CAE software in manufacturing engineering education

This paper examines the role of commercial computer-aided engineering (CAE) software in manufacturing engineering education. The proliferation of computing in industry demands that a significant proportion of students' timetables be devoted to CAE aspects, in order that they may gain an appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of such systems. However, it is also important to present this computing element so that it does not overwhelm other, equally important parts of the manufacturing engineering syllabus. The aim must be to integrate CAE courses into the curriculum, make real academic demands of students and to ensure a good understanding of CAE.