Advanced Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge
- Conference
- Location
-
Portland, Oregon
- Publication Date
-
June 23, 2024
- Start Date
-
June 23, 2024
- End Date
-
July 12, 2024
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
-
Manufacturing Division (MFG)
- Tagged Topic
-
Diversity
- Permanent URL
-
https://peer.asee.org/46523
Paper Authors
John L. Irwin Michigan Technological University
As Professor for Mechanical Engineering Technology at Michigan Technological University, Dr. Irwin teaches courses in Product Design & Development, Statics and Strength of Materials, Parametric Modeling, and Senior Design. Research interests include STEM
Suzy Gorospes Marzano Sr Manager of Industry Development, SME
Suzy Marzano is currently the Sr. Manager of Industry Development and Technical Activities at SME. Ms. Marzano joined SME in 2015 and has taken on numerous roles and responsibilities including the lead interface with SME Committees and Technical Communities targeted to domains: Manufacturing Research and Education, Accreditation, SME Peer-Reviewed Journals, Additive Manufacturing and Digital Manufacturing. Marzano is the SME liaison for ABET and oversees the program evaluation process for ABET Accredited programs in Manufacturing Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering Technology. Marzano leads Awards and Recognition programs, Career Development Forums, and experiential activities designed to inspire and attract the next generation of Manufacturing professionals. Prior to SME, Marzano worked for an Healthcare Information Management non profit developing professional development initiatives .
Ismail Fidan
Tennessee Technological University
orcid.org/0000-0002-4233-1049
Currently, Dr. Fidan serves as a Professor of the Department of Manufacturing and Engineering Technology at Tennessee Technological University. His research and teaching interests are in additive manufacturing, electronics manufacturing, distance learning.
Neil Littell Ohio University
Dr. W. Neil Littell is an Assistant Professor at Ohio University within the Russ College of Engineering in the department of Engineering Technology and Management. Dr. Littell earned a Doctorate of Philosophy in Instructional Systems and Workforce Develop
Abstract
The Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge, first published in 2011, has been undergoing a revision process to encompass the changing landscape of advanced manufacturing, such as incorporating Industry 4.0 concepts. In 2021, a sample population of manufacturing experts from industry, government, and the academy were surveyed from the SME (the Society of Manufacturing Engineers) database. The existing twelve blocks of knowledge were presented to those surveyed, with the option for the respondent to either keep, remove, or edit the topics in each. Suggestions for additional topics (missing elements) in each knowledge block were also collected in the survey.
After the completion of the survey and subsequent data analysis, an organized process was used to validate the suggested revisions to the knowledge blocks. Academic, industry, and government expert members from the SME Manufacturing Education and Accreditation Committee reviewed and distilled the survey results into a format to present to the manufacturing community for their input. Workshops were delivered at the 2023 ASEE, SME, and ATMAE conferences to provide feedback on the Four Pillar revisions. An interactive SME webpage was used to collect input from attendees of the conference workshops to refine the topics in each knowledge block further.
The initial survey, subsequent revisions, and a year-long validation process have resulted in an updated version of the Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge ready for dissemination. This revised version of the Four Pillars is aligned with the original purpose. It is intended to be used by industry and academia to represent the breadth and scope of manufacturing engineering based on accreditation criteria and SME Certification Body of Knowledge. Because this scope is a moving target, the intention is to continually revisit the topics in the knowledge blocks annually, considering the continuous input from manufacturing experts.
The revision process resulted in changes to eleven of the twelve knowledge blocks. The only knowledge block without changes was Mathematics and Science. The Automated Systems and Control knowledge block, renamed as Industry 4.0 and Automated Systems and Control, included the most revised topics with just two topics remaining unchanged. Process Design is another area that experienced major revisions with topics such as Digital Twin and Computer Aided Process Planning.
Overall, this paper presents the facts of the revised four foundational pillars of manufacturing engineering. By comprehensively exploring these pillars, we aim to provide a holistic understanding of the multifaceted nature of manufacturing engineering and its pivotal role in driving innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in modern industry. Through ongoing research and collaboration, we strive to further advance these pillars, contributing to the continual evolution and enhancement of manufacturing practices worldwide. The aim is for the Advanced Four Pillars to be a living document with periodic reviews to remain current.
Irwin, J. L., & Marzano, S. G., & Fidan, I., & Littell, N. (2024, June), Advanced Four Pillars of Manufacturing Knowledge Paper presented at 2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Portland, Oregon. https://peer.asee.org/46523
ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2024 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015