3D model car project showcases student skills
Students at Western Dakota Technical Institute (WDT) in Rapid City finished up their semester-long project on Monday.
The school’s computer-aided drafting (CAD) students designed and built 3D cars and raced them.
The cars are powered by either an electric motor or a nine-volt battery. The project is designed to give students experience with parametric 3D modeling of assemblies, gear and belt drive systems, and tolerances – skills instructors hope will help students succeed after graduation.
"This is what we’re going to school for. We’re going to be able to design from scratch, and use this in the real world at our jobs after we graduate, so it’s a real world application kind of deal," said WDT CAD student Michael Severn.
Severn said he enjoyed building and designing his 3D car during the semester, and even though his car didn’t make it past the first heat, the races are his favorite part of the project.
