University of Detroit Mercy makes dreams come true with CATIA
Designing with CATIA is always a rewarding experience, but engineering students at the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) get to see the benefits of their work up close and personal, in the grateful smiles of disabled persons who benefit from the products they design. The UDM program to design assistive solutions for disabled persons helps students learn the intricacies of state-of-the-art design with CATIA while they develop designs that literally change their clients’ lives.
The program, a joint effort between the UDM College of Engineering and Science and medical experts from its College of Health Professions, pairs budding mechanical designers with clients seeking assistive devices so specialized they cannot be produced at affordable prices commercially. Students therefore get the opportunity to design one-of-a-kind solutions and fill a critical market niche.
Mechanical engineering professors Drs. Darrell Kleinke and Nassif Rayess conceived and lead the program, known as Using Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD). Designs completed by the undergraduate students to date include a modification to add a toddler seat to a wheelchair, allowing the parent to transport and tend the child while seated; a crib modification to allow wheelchair access by elevating the crib and sliding the gate side to side rather than up and down; and an interchangeable table accessory for power wheelchairs. The designs are custom-built by local craftsmen who volunteer their time, and plans are available free to anyone through the program’s website.
Kleinke and Rayess say the program helps students develop design skills and gain meaningful, lifelong experience by directly aiding individuals with disabilities. “RAPD really makes engineering come alive for our students,” Kleinke says. “We call it putting faces on design.”
Rayess says the program is a popular draw for students. “There are a lot of students who like mechanical engineering, but not necessarily things with wheels and engines,” he says. “It particularly resonates with female students.”
Mark Fazi, an undergraduate in the program, says RAPD has given him a chance to put all of his studies to practical, hands-on use with CATIA, the state-of-the-art 3D virtual product design solution used by employers throughout the Detroit area and beyond. “With CATIA, we can model up exactly what we talk with our clients about and give our craftsman everything they need to build it right the first time,” Fazi says. “With visual images that look like photographs, you get a really good idea of what a part will look like in real life, and the human modeling tools in CATIA let us design projects and adjust them just right for realistic use by our clients.”
“To me, childcare is about doing the tasks and parenting is about the moments I spend with my children,” says Tammy Rayess, a disabled mother of two and trained occupational therapist who is benefiting from a UDM-designed wheelchair that allows her to carry two children simultaneously. “By removing the obstacles to childcare, this equipment helped me concentrate on parenting and enjoy the moments with my children.”
Kelsey Kleimola, who received a modified crib, says the design helps her care for her son. “The height on the crib is perfect, making it easy to pull my chair up as close as necessary to reach him. This takes a huge weight off my shoulders, as I no longer have to worry about how I will care for him when my husband is not home.”
Kleinke says knowing that the program designs items specifically for parents with critical needs is a moving experience. “If I had my druthers,
I would keep doing this the rest of my life,” he says.
To get more information, sample plans, or nominate a project for
the program, please visit: http://enablingtechnologies.udmercy.edu
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