Siemens has provided Florida Institute of Technology with an in-kind software grant that will enable the university to offer students powerful, hands-on learning experiences to better equip them for future STEM careers.
The in-kind grant has a commercial value of more than $246 million. It is centered on Siemens’ industry-leading product lifecycle management (PLM) software, which is used by more than 150,000 companies around the world in the aerospace, automotive, medical device, machinery, shipbuilding and high-tech electronics sectors. More than 75 companies in Florida use the software, including Northrop Grumman, whose Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence is based in Melbourne.
These companies use Siemens’ PLM software – including Simcenter™ and NX™ software, the Teamcenter® portfolio and the Tecnomatix® portfolio – to design, develop and manufacture some of the world’s most sophisticated products, and Florida Tech students across the university’s colleges and programs will now be able to use the same programs.
“This is huge,” said Florida Tech President Dwayne McCay. “One of our guiding principles is to prepare students for a lifetime of success, and this grant will offer them the opportunity to learn the cutting-edge skills that will be essential for success in advanced manufacturing.”
The software will be incorporated into student coursework and projects related to computer-aided design, engineering simulation, industrial design, digital manufacturing and manufacturing management at Florida Tech’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovative Design (CAMID). Students in the College of Engineering & Computing and the College of Science will also use the PLM software for senior design projects, which simulate real-world applications of design and engineering principles.
Siemens’ PLM software will help students collaborate and realize their ideas by supplying accurate information as they move from design through performance engineering and manufacturing. Access to the software, combined with the mentoring offered by Northrop Grumman engineers, will provide students with invaluable learning experiences which could help enable them to tackle the most challenging projects with skill and confidence on “day one” of their first engineering job.
“Software is at the core of an ongoing digital transformation that is changing the way our customers approach the manufacturing process, from design to production into service,” said Tony Hemmelgarn, president and CEO of Siemens PLM Software. “Through our partnership with Florida Tech, we are helping empower the next generation of digital talent with access to valuable hands-on training with both software and hardware tools. This real-world, project-based learning will offer students the STEM skills they need to succeed in the digital future.”
The software will benefit students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the College of Engineering & Computing, for example, the software will be used in junior- and senior-level classes in mechanical engineering and bioengineering, as well as by student design teams such as Formula SAE. At the graduate level, the software will be used in the automotive engineering department.
“Having been an industry executive, I am keenly aware that industry needs graduates who are educated using the latest, sophisticated tools and methodologies so that these new employees can be immediately productive,” said Michael Grieves, executive director of CAMID and a University Research Professor. “This software grant will help make Florida Tech graduates highly attractive and move their resumes to the top of an employer’s list.”
Siemens has nearly 5,200 employees in the state of Florida spanning power generation, transmission and distribution, energy efficient buildings and infrastructure, medical imaging and healthcare diagnostics technologies. The company’s software and hardware solutions have helped automate processes and increase efficiency in areas ranging from manufacturing to city infrastructure, and even theme parks.
