An annual engineering conference designed to teach computer-aided design (CAD) and graphics applications in engineering design and technology will be held at the end of the month.
The Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will host the 68th Annual Midyear Conference of the American Society of Engineering Education's (ASEE) Engineering Design Graphics Division Oct. 20-23 at the Higgins Laboratories on campus.
U.S. and international faculty, staff and students at colleges, universities, and junior and community colleges  can learn about new developments and technologies for teaching CAD.
This year's theme surrounds the interplay between simulation software and geometric models, according to Holly Ault, associate professor of mechanical engineering at WPI and conference site chair. "Simulation software depends on the data created by geometric models," she said. "This means geometric models are at the center of today’s design work and must be created with design intent, manufacturing, and cost efficiency in mind."
The first of a series of workshops will be lead by companies that produce engineering graphics software, including CADENAS PARTsolutions, Autodesk, PTC and SolidWorks will begin on Day 1 of the conference.
Sunday evening attendees are invited to an interactive media showcase featuring the presentations "Using Multimedia Online Learning Tools to Supplement the Classroom Instruction" and "Drafting Project with Design Intent to Improve the Application of Dimensioning Specifications," with a reception to follow.
The agenda for Monday and Tuesday includes technical sessions on spatial visualization, modeling strategies and design intent, assessment techniques, graphic course content, management courses and the evolution of graphics, concluding with a tour of Nypro's plant in Clinton, Mass., and a reception and awards banquet at the Worcester Art Museum, according to WPI.
