Odisee uses its BRM Original 100160 laser machine to teach students how to design products. The laser machine is an essential part of the design course.
“We use the laser machine to show the students that a design must be feasible. This means they need to think through every detail when creating a design, so that it ultimately becomes a structure that can be assembled.”
At Odisee’s technology campus in Ghent, they use a BRM laser machine on a daily basis. The BRM machine is widely used for the ‘Design and Production Technology’ course. During this course, students learn how to design a product from start to finish. They therefore create the initial drawings on the computer but also learn the practical aspects of the final design. At Odisee, we spoke to lecturer Jurgen Symynck, who is responsible for the drawing and design modules on the course.
Making Week
One of the annual projects involving the use of the laser cutter is ‘Making Week’. During this week, students are set a task in which they must design a product and ultimately create it using the laser cutter. Last year, for example, they had to design a product that would shoot a tennis ball towards a target.
Jurgen points out that this is an important learning process for the students. “A student might cut out a product that we know in advance won’t work. But because the materials are so cheap, it’s no problem if the student fails a few times at first. And the student quickly gets to grips with the practical side of things because it all happens so fast. They’re therefore very enthusiastic about the machine.”
Service
According to Jurgen, the service provided by a company like BRM is also important. “We had a minor issue with the machine, which was resolved quickly and professionally. We got in touch with BRM easily, and they were able to send a technician the very next day to sort it out.”
Jurgen would therefore certainly recommend the machine to other schools. This is due to the good value for money and the fact that the machine can offer significant added value for many different courses.
“We’re really pleased with this laser machine; it brings a great deal of added value.”
“We are delighted with this laser machine; it offers tremendous added value. The machine is both reasonably priced and robust. The software is very user-friendly, meaning that after just half an hour’s instruction, students can use the machine independently and safely.” This user-friendliness is essential for a school like Odisee, as they use it on a daily basis.
