Computer-Aided Design

Goals

• Model (raster, vector, 2D, 3D, render, animate, simulate, …) a possible final project, compress your images and videos, and post a description with your design files on your class page

Prior Knowledge

In EDM1, I learned Fusion 360 and completed tutorials to familiarize myself from the software. I find the platform very user-friendly and enjoyable.

CAD Lesson

We worked on learning various CAD softwares.

Sculpt GL

In Sculpt GL, we learned how to sculpt objects in the form of digital clay. I experimented with applying the paint tool, the negative tool which removes clay, and modifying parameters such as intensity.

Blender

In Blender, we learned how to create and manipulate objects in various views and modes. We modified the vertices of a monkey, created subdivisions and collision objects in physics simulations, and experimented with concepts such as extrusion and their similarities to other CAD softwares.

Text-to-CAD

We also experimented with AI softwares. I tried Text-to-CAD, which converts what one writes into a model.

I tried a given prompt first to understand the conventional design method.

I decided to introduce my final project idea and see what the software generates.

While the software comprehended what I meant, the design look noticeably less detailed. There are two pins and a single obstacle. Out of curiosity, I added more elements to my request.

The software clearly did not register this, creating a block with nothing on it. Delivering these prompts helped me undersand the limitations of Text-to-CAD and the caveats of platform accessibility in general.

Projected Timeline

• Wednesday
  • Confirm final project with Dr. Taylor
  • Model the ground for the golf course.
  • Determine and apply dimensions.
• Thursday
  • Model hills and slopes.
  • Begin modeling golf cart
• Friday
  • Model lake.
  • Model drawbridge.
• Saturday
  • Model golf cart.
  • Document.
• Sunday
  • Model trees, houses, and other embellishments.
  • Model spinning motor for the river.
• Monday
  • Questions and revision.
• Tuesday
  • Work ahead on Computer-Controlled Cutting.

Actual Timeline

• Wednesday
  • Model the ground for the golf course.
  • Determine and apply dimensions.
  • Define the tee box and the green.
  • Model lake.
• Thursday
  • Confirm final project with Dr. Taylor.
  • Begin modeling golf cart.
• Friday
  • Finish modeling golf cart.
  • CorelDraw 2D model
• Saturday
  • Documentation.
• Sunday
  • Nothing (flu)
• Monday
  • Nothing (flu)
• Tuesday
  • Documentation.

Process

Course Modeling

This process takes many steps, however, I did not encounter many issues. My Fusion experience paid off, as I quickly adapted to the software. Note that the unit is set to inches.

• Make base

  • Sketch shape with dimensions below
  • Extrude 3 inches
  • Fillet 2 inches on each edge
    

• Add tee box

  • Sketch 10-inch circle
  • Extrude .05 inches
    

• Add green

  • Sketch 12-inch circle
  • Extrude .75 inches
    

• First bunker

  • Sketch vertical ellipse with 6-inch vertical radius and 4-inch horizontal radius
  • Extrude -1.5 inches
    

• Second bunker

  • Sketch vertical ellipse with 3.25-inch vertical radius and 2.5-inch horizontal radius
  • Extrude -1.5 inches
    

• Third bunker

  • Sketch vertical ellipse with 7-inch vertical radius and 5.5-inch horizontal radius
  • Extrude -1.5 inches
    

• Add cart path

  • Add vertical 6.5*12.5 inch rectangle, slant diagonally
  • Extrude -.25 inches
    

• Add lake

  • Sketch horizontal ellipse with 6.5-inch vertical radius and 15.5-inch horizontal radius
  • Extrude -2 inches
    

• Apply appearance

  • Ground: Green metallic paint
  • Bunkers: Sand
  • Lake: Anodized glossy blue alumninum
    

CorelDraw Base Model

While it may seem counterintutive making a 2D model after a 3D model, I find that Fusion 360 let me scale properly and give me an idea of proportions for each component.

• Create shape

  • Create vertical rectangle
  • Create horizontal rectange
  • Ensure that they intersect
    

• Add dimensions

  • Use segment dimension on each segment
  • Modify numbers
    

• Add tee box and green

  • Add 12-inch circle
  • Add 10-inch circle
  • Place circles in the area next to the shape
    

Golf Cart Model

I could not find any Fusion 360 golf cart video tutorials, although I found several other golf-themed guides. Frusturated at first. I stumbled upon a golf cart image on the AutoDesk community gallery. It occured to me that this image was, albeit quite well-made, not exceedingly complex. I sought to create a golf cart while referencing the image as opposed to directly importing it. I could tinker with dimensions and test my CAD knowledge.

• Create base structure

  • Sketch 3*6 inch rectangle
  • Extrude .5 inches
    

• Create side rectangle

  • Sketch on top of base
  • Use two-point rectangle feature
  • Place first point on the top right corner of base
  • Sketch 3*1.5 inch rectangle
  • Extrude 4.75 inches
    

• Create middle rectangle

  • Sketch on top of base
  • Use two-point rectangle feature
  • Place first point on the top left corner of side rectangle
  • Sketch 3*2.5 inch rectangle
  • Extrude .5 inches
    

• Create left rectangle

  • Sketch on top of base
  • Use two-point rectangle feature
  • Place first point on the top left corner of base
  • Sketch 3*.5 inch rectangle
  • Extrude 1.75 inches
    

• Create left rectangle

  • Sketch on front face of left rectangle
  • Create right diagonal line from top right corner of left rectangle to base
  • Apply angular dimension of 60 degrees
  • Extrude triangle 3 inches, to the other end of base
    

• Create top structure

  • Sketch on front of the structure
  • Create .85*.2 inch rectangle from top left corner of middle rectangle going right
  • Create 4-inch right diagonal line from top left corner of left rectangle
  • Apply angular dimension of 75 degrees
  • Create 4-inch right diagonal line from top right corner of left rectangle
  • Apply angular dimension of 75 degrees
  • Create line from top of left line to top right corner of the .2-inch rectangle
  • Create line from .4 inches below the top of the top left corner of the right rectangle to right diagonal line
  • Extrude shape 3 inches, to the other end of base
    
    

• Create window

  • Sketch on top of front diagonal platform
  • Create 3.5*2.5 inch rectangle from top left corner of middle rectangle going right
  • Create line from midpoint of top line to bottom
  • Apply symmetry constraint to sides
  • Delete line
  • Extrude -.5 inches
    

• Create roof

  • Sketch on top of structure
  • Offset 1 inch
  • Extrude .5 inches
    

• Create space for wheels

  • Sketch on front of cart
  • Create 1*1 square from bottom left corner of cart
  • Extrude -3 inches, cutting across cart
  • Extrude wheel -1 inch from front
  • Extrude wheel 1 inch from back
  • Repeat for other back wheel
    

• Create dashboard

  • Sketch on left diagonal part
  • Create 1.2*2 inch rectangle
  • Extrude -.1 inches
  • Create triangle stemming from dashboard
  • Extrude .75 inches
  • Create circle at center of triangle
  • Extrude .75 inches
  • Create torus on center of circle sides with .7 inch inner diameter
  • Apply .15 inch diameter
    

• Customize

  • Add armrests by sketching arcs
  • Chamfer symmetrical golf cart hold
  • Replace wheels with axles fit for stepper wheels
    

Reflection

I caught the flu on Saturday and quickly lost the energy to work. Luckily, I completed most of my work before then, with a 2D and 3D model as well as a golf cart model.

Files

Fusion 360: 3D Course Model
Fusion 360: Golf Cart Model

Lessons

• This may simply be a preference, but I find 3D modeling a rough sketch and fine-tuning on platforms that one uses to create the product most efficient.
• Proportions, then scaling. On Fusion 360, for example, I chose somewhat arbitrary dimensions on the golf cart knowing that I could import to the golf course model and scale accordingly.
• I learned this in the Saturday Help Session. Use the Handbrake app to compress videos, I transferred it there using Clipchamp. While screen-recording (I use Windows+G) a video of the Fusion 360 model being made is acceptable, also screenshot where there were problems or important details.
• If nesting dashes does not work, be sure that you are actually indenting! To find this out, select the bullets. If the subsection has an arrow before the text, it should indent. If there are two dots or something similar, click tab or find the function that indents properly. One can also copy-paste the indentation arrow, although it shouldn’t be necessary. The Live Preview feature helped me figure this out, which I also learned from the Saturday Help Session. Knowing this would have saved me hours of confusion.
• I figured out something extremely helpful for documentation. When pasting images under bullet points, if the image is large, it will lie below on its own line. However, if it is small enough, it will fit in the section next to the bullet points, similar to text wrap in Google Docs. There is a quick fix to remove this distincion and make the images uniform. Before proceeding, keep the image indented on the same level as the lowest-ranked bullet. For example, if a bullet has two subsections, align the image with the second subsection. Then, use the HTML line break command on an independent line between the image and the preceding bullet. Keep it indented on the same level as both. This will create a line break. There’s an image of the code below:
  

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Last update: February 19, 2025