Caveat Academy course · Grades 7 to 12

Computer-Aided Design: from sketch to part

Learn the way engineers turn an idea into a file a machine can make: read three-view drawings, build sketches that stay put when you change them, choose the right feature for every shape, drive a whole model from a few parameters, fit parts together with the right clearance and send the result to a 3D printer or laser cutter. Six modules at your own pace with any free CAD program, ending with a phone stand you design and test.

Start the courseSee the modules
$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: Drawing before modeling

    Read and sketch orthographic views in third-angle projection, convert units and apply drawing scales.

    • What CAD is and how designers use it
    • Orthographic views
    • Dimensions, units and scale
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Sketches and constraints

    Build fully defined 2D sketches with coordinates, geometric constraints and dimensions, and count degrees of freedom.

    • Sketch geometry and coordinates
    • Geometric constraints
    • Dimensions and fully defined sketches
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Building solids with features

    Choose among extrude, revolve, sweep, loft, hole and pattern features and compute the volume of simple solids.

    • Extrudes and cuts
    • Revolves, sweeps and lofts
    • Fillets, chamfers, holes and patterns
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Parametric design

    Drive a model with parameters and equations, keep its feature tree easy to edit and compute mass from volume and density.

    • Parameters and equations
    • The feature tree and design intent
    • Mass properties and variations
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Assemblies and fits

    Assemble parts with mates, analyze fits from tolerances and check assemblies for interference and stack-up.

    • Parts, assemblies and mates
    • Fits and tolerances
    • Exploded views, parts lists and checks
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Drawings and production

    Produce engineering drawings and production files, and design, test and revise a product from requirements.

    • Engineering drawings
    • From model to machine
    • Project: design a phone stand
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 2 · Dimensions and fully defined sketches

Worked example: counting degrees of freedom for a rectangle

  1. Four free lines have 4 × 4 = 16 degrees of freedom.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High SchoolAlso for Academics · Middle School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of CAD: you can read and sketch third-angle views, convert units and work with drawing scales, build fully defined sketches with constraints and dimensions, choose the right feature for a shape and compute its volume, drive a model with parameters and equations, keep a feature tree that survives edits, compute mass from density, mate an assembly and check its fits and stack-ups, and produce a drawing and a print or cut file for a product you designed and tested yourself. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 7 to 12 who want to design real objects, students headed for an engineering, architecture or product design course, robotics and maker club members who model their own parts, and homeschool families who want a full semester of technology. Any free CAD program works, including free browser-based ones; no purchase is needed.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics; also listed for the Middle School space in Caveat Academics (the same course serves the middle school Computer-Aided Design (CAD) title).
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. ASME Y14.5 and Y14.3, the U.S. standards for dimensioning, tolerancing and orthographic views, as summarized in free engineering graphics texts: asme.org
  2. MIT OpenCourseWare, Engineering Design and Rapid Prototyping and introductory CAD course materials: ocw.mit.edu
  3. National Institute of Standards and Technology, the definition of the inch as exactly 25.4 millimeters: nist.gov
  4. Engineering ToolBox, densities of common plastics and metals: engineeringtoolbox.com
  5. U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, machine guarding and laser hazards: osha.gov

Computer-Aided Design is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical school CAD course but does not replace a school course or a teacher and awards no credit, and it is not tied to any one CAD program; menu names differ between programs. Densities, clearances and machine settings in worked problems are typical examples; test your own printer or cutter before relying on them. 3D printers, laser cutters and CNC machines can burn, cut or start fires, so never leave one running unattended. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.