Beginner Robot Arm CAD Training

I’m starting from scratch with CAD and I want to design, refine and ultimately 3-D-print a fully functional robot arm. Functionality takes priority over looks, so every lesson and exercise should revolve around kinematics, load paths and how the parts will be printed, assembled and actuated in the real world.

I’m a complete beginner, so I need you to walk me through the entire workflow: setting up a clean CAD project, sketching joints and links, applying constraints, preparing STL files, choosing tolerances for FDM printing, and testing clearances once the parts come off the printer. I haven’t settled on a platform yet; if you’re most comfortable in SolidWorks, Fusion 360 or even AutoCAD, I’m happy to follow your lead—just keep the explanations clear and hands-on.

By the end of our collaboration I should have:
• Recorded live sessions or step-by-step notes I can revisit
• A parametric model of the robot arm (source file)
• Print-ready STL files verified for fit and strength
• A brief checklist for assembly and functional testing

If you enjoy teaching and have real-world experience turning CAD models into working printed mechanisms, I’d love to learn from you.