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Use of Virtual Reality Tools in an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Course

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Conference

2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Columbus, Ohio

Publication Date

June 24, 2017

Start Date

June 24, 2017

End Date

June 28, 2017

Conference Session

Programming, Virtual Reality, and Dynamic Systems

Tagged Division

Mechanical Engineering

Page Count

11

DOI

10.18260/1-2--29067

Permanent URL

https://peer.asee.org/29067

Download Count

1362

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Paper Authors

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Zaker Ali Syed Clemson University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-1842-0807

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Zaker Syed is a graduate student at Clemson University working towards his Ph.D. in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is part of the mechanical team with the Center for Aviation and Automotive Engineering Education using Virtual E-Schools (CAAVES) at Clemson University.

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Tianwei Wang Clemson University

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Dr. Wang is with the Mechanical Engineering Department, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 USA

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Kristin Kelly Frady Clemson University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0002-4194-8848

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Kris Frady is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Educational and Organizational Leadership and Development and Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University and Faculty Director for Clemson University Center for Workforce Development (CUCWD) and the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Center for Aviation and Automotive Technological Education using Virtual E-Schools (CA2VES). Her research and experiences include implementation of digital learning solutions, development of career pathways including educator professional development, and analysis of economic development factors impacting education and workforce development.
Kris earned an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in Education Technology from the University of Florida and also holds business and teaching degrees from Clemson University and the University of South Carolina. Kris has previously worked as a professional corporate trainer, as an instructor at a two-year institution, and as a career and technology education teacher at the high school level. Kris and the CUCWD/CA2VES team aim to develop an exchange which will help identify, understand, and elevate best practices; facilitate peer learning and deepen knowledge; spark replication and advancement across regions; and inform long-term public investment in talent development through research and educational resources.

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Kapil Chalil Madathil Clemson University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0001-8938-9793

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Dr. Kapil Chalil Madathil’s area of expertise is in applying the knowledge base of human factors engineering to the design and operation of human-computer systems that involve rich interactions among people and technology. His research covers the entire spectrum of system design: from identifying the user needs to designing and developing systems that inform and motivate user behavior and empirically evaluating the efficacy of these interventions. He draws on qualitative and quantitative methodologies including ethnography, contextual inquiry, surveys and controlled behavioral experiments to understand how humans perceive, make sense of, and interact with complex human-machine systems.

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Jeff Bertrand

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Rebecca S. Hartley Clemson University

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Rebecca Hartley has spent the past eighteen years working in higher education administration in the areas of undergraduate admissions, graduate admissions, academic records, and student affairs. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University. Prior to joining the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development as the Director of Pathways, she served as Director of Graduate Admissions & Records at the University of Montevallo in Alabama. Her research interest and expertise focuses on citizen public opinion as it relates to federal and state public policy. Additionally, her research focus includes how outside political interests affect policy agendas and specifically policy implementation. She currently serves as the Director of Operations for the Clemson University Center for Workforce Development and the Chief Workforce Officer for the American Robotics for Manufacturing Institute.

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John R. Wagner P.E. Clemson University

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JOHN WAGNER joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Clemson in 1998. He holds B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo and Purdue University. Dr. Wagner was previously on the engineering staff at Delphi Automotive Systems and Delphi Delco Electronics (formerly Delco Electronics as a subsidiary of General Motors Hughes Electronics) designing automotive control systems. His research interests include nonlinear and intelligent control systems, dynamic system modeling, diagnostic and prognostic strategies, and mechatronic system design with application to turbines and automobiles. He has developed the multi-disciplinary Rockwell Automation Mechatronics Educational Laboratory which features hands-on robotic, programmable logic controller, electronic, and material handling experiments. He is a past Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control and IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics, respectively. Dr. Wagner is a licensed Professional Engineer and Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

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Anand K. Gramopadhye Clemson University

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Dr. Anand K. Gramopadhye’s research focuses on solving human-machine systems design problems and modeling human performance in technologically complex systems such as health care, aviation and manufacturing. He has more than 200 publications in these areas, and his research has been funded by NIH, NASA, NSF, FAA, DOE, and private companies.
Currently, he and his students at the Advanced Technology Systems Laboratory are pursuing cutting-edge research on the role of visualization and virtual reality in aviation maintenance, hybrid inspection and job-aiding, technology to support STEM education and, more practically, to address information technology and process design issues related to delivering quality health care.
As the Department Chair, he has been involved in the initiation of programmatic initiatives that have resulted in significant growth in the Industrial Engineering Program, situating it in the forefront both nationally and internationally. These include the Online Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering Program, the Endowed Chairs Program in Industrial Engineering, Human Factors and Ergonomics Institute and the Clemson Institute for Supply Chain and Optimization and the Center for Excellence in Quality.
For his success, he has been recognized by the NAE through the Frontiers in Engineering Program, and he has received the College’s Collaboration Award and the McQueen Quattlebaum Award, which recognizes faculty for their outstanding research. In addition, Dr. Gramopadhye serves as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics and on the editorial board for several other journals.

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Abstract

The demand for highly skilled engineers in the global manufacturing industry continues to rise as technology grows ever more complex. The advent of networked computerized machines requires a level of technical competence that integrates theory and practical expertize. The industry expects its entry level graduates to have a thorough understanding of the basic manufacturing concepts and experience with handling common equipment and processes. This paradigm presents a challenge as university programs may lack modern equipment and curriculum space for laboratory credit hours. Virtual Reality (VR) can counter this impasse since it is relatively inexpensive and can be modified to meet the demands of an ever changing industry. Using VR, instructors can demonstrate manufacturing processes visually and also tutor students on how to handle the equipment in an industry setting. The Center for Aviation and Automotive Engineering Education using Virtual E-Schools (CA2VES), in collaboration with Center for Workforce Development (CWD), at Clemson University has assembled an online repository of virtual reality based teaching supplements for instructors at technical colleges and universities for preparing students in the aviation, automotive and manufacturing engineering fields. To study the effectiveness of the prepared material, a pilot study was conducted at Clemson University in the manufacturing processes junior level course. The analysis shows that there was a significant increase in the student performance since the material was implemented. The instructor and teaching assistant stated that the students were more confident in handling equipment and understood the processes better. However, one concern is the student participation level as the materials are optional in the class.

Syed, Z. A., & Wang, T., & Frady, K. K., & Chalil Madathil, K., & Bertrand, J., & Hartley, R. S., & Wagner, J. R., & Gramopadhye, A. K. (2017, June), Use of Virtual Reality Tools in an Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Manufacturing Course Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--29067

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