Posted on 10/21/2024 3:48:54 PM PDT by kawhill
2 Spatial ability and knowledge representation concepts Spatial ability and associated skills are critical to effective navigation of both real and virtual environments. It is defined as cognitive processing involved in “representing, generating, and recalling symbolic, non-linguistic information” (Linn & Petersen, 1985, p. 1482). Spatial ability consists of spatial perception (orientation to one’s own body), mental rotation (the ability to mentally rotate 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional objects), and spatial visualization (complex multi-step spatial processing to create a mental representation of an object).
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedirect.com ...
Kids today can't do that - they have to rely on 3-D blue-prints.
Tough when you're trying to repair an aircraft out in the boonies with no internet connection and all you have is paper mechanical drawings and electrical schematics.
Back when they gave multiple intelligence tests to students, I always scored highest in spatial ability. I also took mechanical and architectural drafting and excelled. Now everything is CAD. That ability comes in handy in other areas as well...like organization, math and sentence structure and grammar. I teach English, so when I teach writing I always teach formulaic writing. Most students who struggle can always use my formulas for writing! Some think it’s OCD, but it’s how I have always functioned.
bttt
As a lifelong tool and die and CNC machinist (now retired), who has struggled to train younger people in the trade, I know exactly what you’re talking about. We’re losing Lots of very important skills.
My dad worked in tool and die at General Motors. He always encouraged me to take drafting classes in high school even though I was the only girl in the class. I loved it.
Blacks score highly in spatial perception and awareness whilst Ashkenazi jews score miserably. Good for basketball, not so helpful for running a bank.
Tons of abstract thinking involved in blueprint reading and shop math. The computers have taken over all of that now so it’s becoming a lost skill.
My dad was also a tool and die designer who came of age before CAD. He was and is very good at it. For reasons I didnt understand at the time I was graduating high school in 2002, I thought it was an unworthy trade and instead majored in a worthless field :/. Now a lot of what I do involves designing processes, services, and the physical operations that support them. It is challenging and fulfilling, but if I could change the past I would probably go into your field.
Or look at a topo map and see hills, valleys and ridges.
Pilots probably are the epitome because they're dealing with objects on the ground moving beneath them (but not necessarily to each other) in addition to conflicting aircraft moving around them in different altitudes and directions, all with no relationship to how the ground is moving.
Military types, especially infantry, also develop a keen sense of spatial relations. Most almost subconsciously perpetually keep track of which way is north.
Spatial awareness was said to be Gretzky's defining attribute. At any instant, he knew where all the other 15 people on the ice were.
Your Dad and I can run machines and processes that would boggle the minds of most youngsters these days.
I believe you! He used to bring home metal parts that were made with dies he designed. I couldn’t believe how intricate they were, let alone that machines could make parts so incredible on a tiny scale. Most people are unaware of the complexity on the other side of their phone screen.
“Spatial awareness was said to be Gretzky’s defining attribute.” I think I saw that from a woman, though she plays basketball in Indiana.
“ Tons of abstract thinking involved in blueprint reading and shop math.”
For about 4 years after retirement from being a manufacturing consultant, I taught those subjects part time at a technical school under a contract with a local manufacturer. The students were all first-line supervisors & lots of them were immigrants with varying abilities in English. I found a wide range of skills among the students with some of the immigrants surpassing those born & educated in the US. The whole experience was as educational for me as for the students. Like you, I’m concerned these skills slip away when not used because “the CAD system will do it.”
They seem to be able to run the CAD system fairly well, but the skills required to think these things out without CAD are surely slipping away. I may be an old Luddite in some ways, but I know this is very important to people in the trade.
BTW, I can do; CAD as well as anyone... I adapted quite well. You need the basics.
Here is where I think it becomes quite fascinating.
A 4-axis CNC machine is a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machine with an additional rotary axis for rotation, in addition to the three linear axes (X, Y, and Z):
The fourth axis, called the A-axis, allows the workpiece to rotate around the X-axis. This allows for machining complex parts and milling at odd angles, which is not possible with 3-axis machining.
4-axis CNC machining is often used for the following:
Cutting holes and cut-outs on the side of a part or on a cylinder
Saving time by eliminating the need for extra setups
Holding tight tolerances on all four sides of a part
Machining complex designs
Milling at odd angles
4-axis CNC machines are available in different arrangements, but the standard type is vertical machining. In this type of machine, the spindle rotates about the Z-axis, and the workpiece is mounted in the X-axis.
What’s the difference between 3-axis, 4-axis & 5-axis milling? - CAM Assist
Nov 10, 2020 — This is a feature machined on an angle to one of the X, Y or Z axes. For example, the planar milled surface below is a...
CAM Assist
Difference Between 3, 4, and 5-Axis Milling
What is 4-Axis Machining: Process, ... - 3ERP
May 27, 2023 — 4-Axis machining, commonly known as 4-axis CNC machining, is a multi-axis machining process that utilizes CNC machines...
3ERP
Show all
Generative AI is experimental.
Index 4-axis CNC machining is when the 4th axis (A-axis) rotates whilst the machine is not cutting material. Once the correct rotation is selected, a brake is applied and the machine resumes cutting. In continuous 4-axis machining, the machine can cut material at the same time as the A-axis rotation, simultaneously.Nov 10, 2020
ALSO THIS:
A 5-axis CNC machine is a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine that can move a tool or part in five different directions simultaneously:
X, Y, and Z: The three primary axes of basic machining
A and B: Two additional axes that allow the tool to rotate
5-axis CNC machines are used to create complex and precise parts for industries like aerospace, oil and gas, and medical. They offer many advantages over traditional 3-axis machines, including:
Faster production speeds
5-axis machines can reduce cycle times and the number of setups required
Higher precision
5-axis machines can produce parts with enhanced surface finishes and improved drilling processes
Fewer machine setups
Operators can machine parts from different directions in a single operation
Ability to create complex geometries
5-axis machines can create intricate shapes and undercuts that are difficult with 3-axis machines
There are different types of 5-axis CNC machines, including indexed, continuous, and mill-turning.
What is 5 Axis CNC Machining? - Swanton Welding
5-axis machining refers to a machine’s ability to move a tool or a part in five different axes simultaneously. Basic machining ope...
3-Axis vs. 5-Axis CNC Machining — What you Need to Know
Sep 21, 2021 — 5-axis machines rely on a tool that moves in five different directions — X, Y, and Z, as well as A and B, around which...
Gretzky's a nice example - like Larry Bird's no-look passes - how the heck does he do that, how does he know?
Well, she DID play in Indiana. (I don’t like basketball of any kind. I loved watching the highlight reels of Caitlin Clark. Especially her passing.)
The woman has spatial awareness coming out of her pores
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.