Project: Bridge Building with 123D Design

This project, found in MakerBot in The Classroom (http://www.makerbot.com/education), focuses on designing 3D printed connector pieces for building a balsa wood bridge. You can download the entire lesson, 123D_Design_project.pdf, from the Thing Files.

To download 123D Design, visit http://www.123dapp.com/design.

In this project, you and your students will learn how to use a free program called 123D Design. 123D Design is a solid modeling tool that uses basic shapes and sketches to build objects. It’s useful for any project that requires specific dimensions and/or multiple interlocking parts. The following sections outline how you can incorporate 123D Design into engineering, physics, and specifically bridge building units. We’ll learn how to design 3D printed connectors that can be used to assemble a bridge structure. We’ll also explore how 3D printing can affect the structural strength and integrity of your models.