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CAD Speed Run

You'll get a 2D technical drawing in a sealed envelope, and everyone in the room races to model it in 3D. Stupid prizes from the dollar store are on the line. This is real.

Overview

A speed run keeps your CAD skills sharp between projects. The drawing gives you every dimension you need; your job is to read it correctly and turn it into an accurate solid in Autodesk Fusion as fast as you can. Accuracy wins first, and speed only breaks ties, so a fast wrong part loses to a slow right one.

Builds on: Learn Fusion Tutorials — sketching, dimensioning, and extruding a part from scratch.

Before you start

Leave your envelope sealed on the desk. Sign in to Autodesk Fusion and to Google Classroom before the race begins.

You've got it when…

  • Your part matches every dimension on the drawing.
  • Your design is saved in the CAD Speed Runs folder of your Fusion student folder.
  • Your submission form has your name, class period, and the mass of your part as Fusion reports it.

Collaboration & AI

Work: On your own. It's a race.

AI — AIAS Level 1, No AI: The point is to see what you can do in Fusion by yourself, so set AI aside. What the levels mean.

The Rules

  • The contest is judged by accuracy first, then fastest time. Keep working even if you see others finish early. A part that's done first and wrong doesn't beat a part that's done second and right.
  • You must fill in the mass of your part when you are finished modeling it. The mass is how your part's accuracy is checked.
  • Once submitted, you cannot edit the form, and the submission time will be your official competition time. Check your work before you click Submit, not after.

Before the Clock Starts

  1. Do not open your envelope until instructed to do so.

  2. Open Autodesk Fusion and start a new Part Design.

  3. Save your empty design to your Fusion student folder, in a subfolder named CAD Speed Runs. If the folder isn't there yet from a previous speed run, create it.

  4. Open the submission form on Google Classroom and fill in your name and class period. Leave the form open, and don't submit it yet.

The Race

  1. When you're told to start, open your envelope and model the part shown on the drawing.

  2. Save your design.

  3. Find the mass of your part. If you haven't done this before, follow Find the Mass of a Part.

    Leave the material alone

    Fusion calculates mass from the material assigned to the part. Every speed run part uses Fusion's default material, so don't apply a different material or appearance. If you do, your mass won't match even if every dimension is perfect.

  4. Enter the mass in the submission form, check your part against the drawing one more time, and click Submit. That click stops your clock.

Turn It In

  • Your design, saved in the CAD Speed Runs folder of your Fusion student folder.
  • Your submission form on Google Classroom, with your name, class period, and the mass of your part.

Credit: Adapted from the CAD speed runs published by Too Tall Toby.