Abstract:

Nowadays, when the use of information and communication technology is becoming everyday part of our life, the increased implementation of this trend is also in mechanical engineering. The ability to use CAD systems is becoming to be a prerequisite of almost every expert in mechanical engineering. The aim of the CAD systems is to facilitate and simplify the routine work of each designer by modern approaches and features that expand the possibilities of construction, not only the drawing documentation, but also the possibilities to design geometric objects and the subsequent proposal of other technological parameters.

Using CAD applications in pre-production stage of mechanical engineering is currently already common practice in almost every company. The need of connection of students with the production sector is therefore becoming one of the necessary conditions for a subsequent application of graduates. The priority task of The Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice is the effort to enhance the professional literacy of students in relation to the current state of industrialized practice as well as efforts to develop their professional skills during their studies and by that to facilitate the application of students at labor market.

The contribution is therefore focused on features and functionality that program Autodesk Inventor can provide to the user with the emphasis on link between study and practice. This selected program, thanks to its other additional modules can significantly affect the validity and applicability in practice. We are talking about modules that are used in all phases of design and technological process that means from modelling in 3D space through the creation of assembly and relevant drawing documentation to the strength and dynamic analysis of proposed components and mechanisms. Authors also state, how CAD software can be efficient in practice and how it can be used to improve the quality of entire production process. Through various projects the Department of Mechanical Engineering is seeking to engage students in solving tasks in connection with the production sector. One of the project that fulfilled this condition was the project, in which students had to design a functional prototype of bicycle according to certain criteria. As the main criterion in the development has been the design and assembly of the bicycle frame. Selected model was subsequently produced as a prototype.

Keywords:

Bicycle frame, Computer Aided Design, mechanical engineering.