Investigation of PLM Utilities and Concepts in Engineering Curriculum: Challenges and Opportunities
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| Опубликовано в:: | ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (2025) |
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
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| Online-ссылка: | Citation/Abstract Full Text - PDF |
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| 045 | 2 | |b d20250101 |b d20251231 | |
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| 100 | 1 | |a Rowell, Frederick | |
| 245 | 1 | |a Investigation of PLM Utilities and Concepts in Engineering Curriculum: Challenges and Opportunities | |
| 260 | |b ProQuest Dissertations & Theses |c 2025 | ||
| 513 | |a Dissertation/Thesis | ||
| 520 | 3 | |a The implementation of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools and concepts in engineering education has gained increasing significance as manufacturing and engineering industry shifts towards digital engineering workflows to enhance collaboration, efficiency, and innovation. Despite its typical application in engineering industries, many mechanical engineering programs have not integrated PLM software into their curriculums. The Product Lifecycle Management Center (PLMC) at Clemson University offers PLM workshops and research opportunities to students. Despite these initiatives, PLM education remains largely extracurricular and is not fully incorporated into required coursework within the mechanical engineering curriculum. The objective of this thesis is to explore the role of PLM software utilities in the mechanical engineering program and to evaluate their effectiveness in equipping students with the necessary skills for their future careers. Through multiple case studies, including an undergraduate research project and senior capstone design courses, the studies assess the advantages and challenges of integrating PLM tools, such as an integrated computer-aided design (CAD) and product data management (PDM) system into the BSME degree.The research begins with an analysis of the evolution and importance of PLM tools in engineering design, emphasizing their impact on modern product development workflows and enterprise organization. A literature review highlights the growing use of PLM strategies in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors, showcasing their role in improving efficiency and data management. The research then investigates the current PLM educational offerings at Clemson University, including the PLMC and its role in providing student training, workshops, and industry collaborations. To address the gap of PLM educational opportunities in the ME curriculum, three case studies were conducted to analyze student engagement with PLM tools in different learning environments. The first case study involved the implementation of an integrated CAD/PDM system in an undergraduate research team’s design process to develop a digital twin of a tracked robotic vehicle. Observations from this study demonstrated the benefits of utilizing PLM software to improve collaborative design processes, enhance product data management, and increase design efficiency. The second and third case studies examined senior capstone design teams working on projects that included designing an aeronautical fixture for drag force measurement and a small-scale wind turbine. Two teams were required to use an integrated CAD/PDM system, while the other teams were allowed to use software of their choosing. Weekly student surveys, various design reviews, and prototype performance evaluations provided insights into the impact of PLM tools on student collaboration, design creativity and quality, and software learning curves.Findings from the research projects indicate that while PLM tools facilitate improved collaboration, structured data management, and streamlined workflows, the complexity of PLM systems presents an initial learning curve that can hinder design efficiency. Student teams utilizing the integrated CAD/PDM system spent additional time learning the software, which slowed their design progress. In contrast, teams using familiar software demonstrated higher productivity throughout the capstone design course, resulting in better final designs and prototypes. The study concludes that embedding PLM education within the core mechanical engineering curriculum, rather than relying on optional extracurricular opportunities, would better prepare students for careers in industries that require digital engineering tools. Recommendations include the introduction of required coursework covering PLM concepts, early exposure to integrated CAD/PDM systems in foundational engineering courses, and an industry-university-vendor consortium to streamline feedback between the different PLM stakeholders. These findings contribute to the broader discussion on digital engineering education and provide a framework for integrating PLM tools more effectively into undergraduate engineering programs. | |
| 653 | |a Computer aided design--CAD | ||
| 653 | |a Product development | ||
| 653 | |a Computer aided engineering--CAE | ||
| 653 | |a Engineering | ||
| 653 | |a Education | ||
| 773 | 0 | |t ProQuest Dissertations and Theses |g (2025) | |
| 786 | 0 | |d ProQuest |t ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global | |
| 856 | 4 | 1 | |3 Citation/Abstract |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3255315383/abstract/embedded/09EF48XIB41FVQI7?source=fedsrch |
| 856 | 4 | 0 | |3 Full Text - PDF |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3255315383/fulltextPDF/embedded/09EF48XIB41FVQI7?source=fedsrch |