where to get projects or internship to improve part design skills using Onshape?

Answers

• MDesign Member Posts: 1,254 PRO

  February 28 edited February 28 Answer ✓

  when someone posts a question here and asks for help….See if you can solve it yourself. super fast way to learn…imo

  if you can solve problems and teach others how….you have a skill set that is HIGHLY desirable over just pure CAD skills.

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• andrew_kleinert Member Posts: 97 PRO

  February 28

  https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/27040/where-to-get-projects-or-internship-to-improve-part-design-skills-using-onshape

  In my own experience, and my 3D Design world is a world that leads to physical things …

  Being able to use a pen to draw lines and curves is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to use primitives to create geometries.

  Being able to efficiently use a pen to write legible characters of the alphabet is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to efficiently model.

  Being able to use a pen to form words with those characters is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to model complex parts.

  Being able to use a pen to form coherent sentences is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to create designs that are functional and fit-for-purpose.

  Being able to use a pen to form prose of correct syntax is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to create things that are manufacturable and scalable. They are durable and reliable. They follow physics.

  Being able to use a pen to write a pulp fiction best seller that makes $$$, is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to create things that bring great value. They follow economics.

  Being able to use a pen to write a literary masterpiece that fills the reader's soul with joy, is analogous to being able to drive 3D CAD to create things that fill the user's soul with joy. They are art.

  A few possible places to start:

  • Model existing things. Buy a cheap ballpoint pen with a cap and model it. Buy a slightly more expensive retractable pen, pull it to pieces and model it. These things might seem simple, but they're surprisingly complex.
  • Consider how things are made. Modelling something that looks good is a very very different thing to modelling something that is manufacturable. We are blessed to live in an age where we can YouTube how many things are made, and that's valuable. But it's not as valuable as smelling the oil and grease of a production facility, which has tolerances, and reject rates, and bald production engineers who have lost all their hair trying to take unmanufacturable designs to production.
  • Be mindful of everything you use. How was it made? Critique its design. What decisions went into its design? How usable is it?
  • Prototype and iterate. We are blessed to live in an age where 3D printers are cheap and accessible, with cheap consumables and a growing choice of materials. Try this exercise: 3D CAD Design a knife, a fork and a spoon without any reference to real ones. 3D print them. Then compare what you created off the top of your head to the real knives, forks and spoons that you've held in your hand for almost every day in your life. How close did you get? Did you get the size right? The aspect ratio right? Did you capture the correct number of prongs on the fork? How do the 3D prints feel in your hands compared with the real thing?

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• nate_jake Member Posts: 7 ✭

  October 16

  https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/27040/where-to-get-projects-or-internship-to-improve-part-design-skills-using-onshape

  That’s a great question and it’s awesome that you’re already thinking about building real-world experience with Onshape! Getting hands-on practice beyond tutorials is key to improving your part design skills and making your portfolio stand out when applying for design or mechanical engineering jobs.

  Here are a few effective ways to find projects and early internship opportunities:

  1. Join open-source or community-based design projects
     Platforms like GrabCAD and MakerWorld host thousands of 3D design challenges and community projects. You can download existing models, improve them, or contribute your own designs. It’s a great way to practice reverse engineering and see how experienced designers structure their models in Onshape and other CAD tools.
     
     
  2. Take part in online design challenges and hackathons
     Competitions on sites like CADCrowd or MyMiniFactory Challenges let you work on real-world briefs often with prizes or portfolio recognition. These projects can help you apply your Onshape skills to practical design problems and learn industry standards for modeling and presentation.
     
     
  3. Look for remote or short-term internship experiences
     Internships are a great way to build up your experience.You can also check Internshala or LinkedIn Jobs for CAD-related internship listings. Another option would be an option like Capital Placement which offers in-person and remote internship programs depending on the area or industry in which you need more help in.
     
     

  Collaborate with local makerspaces or student clubs
  If there’s a makerspace, robotics team, or 3D printing club near you, volunteering your design skills for their projects can give you excellent practical experience. You’ll also get feedback from peers and mentors, which is invaluable for improving your modeling efficiency and design thinking.

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