$27.8M Siemens Software Gift Puts Future Technology in Students' Hands

Students will be able to rapidly develop three-dimensional solid models for product development and use state-of-theart industry standard computer software through a partnership with Siemens, a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering.

A $27.8 million in-kind software gift will provide Rose-Hulman and its students with the latest advanced hands-on training tools to lead the next generation of engineers for innovative, high-tech careers. The gift is the largest in-kind corporate donation in Rose- Hulman history.

Siemens software programs and systems will be used by students to develop cutting-edge technology for the U.S. Department of Energy's EcoCAR2: Plugging In to the Future advanced vehicle development competition.

"This generous gift from Siemens PLM software definitely takes our students to a new level and surpasses any design collaboration software currently available on campus," said Zac Chambers, associate professor of mechanical engineering and director of Rose-Hulman's Advanced Transportation Systems program.

Freshman mechanical engineering students will use the Siemens Solid Edge modeling software to get firsthand knowledge about the latest design techniques. Teamcenter software is a lifecycle management tool allowing students to link Microsoft Office products to the development of a solid object. Not only will this process verify if a designed part will fit into the finished product, but there will be documentation about important product requirements such as material type and loading condition. This saves time throughout the product design and development process, according to Chambers.

"The software provided will complete the suite of product life management tools and enable our students to leave Rose-Hulman with experiences on the forefront of industry product development," said Chambers.

The software grant will include NX software, the fully integrated computer-aided design, manufacturing and engineering analysis solution, and Teamcenter software, the world's most widely used digital lifecycle management solution. These additions complement Rose-Hulman's long-standing use of Siemens PLM Software's Solid Edge software, the most complete mainstream hybrid 2D/3D CAD system.

"Siemens PLM Software provides Rose-Hulman students access to PLM technology which otherwise would be out of reach for the academic community, giving students a distinct advantage by being able to use the same PLM technology widely used by leading multi-national manufacturing companies around the globe," says Bill Boswell, senior director of partner strategy for Siemens PLM Software. "The experience gained in the use of these tools better prepares students for today's highly competitive manufacturing jobs requiring full knowledge of modern technologies and tools."

Siemens is the world's single-source leader of automation technology products engineered and manufactured for all industrial sectors. ■