In partnership with Wichita State University, the two companies have cut the ribbon for the new Innovation Campus. Here students gain access to state of the art additive manufacturing facilities and Airbus and Dassault Systèmes expertise.

As of April 27th, the Innovation Campus at Wichita State University (WSU) is now open. The campus is the result of a two-year effort between WSU and Dassault Systèmes (Airbus joined the project later). The Innovation Campus aims to further innovation in aerospace.

Here, students at WSU will have the chance to work closely with professionals from both Airbus and Dassault Systèmes, who both have their own facilities onsite. There are, of course, many mutual benefits.

For example, students will work on real-life engineering projects and will have access to new additive manufacturing and design technologies. Conversely, the companies will have access to the university’s infrastructure and expanded facilities. Not to mention an endless pool of talented students already versed in the companies’ projects.

WSU President John Bardo explains:

“This is the beginning of a new era at Wichita State University—an opportunity for students to work alongside experienced professionals, gaining knowledge about the tools and processes used by industry. We see these partnerships as a model for future partnerships in areas such as business, education, health professions, arts and sciences.”

What Does the Innovation Center Include?

At some 120 acres, currently only a small fraction of this is operational. The companies’ dedicated buildings are just the beginning. A further 8 partnership buildings and other recreational facilities are to be built in the following years.

Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Center, located within the larger Experimental Engineering building, focuses on developing 3D production and visualization technologies. Key threads of research therein are on multi-robotic advanced manufacturing and on-demand certification as well as engineering new materials and multi-scale optimization, .

Michel Tellier, vice president of Aerospace and Defense Industry at Dassault Systèmes, said:

“Our partnership with Wichita State University is a model for how public institutions and businesses can work together for the advancement of new technologies. Our new 3DEXPERIENCE Center is going to help businesses solve today’s problems while training the workforce of tomorrow. The advanced manufacturing techniques, new materials research and 3D simulation innovations that are unveiled in this new facility will have an immediate impact on the aerospace industry, and will also be applicable to countless other industries across the world.”

Airbus relocated its Airbus Americas Wichita Engineering Center to the Innovation Campus. Some 300 employees clock in to the 90,000-square-foot facility. Here students at WSU participate in Airbus’ plans to get the radical new A350 XWB jet — which makes use of an ever growing roster of 3D printed parts — airborne.

Want to find out more? Visit the Innovation Campus website.

Source: Engineering.com