The challenge of CAD/CAM education

摘要

Colleges and universities are not meeting industry needs for graduates trained in the use or implementation of computer-aided design and manufacturing systems since few schools have experience in teaching CAD/CAM. Furthermore, many Bachelor's-level graduates are going directly into industry, rather than pursuing graduate degrees, thereby compounding this problem. Members of this panel represent both schools and industry and together attempt to outline approaches to developing more extensive CAD/CAM emphasis in education, including - the role colleges and universities can or should play in addressing industry needs in this area - user- and implementor-oriented CAD/CAM education - CAD/CAM education as an integral part of university engineering curricula - problems encountered in organizing and implementing CAD/CAM curriculum - universities' relationships with industry. It is our hope that panelists' experiences will help guide schools in structuring CAD/CAM programs to best insure that the United States remain at the forefront of technology and compete industrially world-wide. Frank Puhl Victor Langer Donald P. Greenberg Mark S. Shepard Herb Voelcker Universities' Relationships With Industry Frank Puhl American industry needs engineers who have been brought up with the realization that computers are intimately involved in all aspects of design, analysis, and manufacturing. Industry, of course, needs engineers who are already trained in fundamental CAD/CAM principles and in solving real world problems using computers, as well as those who have been taught to be productivity- and cost-conscious. To help meet these needs, we must now provide answers to several significant questions: What part should industry play in encouraging and sponsoring research and education in CAD/CAM? How can we resolve conflicts between industries' “trade secrets” and universities' “open research”? How can industry and educational institutions work together to increase U.S. productivity so as to regain our competitive edge? Lockheed Corporation and CADAM, Inc. are addressing these issues by supporting selected schools, installing CADAM systems, and providing fellowships for education and research at upperclass and graduate levels. In addition, we are involved in various joint research projects with universities, and we look optimistically toward continuing these projects. CADD CAM User EducationCADD CAM User Education Victor Langer General Electric Medical Systems Division in Milwaukee experienced a severe shortage of CADD CAM operators and encouraged MATC to develop a training program which started in 1980. A three-year NSF- CAUSE grant and a partial donation of a Computervision CADDS 3 (now CADD 4 Designer V six-station) system resulted in a program for upgrading employed designers and for two-year associate degree full-time students. The program enrolls 200 students per semester, with 70% continuing education students and 30% full-time students. Before students can effectively apply CADD CAM education, they must have drafting and design experience or at least a year of engineering training, plus ability to use spatial relationships and a course in descriptive geometry. With this background, students learn to create geometry for a 2-D drawing database and gain sufficient experience in the first course to be as productive as employees with six months' full-time experience. In the final semester or in the second advanced course, students create 3-D geometry and apply analytical computer capabilities for design, specializing for uses in mechanical, electrical, structural, architectural, and graphics arts applications. The defined geometry is also used in CAM for generating numerical control machining and flame-cutting paths, and for robotic control. Each course has been evaluated, follow-up studies have been completed, and an advisory committee has guided development. Employees have verified success and ease in transferring geometric skills to many differe