Guest Editorial

A Quick Death for an Old Friend

Wesley L. Baldwin
wbaldwin@bsu.edu 
Associate Professor, Coordinator
Manufacturing Engineering Technology
Ball State University

Engineering Technology faculty are loyal and respectful of their friends.  Even if an old friend is impeding the education of their students, they find it very difficult to discard a loyal colleague. 

In the early 70’s, ET faculty found it difficult to bury their old friend the slide rule.  Even today some of us keep a slide rule in our desk drawer and occasionally sigh fondly of the days when we knew how to use every scale.  

It’s now time to bury our old friend 2-D drafting.  While most ET programs have eliminated manual drafting, many programs still teach 2-D CAD.  Just because an out of date technology is computer based, doesn’t make it appropriate for the 21^st century.  It’s time to leave Flat Land and journey to the new world of 3-D.  

Solid Modeling is the appropriate technology for Engineering Technology.  It is simpler to use and allows the ET faculty member to focus on the more important issue of design.  Prices are reasonable, computer requirements are easily met and competition among vendors is keen.  It is time for a change.  

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