How to become a qualified 3D mechanical designer

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Many friends ask which 3D software is the best to learn. Through experience, we believe that becoming a competent 3D designer requires great effort. First and foremost, one needs to be able to tolerate loneliness. As we all know, our country’s industrial policies do not encourage industrial development, especially in the northern regions; manufacturing is among those industries that are not favored. I am in Beijing, and the largest industrial project launched by the city in recent years has been the introduction of South Korean Hyundai cars, with everything being imported as a complete set. To be honest, the processing industry belongs to the secondary sector; it is not as good as the service industry, has longer cycles and slower results, so patience is required ； It’s too exhausting to work in this field; just look at all the real estate projects everywhere to see that. Secondly, it is necessary to overcome impatience. I’m not sure if all of you experience this, but sometimes when I go online, my mind goes blank and all I want to do is see what others are saying. Thirdly, a solid practical foundation is essential. Generally speaking, mechanical designers need to have a certain educational background; I’m not saying that a bachelor’s degree is mandatory. In this industry, practical experience is far more important than academic qualifications. The courses that are essential to know include geometry, mechanical drawing, materials science, tolerances and fits, and mechanisms. Usually, anyone with interest and a decent grasp of mathematics can offer opinions on design. Geometry and mechanisms are relatively easy to understand, especially in 3D design. My former boss, who had a background in electrical engineering, thought he was an expert in mechanics and kept giving orders all the time. The factory workers had learned mechanical drawing at technical schools, so it’s unrealistic to expect them to draw mechanical design diagrams. Shougang Company once did something similar – it’s difficult for people who haven’t studied mechanics to understand how to select tolerances. Materials science is even more extensive and complex; it is difficult for even undergraduates with a degree in mechanical engineering to master it fully, as they often have little knowledge of materials that they have not encountered before. When I was studying*, I focused on polymer materials such as rubber, plastics, and fiberglass – areas that are related to the field of polymer chemistry*. But I work in the application side; I believe that materials are the most important. Mechanisms are meant to serve materials and their functions, and the development of new mechanisms has reached its limits. A two-volume handbook on mechanism design available in bookstores is more than enough to get by; it depends on how well one uses it and how creative one is. Once, I saw the heat shields on the U.S. space shuttles from Discovery – they were taken out of ovens at thousands of degrees and could be touched right away. The accident of the Columbia shuttle might have been related to these heat shields as well. Fourth, let’s talk about the issue of abilities. There are ten key abilities in a person: ● Learning ability ● Thinking ability ● Innovation ability ● Planning ability ● Persuasion ability ● Communication ability ● Cooperation ability ● Organizational ability ● Self-awareness ● Self-control. What we will discuss today are learning ability, thinking ability, and innovation ability. A good designer must keep learning, learning from the strengths of others. There are no shortcuts in the design field; mastering a software from knowing nothing to being able to use it is a process of learning. It takes some time to go from being able to imitate to being able to work effectively, and learning ability is extremely important ； At the same time, one should think critically; the teaching plans in books are not necessarily correct. For example, in Autocad tutorials, some parts may mislead learners* ； Once you become proficient with a software, using it to develop new functions that make it more user-friendly is innovation; what results from such innovation becomes your own creation. Fifthly, computer skills: don’t tell me you can’t even find all the letters on your keyboard – computer education in schools is far too outdated. A couple of years ago I taught undergraduate students majoring in mechanical and electrical engineering at Beijing University of Chemical Technology (Hepingli North Entrance), and I felt that their knowledge level was not even as good as that of junior college students from the 1980s; their skills were poor. Perhaps it’s because of the exam-oriented environment, which makes people impatient, and they constantly complain that society doesn’t give them opportunities. The teaching staff in schools is also outdated, with no new approaches or methods. If I were a boss, it would be difficult for me to hire such people. It’s hard for older people to improve their computer skills, mainly due to a lack of interest and insufficient use of computers. A computer is just a tool, and enrolling in a course to learn is also a good option. Generally speaking, it’s still necessary to be familiar with operating systems. Windows has been around for years and is outdated; it takes some time to get to know it well ； Sixth, establish a mindset: first break old concepts, and then create new ones ； Clarify why we need 3D – is it fun? Isn’t it intuitive? Neither. It’s done to reduce errors, lessen the workload associated with design, and address issues at an early stage. The 2D drawings in AutoCAD are merely a means of presenting designs; transitioning from 2D to 3D is a difficult process. It requires money from managers and determination from designers to change their design habits. In various 3D design forums, there are often criticisms of 3D design, with the argument that it’s not as fast as 2D design and that it’s too complicated. We must admit that tools like ProE play a role here. Seventhly, there’s the aspect of aesthetics: modern industrial design relies heavily on the combination of aesthetics and engineering. Whether it’s products or equipment, the design standards in developed countries in Europe and America are much higher than ours. Our industry generally focuses on practicality and durability, but as society develops, people also place greater emphasis on the aesthetic appearance of products. To create good designs, it’s necessary to consider both aesthetics and engineering. Engineering aspects can be learned in schools, and some experience can be gained through practice, but aesthetics is much more challenging. I had a client who asked me to help him with industrial product design. I told him that there’s nothing magical about industrial design – no one knows what the final product will look like until it’s designed; no one has any ideas at first. Only after the design is completed does everyone know what it looks like, and then others try to imitate it ； In some places in **, the styles of clothing, belts, and bags are all copied from abroad. Our ** education system does not encourage the development of creativity. The Japanese have always ranked second in the world; they once learned from China’s Tang Dynasty culture, later from Germany’s fascism, and now from America’s modern capitalism. It’s hard to say that there is anything truly innovative that was invented by the Japanese ； Do not look down on creation; it is a **prerequisite for leading development in the world. Eighth, understanding the manufacturing process is another issue that college students find difficult to overcome. During practical training, one should observe more, learn more, and ask more questions; if possible, visit both large and small factories. It’s challenging to resolve this issue within one or two years, but it is a process that requires gradual accumulation ； One must do things in a down-to-earth manner.