Course No.
Course Outline
1.
1.1.
Course Outline
Course Description
This course provides hands on experience on how modern technologies improve the product
development cycle. Today’s product design and manufacturing companies are faced with increased
competition and growing market demands. To ensure the companies and products are successful digital
prototyping methods are used to gain an advantage and produce better products.
The course will focus on the different stages of the product development cycle with a consistent workshop
projects used throughout. The course starts with the ideation initial phase of development and concludes
with producing technical publications of the product for marketing and support. Each segment of the
course will contain lectures that illustrate the market demands and relationships of the product
development cycle. Company case studies and live demonstrations on how the modern Autodesk
applications help companies develop better products will also be used during the lecture sessions.
Throughout the 16-week course the modern Digital Prototyping applications from Autodesk will be used
by the students to complete team projects and individual tasks. The primary projects for the course will
be to redesign and make improvements to an existing automotive seat product for an upcoming new
vehicle model as shown below.
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 1 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
1.2.
Applications Used
The following Autodesk applications will be used during the course:






Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2012
Autodesk Alias Design 2012 (Files used and discussed but not used hands-on)
Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012
Autodesk Showcase 2012
Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012
Autodesk Inventor Publisher 2012
Note: Autodesk Inventor Publisher 2012 is not included in the Autodesk Education Master Suite.
1.3.
Course Schedule
This course will be held during the _____ semester starting the week of August 27, 2012. The course
will meet once a week on Thursdays and concludes in December 2012. Each week the following
sessions will be hosted:



Lecture = 8:30 am – 10:20 am
Cluster Lab Time = 10:30 am – 1:20 pm (3 Sessions)
Professor Office Hours = TBD
The course is a total of 16-weeks with the following weekly schedule:
















August 30, 2012 =
September 6, 2012 =
September 13, 2012 =
September 20, 2012 =
September 27, 2012 =
October 4, 2012 =
October 11, 2012 =
October 18, 2012 =
October 25, 2012 =
November 1, 2012 =
November 8, 2012 =
November 15, 2012 =
November 22, 2012 =
November 29, 2012 =
December 6, 2012 =
December 13, 2012 =
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
(Session 1)
(Session 2)
(Session 3)
(Session 4)
(Session 5)
(Session 6)
(Session 7)
(Session 8 - Team group project #1 presentations)
(Session 9)
(Session 10)
(Session 11)
(Session 12)
(No Class Thanksgiving)
(Session 13)
(Session 14)
(Session 15 - Team group project #2 presentations)
Page 2 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
1.4.
Course Session Details
Outline below are the topics and applications covered per each weekly sessions.
Section 1: Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Session 1 = Ideation & Conceptual Design

Lecture Session Topics
o Overall course introduction summary and schedule
o Elements of design
o Product development cycle overview
o Market demands and trends for products
o Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) overview
o Ideation and conceptual design phase introduction
o Live Demonstration (Automotive Seat Design)
 Determine Product Requirements
 Conceptual Thumb Nail Sketches
 Theme Selection
 Conceptual Renderings

Applications Used
o Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o Introduction projects to SketchBook Design application
o Design new seat with conceptual sketches and renderings (PS1)
Session 2 = Product Engineering – Component Design Part 1

Lecture Session Topics
o Product Design Phase – Part 1
o The evolution of CAD
o Benefits of Digital Prototype Design
o General 3D Design Concepts
o Live Demonstration (Component Design Basics)
 Autodesk Inventor User Interface
 Sketching Part 1
 Basic Part Modeling
 Work Features
 Part Features

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o Introduction projects to Autodesk Inventor
o Model basic component (PS2)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 3 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 3 = Product Engineering - Component Design Part 2

Lecture Session Topics
o Product Design Phase – Part 2
o Design for manufacturing introduction
o Designing styled components
o Live Demonstration (Styled Component Design)
 Surfacing
 Plastic Part Features
 Advanced Fillets
 SketchBook Designer Curve Complex Shape

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General component design projects for Autodesk Inventor
o Design new automotive seat complex component (PS3)
Session 4 = Product Engineering - Assembly Structure and Design

Lecture Session Topics
o Quiz from Session 1 - 3 (18 Multiple Choice Questions – 2 Modeling Questions)
o Product Design Phase – Part 3
o Top Down and Bottom Up Design Methods
o Manufacturing and Engineering Bill of Materials (BOMs)
o Team and Collaborative Based Design
o Live Demonstration (Automotive Seat Assembly)
 Assembly Environment
 Constraints
 Standard Components
 Designing for Change in Context

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General assembly projects for Autodesk Inventor
o Assembly of sub assembly within automotive seat (PS4)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 4 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 5 = Product Engineering – Design Changes and Automation

Lecture Session Topics
o Turn in first phase of team project 1 (Conceptual Design and Requirements)
o Designing for change
o Automating the design and configurations
o Live Demonstration (Automotive seat switches and drive gear)
 Parameters
 Engineering Calculators
 iLogic
 Model Relationships
o Team project 1 assignment and lineup

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General engineering calculators and rule based design project for Autodesk Inventor
o Implementation of design changes and rules for a robotic arm used for automating
manufacturing processes (PS5)
Session 6 = Product Engineering - Documentation (Drawings)

Lecture Session Topics
o Design Documentation Requirements
o Importance and Benefits of design documentation
o When do you need documentation and when do you not
o Drawing Requirements (Detailed Drawings & Assembly Drawings)
o Live Demonstration (Drawing and Annotation of Seat Components)
 Sheet Setup
 View Creation
 Annotation Types
 Annotation Placement
o Turn in first phase of team project 1 (Conceptual Design and Requirements)

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General drawing creation projects for Autodesk Inventor
o Manufacturing drawing creation for automotive seat components (PS6)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 5 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 7 = Visualization Extending Design Data

Lecture Session Topics
o Quiz from Session 4 - 6 (18 Multiple Choice Questions – 2 Modeling Questions)
o Turn in second phase of team project 1 (Initial Design Models)
o Design visualization throughout product development
o Benefits of design visualization
o Utilizing Engineering Data Throughout Organization
o Live Demonstration (Automotive seat design selection)
 Design approval
 Fabric selection
 Sales and Marketing image support
 Plastic Part Visualization

Applications Used
o Autodesk Showcase 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o Autodesk Showcase design visualization of automotive seat
o Group team project #1 assignment
Session 8 = Team Project #1 Presentation

Each three person team presents their final design and visualizations to group. (5-10 min Each)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 6 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Section 2: Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE)
Session 9 = Simulation & Validation - Linear Structural Analysis

Lecture Session Topics
o Review of first 8 sessions
o Overview of second half of course
o The role of simulation and validation part 1
o The benefits of simulation part 1
o General FEA Linear Theory and Requirements
o Live Demonstration (Automotive plastic/metal component)
 Meshing, Loads, Constraints
 Basic Part Level FEA
 Part Optimization
 General Materials
 Linear Structural Analysis

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General linear component analysis project for Autodesk Inventor Professional.
o Automotive single component simulation and validation (PS7)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 7 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 10 = Simulation & Validation - Nonlinear Structural Analysis

Lecture Session Topics
o The role of simulation and validation part 2
o The benefits of simulation part 2
o General FEA Nonlinear Theory and Requirements
o Live Demonstration (Automotive seat loading requirements validation)
 Meshing
 Advanced Material properties
 Contact types
 Result Reviews

Applications Used
o Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General nonlinear analysis project for Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics.
o Automotive seat plastic part snap fit study (PS8)
Session 11 = Simulation & Validation - Kinematics Motion

Lecture Session Topics
o Kinematics role in simulation and optimization
o Theory and Benefits
o Kinematics requirements
o Live Demonstration (Automotive Seat frame or handle release assembly study)
 Joints
 Forces
 Assembly structure
 Results

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012
o Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General mechanical kinematics motion projects
o Automotive power adjustment frame study (PS9)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 8 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 12 = Simulation & Validation - Mechanical Event

Lecture Session Topics
o Quiz from Sessions 9 - 11
o Benefits of combining analysis information
o Design Optimization
o Live Demonstration (Automotive seat frame design optimization)
 Motion forces
 Component FEA from motion forces
 Design optimization
 Results
o Team project 2 assignment and lineup

Applications Used
o Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General mechanical event simulation project for Autodesk Inventor and Simulation
Multiphysics.
o Automotive conceptual design study (PS10)
Break Assignment = Design Optimization and Change

No Lecture

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Professional 2012
o Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General design optimization and change workflow projects
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 9 of 10
Course No.
Course Outline
Session 13 = Simulation & Validation - CFD Analysis

Lecture Session Topics
o Turn in first phase of team project 2 (Project Requirements and Goals)
o The role of CFD within the product design cycle
o CFD Analysis General Theory
o Benefits of CFD simulation
o Live Demonstration (Automotive airflow around seat or lumbar value)
 Model Setup
 Meshing
 Fluid Flow Loads
 Analysis Results

Applications Used
o Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General CFD analysis project for Autodesk Simulation Multiphysics.
o Fluid flow through a valve study (PS11)
Session 14 = Manufacturing and Service

Lecture Session Topics
o Quiz from Sessions 12, 13 & Break Assignment
o Turn in second phase of team project 2 (Initial Design Insights)
o Leveraging engineering data throughout the organization
o Benefits for field service and manufacturing
o Live Demonstration (Automotive side assembly instructions)
 Story Board
 Annotations and Descriptions
 Snapshots
 Assembly instruction video

Applications Used
o Autodesk Inventor Publisher 2012

Problem Set / Homework Assignment (Cluster / Lab Hours)
o General project on Automotive seat assembly for Autodesk Inventor publisher
o Group team project #2 assignment
Session 15 = Team Project #2 Presentation

Each three person team presents their final design and visualizations to group. (5-10 min Each)
Introduction to CAD/CAE Tools
Page 10 of 10