they may go beyond their limits.

I now think that running one marathon in my lifetime is my limit. That’s why I’m running in another 5k tomorrow, as I continue to “train” for my second marathon in September.

"The limits of the possible can only be defined by going beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke

What's new in ASCENT's Autodesk® Inventor® 2012 books - Part 1

By Jennifer MacMillan

As you can tell by our multiple blog authors (with more to come), ASCENT is a team of developers and all of us specialize in different software. Elvis and Martha’s previous posts are hard acts to follow. With my posts I aim to give you useful information with a little humor thrown in because as we all know training the same material week in and week out can make you feel a little like it is Feb 2^nd (Groundhog Day). Check out the movie of the same name if you don't know what I am talking about.

My main specialty is in the mechanical arena and I focus on Autodesk Inventor. I have been working on updating all of ASCENT’s Autodesk Inventor courseware and getting it out for you even faster than last year. (Yes, I had to pat myself on the back for that.) Changes ranged from simple new 2012 screen captures to the addition of new functionality. We also took time to improve some of the exercises that we knew needed some work in the Introduction to Solid Modeling class.

Here is a summary of what has changed in ASCENT’s Autodesk Inventor 2012 Introduction to Solid Modeling class:

• New interface changes incorporated into Chapter 1 Introduction and used throughout the exercises in the book. (E.g., images, using the marking menu, updated hidden selection tool, using the updated mini-toolbar, etc.). 
• Removed an exercise in Chapter 5 Sketched Secondary Features (moved to appendix B) to help shorten the class length a little.
• Broke up Chapter 9 Additional Features and Functions to focus on modeling features only.
• Added a new Chapter 10 Model and Display Manipulation that includes the remainder of the Chapter 9 functions and the new Section and Design View functionality added to the Autodesk Inventor 2012 software.
• A new assembly exercise was added in Chapter 16 Assembly Environment to teach component assembly (it is now more design oriented and not just blocks, which I am sure everyone will appreciate).

 
(These colors aren’t in the exercise I am just really digging the Watercolor Visual Style.. (that was the fun part of my blog.. hope you caught that))

• In Chapter 20 Assembly Tools we replaced the Drive Constraints (Turntable) exercise with a new exercise and moved the old Turntable exercise to the Appendix (we had lots of feedback that the Turntable was unnecessarily complex).
• Additionally, enhancements to existing topics were added (e.g., variable fillet continuity, Face Draft changes, edge selection for sweeps, view orientation changes, etc.).

I don’t want to give away too much… but I am currently working on a new Inventor 2012 Update class. I know that our sales team are getting daily calls about this so I better get back to it. Hope that this has helped you out in preparing for your next class. I will put together a list of what’s new and improved with our remaining Inventor titles in the coming days.

 Happy Training!

Jennifer

The View of a Table in a Field

By Elvis Sverko

When seeing a table in a field for the first time, you might think it’s easy to walk over to it. Either walk straight there or follow a predefined path to it. But if it’s on the other side of a wide river, you wouldn’t know the best way to get across, unless someone told you that you need to walk to the right to go over a bridge, or to use an underground tunnel, or a small boat, or swim, or… the list goes on and on. You may know how to do each and every one of these tasks on their own, but putting the best ones to use in this particular case, is the challenge.

 

A similar situation can occur when teaching someone how to use AutoCAD. When learning AutoCAD for the first time, most students learn many of the functions, as individual functions, in Model Space, including drawing lines, creating blocks, adding text, and even creating tables. They might even learn some advanced detail functionality of these concepts, including adding fields in a table.

Later, they learn about Paper Space and viewports. Again, they may only learn these ideas as standalone, and not how to tie them together, such as the power of creating tables with fields in Paper Space. This is where teaching someone best-practices, is important.

While in Paper Space, create a table as needed. In one of the cells, insert a Field. In the Field dialog box, choose the Field category “Objects”, Field name “Object”, then click the “select object” button next to Object type. Now is where the power comes into play. You can click an object in any viewport to pull out its Property information.

What a great way to tie together a string of simple concepts, to create a powerful, complex solution. Now go cross that bridge, and relax at the table in the field!

“The belief that one’s own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous of all delusions.” – Paul Watzlawick

 

Raising Your AutoCAD Training Standards

By Elvis Sverko

I’ve trained thousands of individuals in various CAD platforms. I’ve used ASCENT and Autodesk training manuals. I’ve stood in front of a class, discussed concepts, and gave demonstrations. I’ve taught at Autodesk University and AUGI CAD Camps. I’ve even delivered classes remotely.  But the one item that remains the same is asking yourself if the student grasped the concepts they were being taught.

With CAD, it can be tricky. A multiple choice quiz is one great way to test a student’s comprehension of the topics taught. Although some people might argue that they’re not good test takers. And others who are good test takers, might not be able to turn that knowledge into good executable performance later on.

You can also make a hands-on test, having the student create a CAD drawing or model, then grade them on how close they came to the desired result. Grading an entire class can be time consuming. Is there a good way to speed up even part of the grading process?

With AutoCAD, you can take advantage of the Standards drawing file and Check feature, and test for correct layer settings, dimension styles, line types, and text styles.

First, set up an AutoCAD drawing with the correct settings for layers, dimension styles, line types, and text styles, that the students will need to know how to set up. Save this file as an AutoCAD Standards file with a .DWS extension.

Next, after you’ve received each students test AutoCAD drawing (with a .DWG extension), use the Configure (Standards) command, and add your AutoCAD Standards .DWS answer key file.

 

Finally, run the Check Standards command. If there are any discrepancies (ie, wrong answers) you’ll quickly and easily be notified, making the grading of these settings a breeze.

 

If you’re working in industry, you can also use the Standards feature for checking your set of drawings with that of a clients. And if you have any discrepancies, you can Fix them right there and then with the Fix button. What a great way to raise your standards.

“Keep up the old standards, and day by day raise them higher.” – John Wanamaker

 

Courage and Calling

By Martha Hollowell

I was reading a book called Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith many years ago that said this about people who are called to be “teachers”:  They have the “conviction that the main problem in the world is that people lack understanding; if they could just understand, they would know and live the truth! Teachers may even be inclined to think that the world can be saved through education. The rest of us may find this naïve.”¹

What!  You can’t change the world by teaching people?  That was my reaction. I always thought up to that time that training was the solution to everything. Once people came through our classes they would be excited and using all of the wonderful features that we taught them. If people knew how to use AutoCAD (or whatever) they would be great architects or engineers. Boy, was I in for a shock.

We would have people come back for an intermediate class and we needed to spend the first day reviewing the basics because hardly anyone had really used the program at their office. This wasn’t always their fault. Maybe they didn’t have the software installed on their machines when they got back or they had to finish a project and didn’t have time to use the new software. A lot of times they did learn enough to do their job but there was no time or direction to increase their knowledge or try out the new things that would ultimately save them time. Another issue was buy-in at the top levels of the company (where the money comes from) or at the management levels where there was no plan to implement the software once they got it.

One issue today in the BIM world is that the software has gotten so specific that people have a hard time seeing how the program will help them if the examples in a training class are of a two-story office building in Florida and they create high-rises in NYC. (Sound familiar anyone?)

This is always a challenge when you have a training manual created for open-enrollment classes. You look for the common denominator as much as possible but you can never please everyone all the time. One solution is custom courseware where you use examples from the company for the practices. But, only really large companies can afford to do that and even then it is hard to get buy-in for the bucks. So trainers are stuck with having to do a juggling act.

Sadly, I have no manual on how to solve this. Remember, training doesn’t solve every problem!

Revit trainers – what do you do? Even if we can’t write a manual for this as every case is different we can share with each other how to keep the balls in the air.

¹Smith, Gordon T. (1999) Courage & Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential. Downer’s Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press