A local distributor of PTC`s software solutions has donated 500 seats of Pro/Engineer, a 3D design software for the manufacturing and engineering sectors, to the University of Cape Town (UCT).
The software is distributed locally by productONE.
It is designed for use by students studying mechanical engineering, industrial design and product design. Institutions using the software pay a R5 000 annual fee for training lectures.
Professor Steve Marais, mechanical engineering lecturer, says UCT is using the Pro/Engineer software for the mechanical engineering students` curriculum from first year up to their final year of study.
"The university mechanical engineering department previously used two rival CAD/3D systems but the licensing costs had become too expensive," says Marais.
Dayne Turbitt, productONE MD, says the programme will allow local universities to teach engineering and product development using the same software used by thousands of companies worldwide for the development of products.
"It is a shame that in an environment where we suffer from a lack of skilled engineers, we as software companies are too short-sighted to invest in the youth," says Turbitt.
Other local learning institutions provided with the Pro/Engineer software include KwaZulu-Natal University, University of Johannesburg, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Technikon, Vaal Technikon and the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein.
Marais expects students who have completed the course to be able to handle complex designs and ultimately come up with drawings that can be sent to a workshop for making a prototype.
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