This project gives engineering students better insight into design procedures through early exposure at the freshman level and again by looking at fresh ideas in design during the senior year. Freshman engineers design and draw a part on a personal computer then send the part data through a network to a computer numerically controlled (CNC) machine for fabrication. This firmly establishes the relationship between concept, graphic presentation, and resultant product. It also serves to heighten excitement among freshman about engineering as a career. In addition, senior teams experiment with the various aspects of design including conceptualization, detailing, checking, analyzing, assembling of details, and CNC machining of parts through the use of local area networks. Innovative design procedures are developed for future use in the industrial work place. The award is being matched by an equal amount from the principal investigator's institution.
