FURNITURE DESIGN ON THE COMPUTER
Solidworks rendering of a simple cabinet by Denis Cormier.
Sample computer design: Patrician Chair by Jim Barefoot
Denis Cormier
July 9 – 13
The computer has become a powerful tool for design, but getting started can be intimidating. This course introduces amateur and professional furniture makers to Solidworks, one of the preferred software programs for furniture design.
Through demonstration and one-on-one coaching, Denis grounds participants in the fundamentals of Solidworks. Students learn to generate 3-dimensional computer models that they can rotate, zoom in or out from, and view from any angle or distance. They also learn useful features such as how to generate bills of materials, dimensioned drawings, and cutting templates. If time permits, Denis explains how to animate motion, such as the opening and closing of doors and drawers.
Students bring their own laptop computers, for which the Center provides demo DVDs. (PC-compatible only!) Denis’ goal is to give participants a confident foundation from which they can continue to use and explore computer design on their own.
Denis Cormier is an Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at North Carolina State University. He teaches furniture product development, including computer-aided design, as well as hands-on manufacturing processes courses. Denis is a former director of the University’s Furniture Manufacturing and Management Center.