Altair > Case Studies > Implementing Computational Optimization Methods in Engineering Design Education at Northwestern University

Implementing Computational Optimization Methods in Engineering Design Education at Northwestern University

Technology Category

Automation & Control - Human Machine Interface (HMI)
Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Education

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Manufacturing Process Simulation
Smart Campus

Services

Hardware Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Northwestern University in Evanston, IL., USA is a premier research university that provides students and faculty with exceptional opportunities for intellectual, personal, and professional growth. The Integrated DEsign Automation Laboratory (IDEAL) of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, under the direction of Dr. Wei Chen, focuses on the development of rational design methods based on mathematical optimization techniques and statistical methods for use in complex engineering design and product realization problems. The complexity is considered from various aspects, such as the large number of physical interrelated elements, the complexity and computational cost of design simulations, the heterogeneity of information at different levels of abstraction, the various sources of uncertainties, the multidisciplinary organization with conflicting goals, and the difficulty in understanding the socio-technical interfaces.

The Challenge

Northwestern University's Integrated DEsign Automation Laboratory (IDEAL) was tasked with implementing a series of engineering design courses. The challenge was to incorporate computational design methods like modeling, simulation, and optimization, which are increasingly important in engineering design decision making. The process of creating and evaluating design alternatives often involves selecting a preferred design from many alternatives, a task that can range from difficult to impossible without the aid of computational methods. Therefore, it was crucial for engineering design students to be exposed to computational tools that would allow them to make sound design judgments when completing their design projects. The courses also needed to incorporate the application of design decision methods to industrial problems, providing engineering students with the experience needed to approach real-world design problems later in their careers.

The Solution

The solution was the utilization of HyperWorks OptiStruct and HyperStudy optimization programs in multiple engineering design courses at Northwestern University. Four courses in computational design were developed as part of IDEAL in the Mechanical Engineering Department. These courses included Computational Methods for Engineering Design, Engineering Optimization for Product Design and Manufacturing, Engineering Design, and Advanced Computational & Statistical Methods for Engineering. Prior to the introduction of these courses, computational design was not included in the Northwestern University Engineering curriculum. With the introduction of these courses, a repository of computational design tutorials using industry-sponsored design projects was established. Two examples of these tutorials included the optimal design of a die-cast binder component of an automotive stamping tooling system and the evaluation of a partial truck frame front structure.

Operational Impact

Since 2008, Altair has conducted a university fellowship program to establish regional centers of expertise in HyperWorks CAE software instruction and research applications at select Altair client universities in the United States. The fellowship program supports the educational development of outstanding students and increases the integration of HyperWorks software in academic curricula. As part of the program, Altair co-sponsors a semi-annual symposium at each of the fellowship universities to highlight HyperWorks case studies completed by students, faculty, and regional industrial companies. At Northwestern, Altair’s first fellowship university, the focus has been to support graduate students studying computational optimization at IDEAL. A design competition has been utilized to highlight the success of student projects. Each student must profile the design problem addressed, methods used, results, and visuals in a large poster-sized format. The competition has been highly rewarding for the students, providing them with valuable experience in presenting their work to a panel of judges with significant depth of experience in design optimization.