Technology Education students will be able to turn their ideas into reality with the opening of a new design centre at Griffith University’s Mt Gravatt campus.
The first of its kind in Australian teacher education, the $230,000 Advanced Prototyping Technology and Aerospace Education Design Centre will enable students to produce prototypes for testing and evaluation.
Course convenor Dr Ivan Chester said each year final-year students designed projects to help solve a community problem but then may have to find a suitable manufacturer. Past designs include a new equipment transfer system for the Royal Flying Doctor Service, an oven safety guard to prevent child burns and an aid to help wheelchair-bound people change tyres on a vehicle.
“The new centre means they will be able to effectively produce their own designs,” he said.
The centre includes world-class Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and a range of rapid prototyping equipment such as 4-axis milling machines, laser cutting, 3D laser scanning and 3D printing.
“It’s designed as a template for teaching technology education including aerospace studies,” Dr Chester said.
“Bachelor of Education Technology students will also undertake aerospace studies in the centre so they can teach this subject as part of the new Queensland syllabus.”
As well as undergraduate programs, the centre will provide postgraduate research in design, CAD and rapid prototyping and professional development for existing technology teachers.
The new centre is sponsored by Roland DG, Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) and Intellecta Technologies.
WHAT: Advanced Prototyping Technology and Aerospace Education Design Centre opening
WHEN: Friday June 1, 2-3.30pm
WHERE: Building M09, Rm 0.103