In the second largest in-kind corporate contribution ever received by New Mexico State University (NMSU), Siemens PLM Software has granted the NMSU College of Engineering software valued at $27.5 million.

The in-kind grant will provide advanced hands-on training. The range of software includes Teamcenter, Tecnomatix, NX and Solid Edge, which cover digital manufacturing, product development and CAD, respectively.

"We will incorporate the use of this software into the industrial engineering curriculum," says Edward Pines, head of the NMSU industrial engineering department. "It will also be used by mechanical engineering students for senior design courses and possibly some graduate research projects.

"The software will essentially allow students to research manufacturing processes, such as how do you make a part, how do you assemble a product, what is the best way to design a plant," Pines says. "We anticipate that our graduates will be more competitive in the global marketplace due to their experience with this state-of-the-art technology."

The award was made via the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE), a joint philanthropic initiative of General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, Siemens PLM Software and Sun Microsystems. Since 1999, this group has supported academic institutions worldwide with computer-based engineering tools to prepare mechanical designers, engineers and analysts.

"Siemens PLM Software provides NMSU access to PLM technology, which otherwise would be out of reach for the academic community, giving students a distinct advantage by being able to use the same PLM technology widely-used by leading multi-national manufacturing companies around the globe," says Rich Ramsey, vice president, Partners & Components, Siemens PLM Software. "The experience gained in the use of these tools better prepares students for today's highly-competitive manufacturing jobs requiring full knowledge of modern technologies and tools."