Developing Additive Manufacturing Laboratory to Support Instruction and Research in Engineering Technology

Mert Bal; Ayodele O. Abatan

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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: ETD Manufacturing/3D Printing
Tagged Division: Engineering Technology
Tagged Topic: Diversity
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--28137
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/28137
Download Count: 808

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Paper Authors

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Mert Bal Miami University

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Mert Bal received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus in 2008.
He was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the University of Western Ontario, and a Visiting Researcher at the National Research Council Canada in London, Ontario, Canada between 2008 and 2010. He was involved in various research projects in the areas of collaborative intelligence, localization and collaborative information processing in wireless sensor networks, intelligent agents, agent-based manufacturing scheduling, systems control and automation, distributed control of holonic systems and integrated manufacturing, agile manufacturing, additive manufacturing, virtual reality and remote laboratory applications in education.He has authored or co-authored various journal and conference publications in these areas.
Mert Bal is currently an Associate Professor in the Miami University, Department of Engineering Technology, Ohio, United States of America.

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biography

Ayodele O. Abatan Miami University

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Dr. Ayo Abatan has over 30 years of program and project management experience. He is currently Professor and Chair of Engineering Technology in the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science at Miami University of Ohio. Previously, Dr. Abatan was professor of engineering at Virginia Tech, Virginia Military Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, and Clark Atlanta University. During his academic tenure, Dr. Abatan has served as principal investigator of funding for research and education from major public and private sector organizations, including NSF, Boeing, NASA, and the US Army. He has also provided academic and administrative leadership for graduate and undergraduate programs. Dr. Abatan has published over 85 articles in major publications. His research interests include smart materials and structures; structural stability; structural health monitoring; impact dynamics of composites; and engineering education.

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Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an emerging technology that encompasses numerous three dimensional (3D) printing technologies for joining materials layer by layer to make objects from 3D computer-aided design (CAD) model data. Through AM technology, complex geometric shapes, multi-material and multi-functional parts can be additively manufactured in a single operation which is a big advantage over conventional manufacturing processes. Over the past two decades, the intensive research carried out on AM technologies has yielded significant progress in the development and commercialization of new and innovative AM processes such as fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and other rapid prototyping methods, as well as numerous practical applications in aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy and other industries. The increasing use of AM technologies in these industries have created demands for a skilled workforce of engineers and engineering technologists who are proficient in all aspects of the AM processes, from software-driven 3D designs to hands-on execution of these designs using modern 3D printing platforms. In order to be competent, modern engineers will need more advanced skills in CAD and optimization that focus on construction of 3D structures with a growing number of metal, plastic and gel materials through AM processes. The need for AM workforce poses new challenges to educational institutions offering engineering and engineering technology programs in integrating AM technology in their curricula in order to assure that their graduates are well prepared to the AM industry. Therefore, educational institutions need to design new or modify existing courses with hands-on laboratory components in order to introduce their students to AM technology and teach them how to design customized and complex products for current and future applications of the AM using modern 3D printers.

In order to address the AM workforce needs of Southwestern Ohio region, the Department of Engineering Technology at ______ University has recently launched an initiative for developing an additive manufacturing laboratory (AM Lab) for supporting educational and research activities in its various engineering technology concentrations. The newly formed AM Lab is partially funded by a state equipment grant which was recently awarded by the Ohio Department Higher Education. The laboratory consists of various modern 3D scanners and 3D printers that are capable of producing various parts using multiple materials. These equipment are intended to provide hands-on training to engineering technology students by complementing and extending their CAD and manufacturing expertise and better prepare students to handle the new industries demanding AM workforce. The laboratory is currently utilized to complement three existing courses in Mechanical and Electromechanical engineering technology. The labs were modified in order to introduce students to both AM technology and design for AM concepts. The department has also introduced a new introductory course on additive manufacturing as an elective service course which can be taken by students from other majors. In addition to supporting engineering technology courses, the AM Lab is also instrumental in several other ways such as: building prototypes for faculty and student-research projects, offering 3D printing STEM workshops, carrying out recruitment and demo sessions for prospective students and offering various 3D printing services for students and faculty of the greater campus community.

In this paper, we mainly discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating AM technology in engineering technology curriculum based on our experiences at the Department of Engineering Technology at _______ University. We will also present our recent additive manufacturing laboratory (AM Lab) initiative and discuss the use of AM Lab in supporting instruction and research in engineering technology.

Citation
Format

Bal, M., & Abatan, A. O. (2017, June), Developing Additive Manufacturing Laboratory to Support Instruction and Research in Engineering Technology Paper presented at 2017 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Columbus, Ohio. 10.18260/1-2--28137

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an emerging technology that encompasses numerous three dimensional (3D) printing technologies for joining materials layer by layer to make objects from 3D computer-aided design (CAD) model data. Through AM technology, complex geometric shapes, multi-material and multi-functional parts can be additively manufactured in a single operation which is a big advantage over conventional manufacturing processes. Over the past two decades, the intensive research carried out on AM technologies has yielded significant progress in the development and commercialization of new and innovative AM processes such as fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and other rapid prototyping methods, as well as numerous practical applications in aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy and other industries.   The increasing use of AM technologies in these industries have created demands for a skilled workforce of engineers and engineering technologists who are proficient in all aspects of the AM processes, from software-driven 3D designs to hands-on execution of these designs using modern 3D printing platforms. In order to be competent, modern engineers will need more advanced skills in CAD and optimization that focus on construction of 3D structures with a growing number of metal, plastic and gel materials through AM processes. 
The need for AM workforce poses new challenges to educational institutions offering engineering and engineering technology programs in integrating AM technology in their curricula in order to assure that their graduates are well prepared to the AM industry. Therefore, educational institutions need to design new or modify existing courses with hands-on laboratory components in order to introduce their students to AM technology and teach them how to design customized and complex products for current and future applications of the AM using modern 3D printers. 

In order to address the AM workforce needs of Southwestern Ohio region, the Department of Engineering Technology at ______ University has recently launched an initiative for developing an additive manufacturing laboratory (AM Lab) for supporting educational and research activities in its various engineering technology concentrations. The newly formed AM Lab is partially funded by a state equipment grant which was recently awarded by the Ohio Department Higher Education. The laboratory consists of various modern 3D scanners and 3D printers that are capable of producing various parts using multiple materials. These equipment are intended to provide hands-on training to engineering technology students by complementing and extending their CAD and manufacturing expertise and better prepare students to handle the new industries demanding AM workforce.  The laboratory is currently utilized to complement three existing courses in Mechanical and Electromechanical engineering technology. The labs were modified in order to introduce students to both AM technology and design for AM concepts. The department has also introduced a new introductory course on additive manufacturing as an elective service course which can be taken by students from other majors.    In addition to supporting engineering technology courses, the AM Lab is also instrumental in several other ways such as: building prototypes for faculty and student-research projects, offering 3D printing STEM workshops, carrying out recruitment and demo sessions for prospective students and offering various 3D printing services for students and faculty of the greater campus community. 

In this paper, we mainly discuss the challenges and opportunities of integrating AM technology in engineering technology curriculum based on our experiences at the Department of Engineering Technology at _______ University.  We will also present our recent additive manufacturing laboratory (AM Lab) initiative and discuss the use of AM Lab in supporting instruction and research in engineering technology.

AU  - Mert Bal
AU  - Ayodele O. Abatan
CY  - Columbus, Ohio
DA  - 2017/06/24
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Developing Additive Manufacturing Laboratory to Support Instruction and Research in Engineering Technology
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/28137
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--28137
ER  -