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Thanks from FRC Team 5900
![marten_hutchison](https://profiles.onshape.com/989f1a991b3279241e431b77b7634ae84a32a1517d25879c491f421f6b1f5f94.png)
I had never heard of OnShape until I got the coupon in our Kit of Parts last year for the FIRST Robotics competition (Steamworks). I volunteer as the lead mentor for the team it I would deem it a Life Saver for enabling our kids to participate in CAD design even though we have access to other major CAD packages. Here's why...
The school uses and teaches Solid Works; the kids have school issued Google Drive accounts; and the school labs have plenty of desktop PCs, yet in spite of all that we can't use SW and share files. The kids have Google Drive accounts but since they are setup within the school system their files can't be shared with outsiders. Since I and the other mentors are not part of the school system, we can't share files with their school accounts, so trying to use SW is pointless. Plus the school PCs won't save files locally and its hit or miss if they will save to a thumb drive (not good for team collaboration).
The net result is that in-spite of all the technology at the school, its too cumbersome or there are too many roadblocks to use Soldiworks, Fusion, Inventor, etc.
Since OnShape is cloud based and web browser based it circumvents all those problems. Team members can login off any PC (via a Guest access at the school), there's not messing with file saving or thumb drives, there's no messing with installation or software versions, anyone can jump on any PC and get to their stuff. OnShape will even run on my ancient 2009 ACER Celeron netbook (albiet slowly)!!! Try that with SW or Inventor. I'd also note that out of all the CAD software I've messed with (SW, Fusion, Inventor, FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, TinkerCAD, etc) its probably the most intuitive and cleanest to teach and learn.
In short, I'd be lucky if I had 2 kids using CAD without OnShape, instead, with it we have ~14 kids at various levels trying to use it.
So I just wanted to say Thanks and let you know that your donation of free access for Education was paying off and is appreciated.
tks MH
Team 5900 - The Fighting Mongooses
The school uses and teaches Solid Works; the kids have school issued Google Drive accounts; and the school labs have plenty of desktop PCs, yet in spite of all that we can't use SW and share files. The kids have Google Drive accounts but since they are setup within the school system their files can't be shared with outsiders. Since I and the other mentors are not part of the school system, we can't share files with their school accounts, so trying to use SW is pointless. Plus the school PCs won't save files locally and its hit or miss if they will save to a thumb drive (not good for team collaboration).
The net result is that in-spite of all the technology at the school, its too cumbersome or there are too many roadblocks to use Soldiworks, Fusion, Inventor, etc.
Since OnShape is cloud based and web browser based it circumvents all those problems. Team members can login off any PC (via a Guest access at the school), there's not messing with file saving or thumb drives, there's no messing with installation or software versions, anyone can jump on any PC and get to their stuff. OnShape will even run on my ancient 2009 ACER Celeron netbook (albiet slowly)!!! Try that with SW or Inventor. I'd also note that out of all the CAD software I've messed with (SW, Fusion, Inventor, FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, TinkerCAD, etc) its probably the most intuitive and cleanest to teach and learn.
In short, I'd be lucky if I had 2 kids using CAD without OnShape, instead, with it we have ~14 kids at various levels trying to use it.
So I just wanted to say Thanks and let you know that your donation of free access for Education was paying off and is appreciated.
tks MH
Team 5900 - The Fighting Mongooses
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Comments
-Noa
Team 1379
We use Onshape extensively in FRC, FTC, and all other advanced CAD contexts at our school. This is our 3rd season developing our FRC bot entirely in Onshape. Let us know if you need anything. Feel free to message me here in the forum.
Aloha,
Justin
Co-lead mentor
FRC 2090
P.S. I went to high school in Fayette County.
I'm a new coach who was told about Onshape last year, so I've started teaching my 7th/8th graders some introductory work in the software. You mentioned coming up with your own way, so I wanted to reach out and ask if you could share any best practices, examples, or what not on how you have achieved this.
I see a huge gap in those teams that do 3d model, and those that don't, and I'd like to use the software to getting my kids to think more intentionally about design.
thanks!
Be patient, I'm going into my 3rd year and its taken this long to build a base of students that are willing to take the plunge and learn.