An Approach to Teacning Engieering Design Using Multiple Perspective and Integrated Product Models and Simulation

Engineering design education is traditionally structured such that each individual discipline is taught by a specialist in that discipline. This has artificially created an impression to students that a product should be looked at from different perspective in a segmented manner. This approach hence results in a great problem when computer model based teaching methods are introduced to tackle multidisciplinary product design classes. There are clear gaps in student’s knowledge as well as excuses that they have forgot what they have learnt. On the other hand, the competitive market requires better products designed and made in a shorter time with a higher quality and at a lower cost. The speed of launching products onto the market becomes an increasingly important factor for a new product to become successful. With rapid advancement in computer technology development both in terms of hardware capability and software functionalities, engineering designers as well as product designers are better equipped to create and make new and novel products than ever before. However many engineering graduates are not taught effectively to use these technologies to benefit their future design activities. In addition, these computer tools are not fully used to explore their potentials in teaching and learning.