8.10. Essential Skills List

The following lab skills are really life skills and students will need to learn as many as possible to be effective in a prototyping laboratory environment. It may also be useful to refer to the Topic Area Guides section.

Following each recommended skill is a very rough list of links to tutorials; probably many will be obsolete by the time you read this.

  1. reading a voltmeter: basics of current, voltage, resistance
  2. using a lab power supply
  3. reading datasheets and schematics
  4. drawing a schematic
  5. identifying electronic components
  6. using an oscilloscope: scales of time and voltage, frequency, repetition
  7. hammering a nail
  8. using vise-grips
  9. using a bench vise
  10. electrical safety, chemical safety, eye safety, sharps safety
  11. joining wires: soldering, splicing, terminals, connectors, wire gauges
  12. building circuits on a solderless breadboard
  13. soldering through-hole parts on circuit boards
  14. circuit board modification: trace cutting, wire patching
  15. desoldering: braid, flux, heat, suction
  16. creating strain relief: heat shrink, fasteners, knots, clamps
  17. plotting data in 2D: units, labels, curves
  18. using wire ties
  19. soldering surface mount parts on circuit boards
  20. precisely reading program text (i.e., as a compiler might, without preconceptions)
  21. reading a multifile program
  22. reading a state transition diagram
  23. debugging programs: print statements, reasoning, test cases, assertions
  24. debugging programs using only digital I/O (i.e. without text output)
  25. identifying fasteners: wood screws, machine screws, nuts, thread pitches, heads
  26. drilling: handheld, drill press, plastic, wood, thin metal, circuit boards
  27. using cyanoacrylate glues
  28. using hot glue
  29. identifying material properties: strength, ductility, density, thermal mass
  30. measuring dimensions accurately: rulers, calipers, micrometers
  31. switching between English and metric units
  32. sketching physical parts in multiple views
  33. using a laser cutter
  34. modeling parts in 3D (SolidWorks? Rhino? SketchUp? AutoCad?)
  35. using a 3D printer
  36. building basic structures: mechanical constraint, beam cross-sections
  37. building basic joints: freedoms, friction, constraint
  38. documenting work: notes, sketches, photographs, video
  39. providing constructive critique
  40. iterating an idea
  41. teaching a skill
  42. using software version control
  43. using git, using apt-get, using github

8.11. CAD/CAM Resources

Online repositories of shared 3d models:

  • Thingiverse: “MakerBot’s Thingiverse is a thriving design community for discovering, making, and sharing 3D printable things. “
  • SketchFab: “Sketchfab is the leading platform to publish, share and embed interactive 3D content, anywhere online. “
  • Google 3d Warehouse: The Google company’s database of 3d models
  • 3D Content Central Free 2D and 3D CAD Models run by the makers of SolidWorks

Online tools for CAD/CAM:

  • BoxMaker: designing laser cut finger joint boxes made easy
  • AutoDesk 123 Make: “3D meets DIY.  Turn your amazing 3D models into even more amazing do-it-yourself projects. “
  • GearMaker: Online tool for designing Gears
  • Involute Spur Gear Builder: can generate DXF files to import into SolidWorks or Rhino

References for designers:

Awesome Little Free (or almost free) Programs:

  • Pepakura: Origami tool; unfold complex 3d objects and cut out of flat material
  • Meshlab: Opensource/Multiplatform mesh manipulator
  • SketchUp: “The easiest way to draw in 3D”
  • Grasshopper: Parametric design for Rhino