LAUSR

Although composite materials are used in many industries nowadays, an educational tool for the design of laminated composite structures is missing in the literature. This study discusses the most important features that should exist in such a tool and, hence, presents the “Composite Analysis and Design Apps” (CADA) tool. To improve engineering students' design skills, engineering curricula should be supplemented with many design problems and course projects that focus on design, rather than analysis, of engineering components or systems. To incorporate more design problems into the curriculum of a senior undergraduate course on “mechanics and design of composite materials” in a more interesting way, an educational intervention, called the “Design Challenges,” is also presented in this study. The effect of using CADA in the Design Challenges to improve students' design skills is detailed. The study involved 21 mechanical engineering students who worked in 7 teams in each challenge. Performance of student teams in each challenge, student self‐reporting surveys, and students' performance in a design problem in the final exam were the three assessments evaluated. Assessment results proved that the Design Challenges were successful in increasing students' understanding and interest in the design of composite structures and improving their skills in tackling design problems. CADA also proved to be an effective and efficient tool for the analysis and design of thin composite laminates.