Towards the effective development of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) curricula: an exploration of strategies and solutions in education

¹ Vaal University of Technology, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
² Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa

^* Corresponding author: sarelh@vut.ac.za

Abstract

This study investigated the affordances (hindrances and opportunities) of developing a comprehensive Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) curricular product in the South African higher education sector. The methodology consisted of an initial literature review illustrating the use of DfAM in higher education and the existence of formal DfAM curricula. Through the literature, the researchers sought these hindrances and opportunities to guide the development of a curriculum sample product. In addition, appropriate theoretical frameworks were investigated and then combined with pedagogical aids in the form of Embedded Tactile and Sensory Technology (ETaST). The overall theoretical findings indicate that a formally structured DfAM curricular product will benefit not just AM-related subjects, but education fields beyond STEM. This research indicates that a DfAM curricular product may lead to an expansion of AM utilisation beyond mere production initiatives for industry but also as a pedagogical aid product for higher education. Furthermore, the use of such DfAM curricular products can infiltrate broader sectors which will increase the time and uptake of AM. The study recommends the implementation of the DfAM curricular product in the undergraduate sector of various subjects to corroborate the findings.