Rapid Prototyping and Tooling Coursera

Overview

In the Rapid Prototyping and Tooling course offered by Coursera in partnership with Arizona State University, students learn how to make effective prototypes. 

Why is rapid prototyping important, and how does it facilitate the overall engineering design process? At what point in the process should rapid prototyping be employed? How can electronics bring a prototype to the next level? When is it appropriate to make a prototype out of cardboard rather than aluminum? When should you use 3D printing instead of a laser cutter? 

Real examples provide answers to questions like these and highlight best practices on when to use different materials and manufacturing equipment.

What you'll learn

• You will understand the basics of rapid prototyping and its relationship to the engineering design process.

• You will learn how to incorporate electronic components in your rapid prototypes.

• You will understand the strengths and weaknesses of common materials and tooling used for rapid prototyping and situations for when to use each one.