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HyperWorks Integration in Mechanical Engineering Curriculum at Dalhousie University
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
- Sensors - Level Sensors
Applicable Industries
- Education
- Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Smart Campus
- Virtual Training
Services
- Hardware Design & Engineering Services
- Training
The Challenge
Dalhousie University, a public, research-intensive institution in Nova Scotia, Canada, faced a challenge in keeping its mechanical engineering curriculum current with industry demands. The university, which has a strong focus on research and practical design work, was receiving feedback from the industry that students lacked knowledge of fundamental tools such as finite element analysis (FEA). Although FEA was included in the curriculum, it was only an elective course in the final year, taken by a small number of students, and completed after all work terms. The university recognized the need to expose every mechanical engineering student to the basics of FEA at an earlier stage. Furthermore, the university needed to identify state-of-the-art engineering tools and provide support for their implementation in a large-scale program, while managing budgetary constraints.
About The Customer
Dalhousie University, commonly known as 'Dal', is a public, research-intensive institution located in Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 1818, it is one of Canada's oldest universities and is considered one of the top universities in the country. Dal offers over 180 internationally recognized degree programs across its three campuses in Halifax and one in Bible Hill. The university has a strong focus on research and practical design work, particularly in its mechanical engineering department. The department, headed by Dr. Darrel Doman, has about 300 undergraduate students, 60 graduate students, and 17 professors, with plans to increase to 22 within the year. The mechanical engineering program at Dal is known for its design-centric curriculum focus, with more machine-design type courses than the national average.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Dalhousie University decided to integrate HyperWorks, a key industry tool, into its mechanical engineering curriculum. This decision was driven by the need to shift from zero-cost, student-version solutions to next-generation software tools used by the industry. HyperWorks was chosen due to its relevance in the industry and the department's familiarity with it. Now, in the third year of the course, 120 students per year use HyperWorks for a minimum of 3 hours every week as an integral part of their real-world design assignments. This gives every student 50-60 hours of hands-on use, and many continue to use HyperWorks in their final year for their capstone design project. The course pedagogy was also updated to focus on practical aspects of using FEA, teaching students best practices and how to interpret results to improve their designs.
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