Nevada universities choose SolidWorks software to teach 3D CAD fundamentals to future engineers
University
CONCORD , Mass., Dec. 5, 2005 ? SolidWorks has become the dominant 3D mechanical design software taught in Nevada's two largest universities, as the University of Nevada , Reno (UNR) has purchased 100 licenses of SolidWorks® Education Edition software to give students a jumpstart on their engineering careers. The university is standardizing on SolidWorks 3D mechanical design and COSMOS® design analysis software so students can develop the practical 3D CAD skills they'll need after graduation.
The University of Nevada , Reno has joined the University of Nevada , Las Vegas , which has 300 licenses of the SolidWorks Education Edition, in bringing 3D modeling to life for its students. UNR has approximately 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in 70 different disciplines. Its engineering department frequently reevaluates its curriculum to ensure it is teaching CAD tools that graduates will rely on professionally. Last year, the department chose to switch to SolidWorks to teach students 3D modeling software that was easier to learn and more widely used by manufacturers around the world.
?We want our students to be prepared for real-world engineering, and that means learning integrated design and analysis,? said Eric Wang, associate professor of mechanical engineering at UNR. ?Our previous instructional method was too involved to get to the point of actually doing any FEA [finite element analysis]. We spent more time teaching the software than the theory and application. Students had to learn different interfaces for design, analysis, and computational fluid dynamics. SolidWorks and COSMOS are seamlessly integrated, so students can design and test objects from one familiar interface. That continuity and the software's ease of use play crucial roles in fueling engineering enthusiasm and ensuring students pursue engineering careers.?
Beginning this semester, freshmen will learn fundamental design and analysis skills with SolidWorks and COSMOSWorks® design analysis software. In following years, they will explore different design and analysis approaches as they learn more complex skills, designing everything from robotics to seismometers that accurately gauge plate movement within the earth's crust. They'll use COSMOSMotion? to learn key kinematics and physical simulation skills and COSMOSFloWorks? to learn about principles in fluid and thermal dynamics.
?We could spend weeks teaching the theory behind product design, but it's the practical exposure to CAD that makes all the difference,? said Wang. ?And SolidWorks ensures students spend most of their time learning process and skills, not learning difficult software. Moreover, SolidWorks has become one of the most popular 3D design applications among engineers around the world, so it makes sense for us to be teaching those skills to students.?
Some UNR students may also use SolidWorks and COSMOS software in the university's sports biomechanics research lab, where professors work with students on privately funded grants to test a variety of sports equipment. Wang, who has a doctorate degree in mountain bike design, will continue to work with students on projects to help leading bicycle companies design and test their equipment.
?The future demands that today's engineering students are well grounded in the principles, theories, and practical application of 3D CAD and design analysis,? said Paul Maloney, worldwide sales manager, SolidWorks Education Sales. ?That's the covenant that the University of Nevada , Reno and the University of Nevada , Las Vegas have made with their mechanical engineering students. The engineering programs at Nevada's universities demonstrate their commitment to preparing students for tomorrow's design challenges and rewarding career opportunities.?
The University of Nevada, Reno relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller Technical Training Systems for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.
About University of Nevada , Reno
The University of Nevada , Reno was established in 1874 as the state's flagship land-grant research institution. The university offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in 186 areas of study through 10 colleges and independent schools. Its growing research acumen is recognized across the globe, with its 700 instructional and research faculty garnering a record $130 million in externally sponsored grants and contracts during the 2005 fiscal year. Each year, university faculty members and many of their students participate in more than 900 such sponsored projects, earning the institution the highest ranking for research and scholarship from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. For more information, visit the Web site (www.unr.edu.)
About Technical Training Systems
Technical Training Systems, Inc. provides training, curriculum, software, lab equipment, lab furniture, and supplies for technology education, engineering, machining, CAD/CAM, civil engineering, automation and robotics, automated wood production, consumer and family studies, and other educational programs in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana. Technical Training Systems has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Meridian, Idaho. For more information, call 801-943-6699 or visit the Web site (www.ttsed.com.)
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