Triple-benefit Engineering Education: Solving Real-World Durability Issues in Lifting Mechanisms Through Multidisciplinary University-Industry Collaboration
Autor(es):
William Manjud Maluf Filho, Victor de Faria Rezende, Mohammad Hossein Shaterzadeh Yazdi, Vinicius Kaster Marini, Marcelo Augusto Leal Alves
Data:
2025
Palavras-chave:
Keywords:
Collaborative design education, additive manufacturing, finite element method, industry- academia partnership, human-centred engineering solution
DOI:
10.35199/EPDE.2025.91
Abstract:
This technical paper discusses the involvement of engineering student in industrial problem-solving
within a collaborative project involving Brazilian universities and a manufacturer of lifting and transport
equipment. The company was facing durability issues in one of its key products, which motivated its
management to search for academic support to address the fatigue durability problem. The project
involved the guidance of four professors from 3 different academic institutions to a Mechanical
Engineering student selected to participate in the research project in an extra-class regime applying
concepts from Design Methodology, Machine Elements, Solid Mechanics, and, more specifically, the
Finite Element Method. These knowledge areas provided the foundation so that the student would be
enabled to diagnose and mitigate the root causes of the durability problem. CAD and CAE software
were employed as tools for modelling the components, performing structural analysis, and following it
up with structural optimisation, leading to an effective solution that met the company's needs. Once the
proposed solution was implemented by the equipment manufacturer, the problem expertise was
integrated by the research team into the Machine Elements coursework as a way to reinforce the learning
experience for Mechanical Engineering students. Students participating in this coursework were then
challenged to solve the problem and encouraged to fabricate scaled prototypes using additive
manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing. This approach enabled a deeper understanding of design
concepts, enhancing spatial awareness and comprehension of three-dimensional vector phenomena,
while promoting problem-based learning and the practical application of theoretical knowledge.