Issues when using company sponsored projects to provide a design experience for students

Students must learn about and understand engineering design processes (EDP). To do this, one must both study and understand the design “theory” and then practice designing. The structured descriptions of the design processes provide the student with a clear “roadmap” of the intricacies and complexities of the design processes. Pahl and Beitz (1988), Wallace (1991) and Hubka & Eder (1988) all provide useful descriptions of design processes. The “practicing” of design can be done in many ways. The instructor can use case studies, can make up competitive projects, projects with construction required, projects where the paper report is the “product”, use industrial projects, etc. The many different types of engineering design projects were discussed at the 1989 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference. Four issues which arise when utilizing industrially sponsored projects in design courses are discussed