Abstract
Since 2013, the University of Idaho has used SOLIDWORKS certification exams, proctored by Dassault Systèmes, to help gauge the quality of the university’s CAD curriculum. The course Solid Modeling, Simulation and Manufacturing Capstone prepares students to take seven SOLIDWORKS certification exams. This paper analyzes 140 Certified SOLIDWORKS Advanced Professional Surfacing exams taken by 100 University of Idaho students from Fall 2017 to Fall 2021 and 37 Certified SOLIDWORKS Expert exams taken by University of Idaho students from Fall 2019 to Fall 2021. The preparatory material from both exams was changed during the spring of 2020. The new preparatory material was designed around guided inquiry questions associated with models of challenging CAD parts to augment the previous tutorials. Impact of this new pedagogy was tracked in exams during the Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters. Exam pass rates dramatically increased as did points acquired per minute during for those taking the surfacing and Expert exam. During the Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 semesters the ratio of guided inquiry to tutorial work increased progressively throughout the course, giving students greater and greater self-confidence as well as self-reliant in their CAD development. In retrospect, the previous use of only tutorials was associated with an implicit ceiling in CAD competency.This thesis also explores how the techniques taught in the surfacing and expert sections of the Solid Modeling, Simulation, and Manufacturing Capstone course can be applied to the research and design of mechanical clocks. Specific attention was given to a mechanism called a fusee which normalizes the torque curve of a spiral spring to ensure that the clock keeps time correctly. Techniques from the surfacing and expert section of the Solid Modeling, Simulation, and Manufacturing Capstone course were used to develop a fusee design tool. A system was developed that allows the users to input variables into Microsoft Excel, then using TK Solver, Excel, and SOLIDWORKS the tool automatically generates a SOLIDWORKS model of a fusee and G-code for a Hass CNC lathe to manufacture the threads of a fusee for a specific spiral spring and torque output requirements. Fusee parts created using the methods in this thesis produced consistent thread depth and pitch +/- .002” for each revolution. These features help prevent the wire from slipping out of position and promote constant torque output. This innovation significantly reduces the role of trial and error in obtaining an acceptable fusee, especially for hobby clockmakers.