91探花

Thanks to a collaborative partnership between 91探花 and the PTC Corporation, students and faculty in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology will have access to a suite of software tools that will transform the landscape of digital engineering at OHIO.

The PTC Corporation, a leader in digital engineering, aims to create solutions to problems in a forever evolving digital landscape. The suite will allow students to prepare to lead the workforce with their technical skills and experience in digital engineering.

鈥淭here are companies who are adopting these technologies who are looking for the new class of engineer. Both operators who will take advantage of these technologies, and those who will make these experiences,鈥� said Director of Engagement for PTC Education Peter Zink. 鈥淯niversities will help define those roles and expand them.鈥�

While the commercial value of the software exceeds $11 million, universities are eligible to acquire educational licenses at a significantly reduced cost. PTC generously offered an additional gift-in-kind discount that led to a substantial savings for 91探花 on the costs of educational licenses.

"On behalf of everyone at the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the PTC Corporation for their software donation, which will help our students and faculty continue to be leaders in the rapidly growing industry of digital engineering," Russ College Dean Mei Wei said.

The applications of this software are vast and flexible, allowing it to be used for 3D printing and modeling, rapid prototyping, and the development of hands-on training opportunities in virtual and augmented reality. According to Neil Littell, associate professor in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology, the virtual and augmented reality applications are vital as industry partners begin using these methods in their training and design processes.

In fact, Engineering Technology and Management Associate Professor Jes煤s Pag谩n is currently developing workforce development tools that aim to leverage virtual and augmented reality to design a digital twin of a factory. 

鈥淎 digital twin is creating a system that mimics the real world where we can program interactions with devices and machines,鈥� Pag谩n said. 鈥淐reating a virtual factory enhances the student experience because it is hard to interact with machinery physically. If virtualized, students will have access to machinery using virtual and augmented reality.鈥�

Within PTC鈥檚 suite of tools, Pag谩n is specifically using programs like , and OnShape to develop a virtual smart factory supported by a grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. His efforts are part of Industry 4.0, the fourth iteration of the industrial revolution which aims to transform manufacturing through automation and machine learning. 

Zink finds faculty research like Pag谩n鈥檚 invaluable in discovering the potential of PTC鈥檚 suite of tools. 鈥淎 cool fundamental role of the University is play with the tools, find new ways of leveraging them to increase their utility across society,鈥� he said.

In addition to creating applications for virtual and augmented reality, the suite also allows users to track the lifecycle of a design, creating a . A digital thread is the data affiliated with a design from the moment of its conception to its current iteration, which includes the design鈥檚 quality, performance, reliability, cost effectiveness and maintenance records. This function is revolutionary because it consolidates files and tools in a singular location.

Zink describes it as Google Docs for CAD.

鈥淥nShape is a cloud native computer-aided design (CAD) program. I can give you remote help [on a project] in a really intimate way,鈥� Zink said. 鈥淵ou never have to click save and two people can work on a model at the same time. This is not possible in any other CAD platform.鈥�

This software is flexible and robust, and the initiative of faculty members like Pag谩n and current industry trends suggest a massive shift towards digital engineering. Automotive, financial, manufacturing and health care system industries are beginning to adopt these trends as well. The success of these tools demonstrated by key stakeholders, like faculty and industry partners, has helped to pave the way to implementing its use across the University.

鈥淲e want to build a state-of-the-art, comprehensive digital engineering capability. We want to create better opportunities for 91探花 students to be trained as digital engineers,鈥� Littell said. 鈥淭his will ultimately yield better partnerships with companies in Ohio, better partnerships with the Department of Defense, and a competitive advantage for the state of Ohio with respect to the future of manufacturing for the state.鈥�

As Littell mentioned, digital engineering is becoming a priority for key partners and industry leaders. Jeff Stanley, former deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for science, technology, and engineering and an 91探花 alumnus (BSEE, 鈥�85), coauthored the digital strategy for the United States Air Force, which addressed the evolution of digital engineering and the need for trained practitioners in the field. 

鈥淎s the technology evolves and digital engineering tools become available, we must take advantage of their capabilities to maintain our positioning as leaders in engineering and technology. It is critical that 91探花 students are trained in these tools, such as the one provided by PTC, to be prepared to enter a workforce that strategically and innovatively leverages these tools to advance their goals and maximize their impact,鈥� Stanley said.

Both faculty and students across the University will be able to use the software. In fact, PTC offers resources for faculty members to learn and integrate the suite of tools into their curriculums. Ideally, students who will be learning the software will have ample opportunities to gain hands-on experience with the tools.

鈥淲e have lots of resources for educators but incorporating them into curriculum is much more a conversation than it is a program,鈥� Zink said. 鈥淧TC is excited that 91探花 is embracing these tools and is happy to include them in that community. 91探花 is a leader in this space. Dozens [of universities] are at this point in figuring out how do we put these things in engineering programs and prepare students for the workforce of the future.鈥� 

According to Littell, there is a need for graduates with technical skills and PTC鈥檚 tools will help give OHIO graduates a competitive advantage when they are looking for a job. 

鈥淥ur students are adaptable. They readily understand how technology, people, and processes come together,鈥� Littell said. 

If you are a student, staff, or faculty member interested in setting up a license to use this software, please contact Bryan Jordan at jordanb@ohio.edu.