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Session 3247

Integrating Design and Manufacturing Concepts to Strengthen Advanced Technological Education Programs Joseph C. Chen and Jacob Chen Department of Industrial Education and Technology Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011

Abstract

Recent changes in the global business environment dictate the need for engineering technicians to obtain new skills in design-for-manufacturability, computer-aided design, teamwork, and communication. In addition, there is a significant workforce shortage of engineering technicians across the U.S., and particularly in the Midwest.

As part of a three-year Advanced Technical Education (ATE) project granted by the National Science Foundation (NSF), this project focuses on improving the way that the aforementioned topics are taught in community college manufacturing education programs. It also focuses on increasing the pool of qualified applicants to these programs. Four flexible course modules and instructor-training materials were developed for integration into a wide range of existing curricula. These modules integrate design for manufacturability (DFM), teamwork skills (including communication skills) and parametric solid modeling (PSM) content to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of instruction in these areas.

The modules were formed through the following three-year procedure: conceptualization, creation, pilot-testing, modification, field-testing, and evaluation. Different evaluation tools were created during the procedure, including instructor lesson surveys, student lesson surveys, student satisfaction surveys, knowledge tests in each subject area, teamwork skill evaluations, PSM skill evaluations, DFM skill evaluations, mental rotation tests (to test students’ spatial visualization skills), and an overall satisfaction survey. By and large, the evaluation results proved the effectiveness and usefulness of the curriculum. This project will produce larger numbers of better-prepared workers who will contribute to a more competitive U.S. manufacturing industry. The eventual impact on students is a heightened awareness of the interaction between design and manufacturing and of the skills needed to effectively operate in a team environment.

Introduction

In many community college manufacturing programs, the introductory manufacturing design course is one of the most important courses. It is required for all students majoring in manufacturing in the community college, and it is usually among the first technical classes students ever take in their college study. It is the foundation for many other design and manufacturing classes. As such, the students’ experience in the introductory manufacturing design course impacts their academic performance throughout their degree Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition 1 Copyright© 2004, American Society for Engineering Education

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Chen, J., & Chen, J. (2004, June), Integrating Design And Manufacturing Concepts To Strengthen Advanced Technological Education Programs Paper presented at 2004 Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--12699