Fall/Winter 2007

Gift to engineering creates collaboration to benefit many

Parsons Corporation, headquartered in Pasadena, Calif., and a leader in many diverse markets including infrastructure, transportation, water telecommunications, and aviation, recently partnered with the School of Engineering and Applied Science to create a Rapid Prototyping and Fabrication Lab (RPFL).

The RPFL can be used for design review, mock-ups, fit testing, creating patterns for casting applications, new designs and concepts. Housed in the new School of Engineering and Applied Science building, this lab will expand the collaboration between engineering, manufacturing and the Interactive Media Studies Program (IMS), and bring it to levels that did not exist prior to the creation of the RPFL.

"The most significant piece of equipment in the RPFL is a three-dimensional printer that makes real physical models from CAD or other design media," said Bob Smith, senior vice president, Technology and Fabrication of Parsons Corporation. "This is done using the Z corporation 'Z510' prototyping printer that puts down successive layers of material to build a three-dimensional model from a series of cross sections. The primary advantage of this piece of equipment is its ability to create real physical models in almost any shape or geometric feature."

Miami students with access to the RPFL will gain skills in the areas of visualization and rapid fabrication. Both areas are of increasing importance to corporations and industry. An integral aspect of many companies, the rapid prototyping process is key to future product success as was seen recently with the Motorola V70 phone.

"With the increasing demands world-wide for talented, trained, and educated engineering students, this collaborative partnership is seen as a win-win for Parsons and Miami students alike," said Smith.