Computer Modeling
Through my engineering curriculum, I learned the basics of many different computer modeling software including SketchUp, Onshape, and COMSOL. These tools have helped me visualize different shapes in a 3D space and have also helped me better understand how forces will affect different shapes (COMSOL).
Recently, I have taken an introductory class on Solidworks so that I can expand on my ideas and work on much more complex projects. In the last few months, I have completed tutorials that have introduced me to some of the basic features of the software. One of the biggest challenges that I face is learning how to use the hundreds of tools that are available and coming up with a plan to manipulate ordinary shapes. I found that writing things down not only helps me remember key items, but it also allows me to troubleshoot and make changes to my plan without wasting time on a sketch.
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For my final project in my Solidworks class, I decided to create a prosthetic hand with moving finger joints. I chose to do this project because I wanted to work on an anatomical model that involved a lot of moving parts.
Overall, I thought this project was challenging but also fun! One of the hardest parts (and also the thing that I spend the most time on) was approximating measurements without a physical model or guided tutorial. Since I was working on each finger piece separately, I really needed to keep track of all the dimensions so that there would be no interference when I assembled it. It really reminded me of the phrase measure three times, cut once. Though I wasn't really cutting anything, it was a real time saver for me to stay organized and always think ahead to how the piece I was working on would fit with other pieces around it.
