Lesson Idea 3: Molecule Modeling

Domenico_D

Hi everyone. Here's our third installment of lesson ideas from the PTC Academic team!
 

Curriculum Idea: Use CAD to model chemical compounds

Topic area: Assembly and Modeling

Description:  This project focuses on using simple 3D models of atoms to create molecules. The DNA molecule is one of the most interesting and can be used as the primary focus.

The Molecule Assembly Exercise is also a great intro to assembly and Mate Connectors in Onshape. Once completing this exercise you could have students try to model more complex organic molecules.

Learning Objectives: After completing this project, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate how to use 3D CAD to model molecules
2. Use Mate Connectors to assemble parts
3. Identify the building blocks of DNA

Models:

Link to DNA model

Link to Molecule Assembly Exercise

Other resources:

DNA Content

https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid-Fact-Sheet 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA

Assembly learning module

https://learn.onshape.com/learn/course/fundamentals-onshape-assemblies/creating-an-assembly/starting-an-assembly

NikNYC

Inelegant manual labor brute force example:

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/bd7d6d69b1ba4471a88a18cf/w/e90650b30dbeb35aaa678c77/e/4e4eba58d50cb34402b46974

Domenico_D

@NikNYC Thanks for sharing!

That's a cool way to use surfaces and lofts to make a molecule. Definitely makes it easier to layout all the angles with that first sketch.