Why Students Should Learn Systems Engineering

LMS Amesim Student edition comes with lots of guidance to teach systems engineering. (Image courtesy of Siemens.)

Engineering students now have access to Siemens’ LMS Imagine.Lab Amesim system simulation software.

Although the software traditionally targets OEM suppliers in the automotive and aerospace industries, students will be able to get a good handle on Amesim while completing their education.

For instance, many students cap off their engineering education with senior design projects. By using Amesim’s model-based system engineering, these students will be able to quickly sift through the ideas, performance designs and intelligent systems associated with their projects.

As industry is moving towards multidisciplinary designs, the importance of the systems engineer is due to increase. As a result, learning a model-based systems engineering software, such as Amesim, is in a budding engineer’s best interests.

How Students Use Amesim’s Model-Based Systems Engineering Software

Students will be able to pick from a library of validated 1D simulations to represent the components in their system-level designs. This library of simulations will help to reduce the time needed to model these complex systems without the need to program. The library contains multidomain system models for mechanical, signal, hydraulic, pneumatic, thermal and electronic components.

Library of multidomain system models available to students to reduce programming. (Image courtesy of Siemens.)

The true benefit of validated simulation libraries is that is gives the students the time to focus more on optimizing their system as opposed to creating it.

If a component doesn’t exist in the library, however, then the student will need to create their own using Amesim’s open platform. Some scripting tools supported by Amesim include:

Modelica
MATLAB
Python
Visual Basic Application
Scilab

Once the model is built, students will be able to create animations, test methods and other digital representations to assess and optimize their designs. With these analysis tools, students can better predict the behavior and performance of their designs or fine-tune the model for more accurate time studies.

Some of these analysis tools include:

Linear analysis
Power and energy calculations
Batch runs
Plotting facilities
Dashboards

As the model becomes more fleshed out, the students will be able to connect third-party software that will be able to take a more in-depth look at the parts simulated in their system. This is often known as cosimulation. Using computer-aided engineering tools, students can perform 2D or 3D simulations of individual parts and link the results to the Amesim model. This will help to create a more accurate representation of their design.

For guidance through systems engineering concepts, students will have access to LMS Amesim’s tutorials, demos and other interactive educational content. This content will also act as a good spring board to teach students about systems engineering.

For engineering departments interested in adding Amesim to their curriculum, they might want to consider the LMS Imagine.Lab Amesim Educational Bundle.

For the student version of the software, follow this link.