For National Manufacturing Day, I’ve been thinking about what gets someone excited about making things. For me, it’s curiosity. How does this work? Why did it break? Could I make it better and can I break that?
That’s the idea behind one of University of Advancing Technology's (UAT) newest classes in the Digital Maker and Fabrication (DMF) degree, Smash Theory. I want students to become what I call Intuitional Engineers. People who develop a feel for how things work by breaking them, analyzing it, developing ideas on how to make things better. You build that intuition through experience. Load a bracket until it fails. Look inside a product and find features that make it stronger. Make a part, discover where it’s weak, then rebuild it better. Over time, you start making better predictions about what will work and asking better questions about what you don’t understand.
That connects directly to our DMF degree. When students design something and then actually make it using UAT's new CNC machine, 3D printing, or other fabrication tools, they get to test their ideas in the real world. Every attempt gives them something to bring to the next design.
I want students to look at the things around them and think, “I could make it better.” That’s a great place to start building the next generation of manufacturing.
UAT's Digital Maker and Fabrication degree is built for students who want to take an idea from concept to a working prototype. The degree combines design theory, materials selection, human factors and embedded programming with hands-on tools like 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC machines. Students work in UAT's Maker Lab and new Manufacturing and Innovation Lab (MIL) designing and building smart, connected devices using 3D modeling software, rapid prototyping and languages like C++ and Arduino. Along the way, they build a portfolio of real projects and prepare to apply for a U.S. patent on an invention of their own. Graduates are ready for careers in product design, 3D printing, digital fabrication and manufacturing technology.
It's a Bachelor of Science at University of Advancing Technology that teaches students to design and build new technology products. UAT offered the nation's first fully accredited BS in the field.
Students combine design theory, materials selection, human factors and embedded programming with rapid prototyping. You'll use 3D modeling software and program devices with tools like C++ and Arduino to create smart, connected products.
Students work hands-on in UAT's Maker Lab with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and other digital fabrication tools used to prototype, test and refine designs.
Yes. Students complete projects that solve real problems, build a portfolio of their work, and pursue internships and community projects. They also prepare to apply for a U.S. patent on an invention of their own.
Graduates are prepared for roles in product design, 3D printing, digital fabrication, rapid prototyping and manufacturing technology, as well as launching their own inventions.
Ready to build what's next? Explore UAT's Digital Maker and Fabrication degree and request information today.