Spring 2027

Geometric Modeling for Design and Manufacturing

Introduction to geometric description and modeling of mechanical form, components, and assemblies using CAD systems, covering descriptive geometry, engineering drawing, and GDT.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Kiffer Creveling

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Kate Fu

Students reported that the CAD modeling aspect was easy, though the final project was decently time-intensive. The specific workload for the project varied depending on the dynamics of the student's group.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Model fully-constrained, three-dimensional engineering components using software

  • Model the assembly of three-dimensional components

  • Predict mechanical motion of a mechanism in an assembly

  • Apply geometric dimensioning and tolerancing to components and assemblies

  • Solve simple descriptive geometry and orthographic projection problems

  • Apply engineering dimensions to a component and create engineering drawings

  • Solve tolerance stack-up for parts/assemblies on an engineering drawing

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
ME 231 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Spring 2027
Historical instructors & teaching patterns

JASON OAKLEY is recorded teaching in Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Spring 2024. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JEFFREY ROESSLER is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2010, Spring 2016, Fall 2017, Spring 2018. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KIFFER CREVELING is recorded teaching in Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KIM JAY MANNER is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 3780
LAB 301Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 302Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 305Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 303Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 304Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 306Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 307Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 308Classroom Instruction0 / 330
LAB 309Classroom Instruction0 / 300
LAB 310Classroom Instruction0 / 280
LAB 311Classroom Instruction0 / 280
LAB 312Classroom Instruction0 / 280

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Kate Fu

Recent feedback described the CAD modeling component as easy and educational, while noting that the initial drawing portion was less enjoyable. The final project was considered decently time-intensive.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.94 GPA, 97.2% A/AB (n=247 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.86 GPA, 93.9% A/AB (n=247 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.74 GPA, 88.5% A/AB (n=312 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Kate Fu

Students reported that the CAD modeling aspect was easy, though the final project was decently time-intensive. The specific workload for the project varied depending on the dynamics of the student's group.

Past student reviews · Kate Fu

One student learned a significant amount from the course, although they noted that much of the learning happened on their own. The instructor was described as a kind and caring person.

Topics

  • Descriptive geometry and engineering drawing standards
  • Computer-aided design (CAD) modeling and engineering communication

Skills

  • Modeling fully-constrained 3D engineering components
  • Applying geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GDT)
  • Solving descriptive geometry and orthographic projection problems
  • Creating engineering drawings with dimensions

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.24 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
ME 231 · Spring 2027

Geometric Modeling for Design and Manufacturing

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:612:011945",
    "course_id": "ME 231",
    "course_uid": "course_419dcd7f2c6645e820d37c18",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "011945",
    "source_subject_id": "612",
    "title": "Geometric Modeling for Design and Manufacturing",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1Download part 2
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "5e47d37ae9b578c2e6f406b6e2e8216326ff74bd4285ea91fbd00600ff8d32d4",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}