When I was preparing to teach Solidworks and Alias in SCAD, I put together a few projects for students to practice CAD tools.

This impact wrench is one of the milestone assignments. This project is planned to be a group project, and a 3D printing project as well. There are mainly three reasons I would like to introduce group projects to CAD class environment.

• Naturally, some students get into software faster than others. Group projects can provide students an opportunity to exchange experience and different approaches.
• Another reason is that with the expenses from each student combined, each group can work on bigger pieces for 3D printing rather than 4x4x4in for each student.
• The final reason is that, in real world scenario, a designer may work with an engineer simultaneously, or maybe another designer. They work on different parts of the same product, follow the same design criteria, same limitations. Students need to practice in the same environment.

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