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Air, Alan (1,2); Wodehouse, Andrew (1)

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Compliant mechanisms achieve motion through elastic deformation, yet their core ideas are rarely taught before digital tools. This paper presents a foundation-first, hands-on method using lattice structures to introduce compliant mechanism design. In a pilot workshop, students analysed how rigid-body mechanisms move and redesigned them as compliant via tactile exploration and paper-based sketches, producing clear conceptual outputs and reporting improved understanding and confidence. The results show the value of early experiential learning before progression to digital and automated tools.

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design education, compliant mechanism design, design cognition, foundation-first learning, design methods