Resumen de Linking Design and Simulation: A Student Project
Budding engineers and, in particular, undergraduate students in mechanical engineering usually encounter great difficulties in understanding the close relation between creative activities and analytical activities such as modelling and simulation. This is basically due to the fact that most courses are based on a deductive approach, i.e. on the analysis of a concept but not on its generation. This paper describes a second-year engineering project which aims to clarify how modelling and simulation should interact with design. The problem to be solved is clearly defined and the performance index is simple and easy to predict through simulations. These simulations are used to compare options and to optimize the chosen solution. Students are also led to understand and assess their roles in the design process.
