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Session 3563

Teaching Factory

Sema E. Alptekin, Reza Pouraghabagher, Patricia McQuaid, and Dan Waldorf Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo

I. Introduction

Academia must develop a new approach to teaching in order to better prepare engineering students to function efficiently and adjust readily within the framework of the factories in the real world. Some engineering programs emphasize theory, while others emphasize application as isolated blocks. The "Teaching Factory" being developed at Cal Poly combines both theory and applications. It makes use of state-of-the-art industrial grade production equipment, computer hardware and software in the form of the following two systems: 1) a functioning "real" factory hardware environment, and 2) a Production Planning and Control Center.

The overall objectives of the Teaching Factory are: • to graduate better professionals by providing leading edge concepts in modern manufacturing, enabling them to effectively compete in today's industry • to enhance the current curriculum that will focus on modern manufacturing concepts • to demonstrate viable solutions to the dynamics of technological challenges across the entire integrated business enterprise • to transfer technology and information from and to partner companies as well as local companies, with student activities, team projects and senior projects as the primary vehicle.

The existing manufacturing facilities, including the metal removal, casting, rapid prototyping and electronics manufacturing laboratories of Cal Poly, provide the "real" factory hardware environment. A Production Planning and Control Center is being developed to provide the decision making and communication functions required in the modern factory. These two systems will function as an integrated whole by utilizing state of the art communication networks. The Teaching Factory will not eliminate traditional lessons, but rather will supplement them by providing an integrative framework to link courses throughout the curriculum. Furthermore, and whenever necessary, it will seek academic expertise from the College of Business to incorporate the analysis of costing, accounting, and financial aspects of our integrated approach to teaching.

Proceedings of the 2001 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright  2001, American Society for Engineering Education

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Alptekin, S., & Pouraghabagher, R., & McQuaid, P., & Waldorf, D. (2001, June), Teaching Factory Paper presented at 2001 Annual Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 10.18260/1-2--9863