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Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Education Project

Abstract

The Aerospace manufacturing industry segment is facing problems of a “graying” workforce. In addition they face the challenges of increasing productivity and integrating new materials accentuating the need to attract new engineers to the manufacturing workplace.

This paper describes a project funded by the National Science Foundation to examine the changing needs of the aerospace manufacturing industries, and to develop curricula materials to address those needs. These materials will be in the public domain and fit into existing engineering and manufacturing technology programs. The project is a joint venture between El Camino College, Wichita Area Technical College, Oregon Institute of Technology and Purdue University, and is supported by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman Corp., Bell Helicopter, Lockheed Martin Corp., and other leading aerospace companies.

The first phase of this project involved conducting interviews with new manufacturing engineers and their mangers, and results of these interviews are included.

Introduction

El Camino College, Wichita Area Technical College, Oregon Institute of Technology, and Purdue University have joined with leading aerospace manufacturing companies and professional societies to develop model curricula materials for manufacturing technicians and engineers working in the aerospace industry. This effort is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). These curricula will cover the gamut of the needs for manufacturing technologists in the aerospace industry and will also provide a common fluency in aerospace manufacturing procedures, processes, and terminology. The need for a pool of skilled technology workers in this industry is highlighted by the aging of the existing workforce and demands for increased manufacturing efficiency with an increasingly complex product. The civilian and military aerospace industries share some common problems thereby making this a national problem. This project brings together United States aerospace companies representing over 85% of the workers employed in this segment, four of the leading academic institutions involved in training and education of manufacturing technologists, and one of the leading professional societies serving this segment of industry. In addition, many leading international suppliers of equipment and services to the industry have pledged their support.

A proposal to fund this project was submitted to NSF under the Advanced Technological Education program. The proposal was not funded, but the project team was encouraged to immediately submit a planning grant to further develop the proposal. A planning grant was awarded under the same proposal number in August 2005, leading to a revised proposal which was funded for 3 years beginning in 2006.

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Anderson, J. (2007, June), Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Education Project Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2845