Integrating Concurrent Engineering and FEA Into Engineering Technology Programs

Abstract

Abstract Strategies involved in concurrent engineering are being integrated into the engineering technology programs at Western Washington University Because finite element analysis (FEA) is an integral part of concurrent engineering, it too has been added to the curriculum Students explore such topics as design for manufacturability, lifetime ownership factors, world class manufacturing, building in quality and time-to-market, even in their first engineering technology course. Students are first introduced to FEA in basic mechanics courses. Then they take a more complete FEA project course in the senior year In that course, students use FEA to model components, and verify their models in the laboratory. This paper describes the concurrent engineering integration efforts at Western Washington University and includes course outlines and laboratory examples Examples from student projects are given. The paper also addresses the issues complicating the integration of analysis and simultaneous engineering into engineering technology programs.