Simulation Technology in Engineering Curricula: Opportunities

Rajesh BhaskaranSwanson Director of Engineering Simulation

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Cornell University

Introduction

• Simulation is getting information about how something will behave without actually testing it in real life – Involves solving complex mathematical models on the

computer– Simulation technology also provides visualization

capabilities for developing physical insightFSAE Race Car Team AguaClara Team

Introduction

• Technology has advanced rapidly– Lowered barriers to simulation– Simulation skills are in great demand in industry

• However, schools are struggling to embed simulation into core engineering curricula– How to make time for simulation in a crowded

curriculum? – Faculty unfamiliar with industry-standard tools– Lack of appropriate content to integrate tools

into courses– Software is evolving

Introduction

• At Cornell, we have made strides in embedding simulation in the curriculum– Teach students effective use– Enhance learning of

fundamentals

• Enabled by Swanson Engineering Simulation Program– Supports one full-time non-

tenure track faculty

Simulation in Cornell Courses

• ANSYS simulation tools are being used in– 10 Mechanical & Aero courses in solid

mechanics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer and numerical methods

– Undergraduate and graduate courses– Lecture and lab courses

• Broad use enabled by the SimCafe wiki

Simulation in Required Mechanical & Aero Courses

Course Type Enroll-ment

Software

1. Mechanical Structures Junior 140 ANSYS Mech.

2. Heat Transfer Junior 140 ANSYS Mech.

3. Mechanical Lab Junior 140 ANSYS Mech.

4. Thermo-fluids Lab Senior 120 ANSYS FLUENT

Simulation in Elective Mechanical & Aero Courses

Course Type Enroll-ment

Software

1. Intermediate Fluid Dynamics Undergrad/M.Eng 50 ANSYS FLUENT

2. Finite-Element Analysis Undergrad/M.Eng 40 ANSYS Mech.

3. Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

Undergrad/M.Eng 20 ANSYS Mech.

4. Advanced Heat Transfer Ph.D./M.Eng 30 ANSYS Mech.

5. Biofluids Ph.D. 15 ANSYS FLUENT

6. Turbulent Flows Ph.D. 30 ANSYS FLUENT

Cornell Project Teams using ANSYS Simulation Tools

• Formula SAE racing • Baja SAE racing • Violet satellite • AIAA Design-Build-Fly• Cornell rocketry• Concrete canoe • Steel bridge • AguaClara

Cornell Research Groups using ANSYS Simulation Tools

• Bhaskaran: CFD for pre-operative planning in ENT surgeries

• Desjardines, Koch: Multi-phase flow

• Zehnder: Wind turbines• Fisher: Cookstove• Williamson: Vortex dynamics• Zhang: Pollutant dispersion,

building energy• Garcia: Wind energy

Cornell Research Groups using ANSYS Simulation Tools

• Space Sciences: CCAT, 25-meter telescope in Chile

• Butcher (BME): Developmental bioengineering

• Lal (ECE): MEMS• Tester (ChE): Geothermal

energy• Baeumner (BEE): Biosensors• Shen (Physics): Condensed

matter physics

SimCafe Wiki

• Collection of simulation learning modules available for free at simcafe.org

• Contains over 40 modules from courses, project teams and research

• Used in courses at Cornell and other universities• Used by students for supplementary learning• Vision: Grow this into a central e-learning portal

– Avoid duplication and reinvention

SimCafe Module: Example

• Forced convection in a pipe– Heat Transfer lab– Required course– ~ 120 students

• Students compare experiment & simulation

Experiment Simulation

Reynolds no. 100,820 100,820

Nusselt no. 185 192

Friction factor

.0180±.003 .0168

Temperature

SimCafe Module: Example

• Students learn simulation through tutorial

• Background presented in lab by TA

• Students successfully performed simulation

SimCafe Learning Framework

• Challenge: Students are not just following a recipe

• Strategy: Provide consistent learning structure that foregrounds critical thinking- Being used in ten diverse courses

• Required steps in each tutorial:– Verification & Validation – Pre-Analysis

• Major aspects of “expert thinking” are embedded in these steps

SimCafe Usage StatisticsJuly 1, 2012-June 30, 2013

  FEA using ANSYS Mechanical

CFD using ANSYS FLUENT

No. of unique visitors 59,000 73,000

No. of countries 140 139Average no. of pages per visit

5 5

Average visit duration 7 minutes 8 minutes

% of visitors who returned 56% 55%

Over 100,000 unique visitors from 140 countries

Increase of 18% from prior academic year

SimCafe Usage

FEA Modules CFD Modules

Country % of Visits Country % of Visits

United States 23 India 17

India 17 United States 16

United Kingdom 5 United Kingdom 8

Germany 4 Turkey 7

Italy 3 Malaysia 4

Top 5 Countries

SimCafe is being used in courses at U Texas at Austin, UC Irvine, Milwaukee School of Engineering etc.

Opportunity

• Students benefit greatly from integration of simulation into engineering education

• Engineering education is changing rapidly– E-learning– Simulation– SimCafe merges both aspects

• Exciting opportunity: Democratization of simulation• Special instructional support personnel are key enablers

– “Director of Simulation”

• Other necessary resources: Software, hardware, IT support• Alumni support is critical to enable engineering colleges to

respond to these trends