The freshman engineering design course, or "cornerstone" course, is a critical component of the curriculum at most institutions. The modern incarnation of this course integrates general design and analysis concepts and the application of computing tools such as CAD. In a general sense, it is intended to answer the question "What do engineers actually do?" for a young student.
The introduction of MapleSim into freshman “Cornerstone” design courses allows students to analyze and explore the system dynamics, and ultimately the design options, for a real system. This webinar will present a detailed case study of McMaster University’s recent use of MapleSim, Maplesoft’s dynamic modeling software package, in its cornerstone course. Prior to the introduction of MapleSim, the course focused on development of the CAD model, and then essentially guessing at possible modifications to the design to achieve a desired design goal. With their use of MapleSIm, McMaster was able to introduce a true design iteration step. From the CAD model, students can quickly develop a corresponding dynamic model and systematically assess system performance for changes in parameter values.
