IED Unit 2 • 14 Lessons

CAD Parts & Additive Manufacturing

Develop accurate parametric CAD models, apply those skills in a five-piece Puzzle Cube Challenge, and prepare the finished design for additive manufacturing.

Start Lesson 2.1 Back to IED Hub

How the Unit Fits Together

Four Focus Areas

Lessons 2.1–2.4

Control Sketches

Learn Fusion navigation, sketch planes, geometric constraints, and dimensioned CAD sketches.

Lessons 2.5–2.9

Build Parametric Parts

Use Extrude, Cut, Hole, Fillet, Chamfer, Revolve, Mirror, and Pattern in progressively more complete models.

Lessons 2.10–2.13

Puzzle Cube Challenge

Design, sketch, model, document, and prepare a five-piece 3D printed puzzle cube for manufacturing and physical verification.

Lesson 2.14

3D Printer Certification

Complete the FabLab 3D Printer Certification before independently operating the classroom printers.

Unit 2 Lesson List

Open each lesson for directions, deliverables, reference videos, and project requirements.

Lesson	Title	Focus Question	Open
2.1	Getting Started with Fusion	How do engineers organize and navigate a CAD workspace before creating a model?	Open Lesson
2.2	Sketch Planes and 2D Sketching	How does the plane an engineer chooses affect the way a CAD model is created?	Open Lesson
2.3	Sketch Constraints	How can constraints make a CAD sketch behave the way an engineer intends?	Open Lesson
2.4	Dimensioned CAD Sketches	How do dimensions and constraints work together to create a precise CAD sketch?	Open Lesson
2.5	Creating 3D Parts with Extrude — Bracket 3	How can a 2D sketch be transformed into an accurate 3D part?	Open Lesson
2.6	Cut Features and Holes — Bracket 3	How can engineers precisely remove material from a CAD model to create functional features?	Open Lesson
2.7	Fillets, Chamfers, and Design Intent — Bracket 3	How do edge features improve the function, manufacturability, and appearance of an engineered part?	Open Lesson
2.8	Creating Rotational Parts with Revolve	How can engineers create rotationally symmetric 3D parts from a 2D profile?	Open Lesson
2.9	Mirror and Pattern Tools	How can symmetry and repetition be used to create CAD models more efficiently?	Open Lesson
2.10	Puzzle Cube Concept Design & Sketching	How can an engineer communicate a three-dimensional puzzle design clearly enough to build it accurately in CAD?	Open Lesson
2.11	Puzzle Cube CAD Modeling	How can a hand-sketched design be translated into an accurate multi-body parametric CAD model?	Open Lesson
2.12	Puzzle Cube Technical Drawing & Exploded View	How can engineers use drawings and exploded views to communicate a multi-part design clearly?	Open Lesson
2.13	Puzzle Cube Manufacturing & Final Verification	How can engineers prepare a multi-part CAD design for manufacturing and verify that the physical result matches the design intent?	Open Lesson
2.14	FabLab 3D Printer Certification	What must you demonstrate before independently operating the classroom 3D printers?	Open Lesson

Major Project • Lessons 2.10–2.13

Five-Piece Puzzle Cube Challenge

Design a 3 × 3 × 3 puzzle cube from 27 equal 20 mm units, divide it into five connected pieces, model the pieces as separate Fusion bodies, create technical and exploded-view documentation, and prepare five support-free STL files for batch printing and final assembly verification.