The Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vocational College, Universitas Gadjah Mada held an international guest lecture entitled “Exploring the Latest CAD/CAE Technologies: Essential Skills for Industry 4.0” on Thursday, 7 May 2026, from 07.30 to 09.15 AM Jakarta time. The lecture was conducted online and featured Dr. Kyaw Myo Aung from the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, Curtin University Malaysia.
The guest lecture discussed the latest developments in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), which play an increasingly important role in product design, simulation, and optimization in the Industry 4.0 era. In his presentation, Dr. Kyaw Myo Aung explained how engineering design and simulation tools can support more efficient design processes, reduce resource consumption, and improve engineering decision-making in industries such as automotive and aerospace.
In addition to conventional CAD and CAE applications, the speaker also highlighted the growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in engineering design and simulation tools. AI has the potential to accelerate simulation processes, support design evaluation, and improve engineers’ productivity. However, Dr. Kyaw Myo Aung emphasized that strong fundamental engineering knowledge, proper validation of simulation results, and continuous learning remain essential for future engineers.
The session also included an interactive discussion with students. Several questions addressed the budget constraints faced by small industries in adopting high-end software, the accuracy of CAE simulation results, geometry simplification in simulation, and the role of AI in reducing human error in engineering work. The speaker underlined that simulation results should be validated using reference data or physical experiments to ensure their reliability and responsible application in engineering practice.
Through this activity, students gained broader insights into the importance of CAD, CAE, simulation, and AI as essential competencies for responding to the needs of modern industries. The lecture also opened opportunities for further academic communication and collaboration, including technical consultation, student projects, and competitions in mechanical engineering, CAD, and CAE.
This international guest lecture supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, by providing students with access to international academic learning; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, by strengthening competencies in design, simulation, and industrial technology; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by fostering academic networking between the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vocational College UGM, and Curtin University Malaysia.