This Year 10 GCSE Design and Technology practice project, not part of the NEA, teaches students to draw for the laser cutter over two lessons. Working from the RSPB's guidance that a blue tit box needs a 25 mm entrance hole at least 125 mm above the floor, each student draws the six panels of their own nest box for 6 mm plywood, adds finger joints along the edges and allows 0.2 mm for the laser's kerf. They lay the panels flat on the workplane at 6 mm thick and export them as one SVG file. The teacher checks every file on screen against a list (hole size, joint spacing, all panels inside the 600 by 400 mm bed) before it goes to the cutter, and students assemble their boxes at the end of the second lesson. The department taught this project in 2D Design until the licence lapsed, with the same drawing, the same checks and the same cut.
Tools: Tinkercad Nine ideas for your own version in Generate
This page is one of a growing set of PICRAT examples by cell, subject and grade. Page maintained by Andy Perryer.