Clemson University has received the largest in-kind grant in its history from global technology company Siemens with $357 million in software.
The software will be incorporated into student coursework and projects related to computer-aided-design, engineering simulation, industrial design, digital manufacturing and manufacturing management in Clemson’s College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.
“Preparing students to be highly competitive in the 21st century global economy is a central part of Clemson’s mission, and this new partnership with Siemens will provide our students with access to cutting-edge technical tools that can make them even more attractive to future employers – especially many of the world-class, advanced manufacturing companies operating in South Carolina,” Clemson President James P. Clements said in a statement.
The software will be used in junior and senior level classes in the mechanical engineering and bioengineering departments, as well as by competitive teams at Clemson, such as Formula SAE. At the graduate level, the software also will be used in the automotive engineering department.
Joerg Schulte, manager of BMW Liaison Office for Research and Innovation and adjunct professor, teaches automotive manufacturing, a required class for all master’s students in Clemson’s automotive engineering program. The class project, to design a production plant for a fictitious company, challenges the students to apply what they have learned in a simulated, yet realistic setting.
“We can’t build that up in reality,” Schulte said in a press release. “Without this software, it wouldn’t be possible for the students to really get to the detail of what it means to run a production system – from how many stations you need to what kind of cycle time each station has, to how the manufacturing plant works with suppliers.”
Approximately 500 Siemens employees work throughout South Carolina. With more than 300 employees, Siemens’ Energy Management location in Spartanburg serves as a key U.S. manufacturing hub.
Siemens designs and manufactures smart grid and energy automation technology, power supply for industrial plants, and high-voltage transmission systems.
