THE USE OF INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE FOR 3D DESIGN LEARNING

Learning to use industrial design programs can be perfectly connected with the improvement of historical knowledge linked to industrial heritage. Since 2004, Graphical Engineering Department of University of Seville has been offering the opportunity of going deeply into 3d design by means of reconstructions of machines which were created before mid twenty century. The goal is to obtain a final product from minimal information such as sketches, figures, photos or limited numbers of blueprints. In this way, students need to study the industrial situation of a specific period of time from which they must get all kind of information, such as tipical materials or tools, in order to be able to complete the machine according to those times. Sometimes to be in contact with museums is fundamental and in that cases in which we work with modern mechanisms (post industrial revolution), it is a required step to visit companies or retired mechanics. This approach is in agreement on European Higher Education Area process and some aspects of Design Thinking methodology. Students are invited to propose the machine and to revise the material and tools which are used in the selected epoch. Final products usually include photorealistic images or improvements as well as statistical data, such as weight or size, or inercial information like gravitational centre. Nearly 60 projects have been presented since 2004. Two examples are presented in this paper: the vehicle and boat by Leonardo Da Vinci.