Towards complete product development teaching employing combined CAD - CAM - CAE technologies

Abstract

Problem based learning and teamwork activities often turn out to be the student's first point of contact with what Industry is really like and becomes a fundamental milestone in their learning throughout their degree course. The complete development of products and machines provides opportunities for active learning projects where students can apply computer aided design, engineering and manufacturing technologies, as well as the most advanced rapid prototyping technologies, so highly valued by Industry. We present complete product developments that have been undertaken by teams of students, as a way to the practical application of design and manufacturing concepts acquired in the subject "Design and Manufacture with Plastic Materials." This subject is taught in the 5th course at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid - U.P.M. as part of the Mechanical Engineering Degree. The use of the "Rapid Prototyping Technologies" available in the U.P.M.'s Product Development Laboratory, has enabled prototypes to be manufactured, which means the pre-production stage has been attained. The use of these technologies for teaching purposes constitutes a whole new experience in the U.P.M. Important information for improvements has been obtained from students' surveys and the correspondence between students' dedication and the European Credits assigned to the subject is very satisfactory. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.