Combined Research-Curriculum Development: Nontraditional Manufacturing

9813028非传统制造(NTM)过程是指涉及非传统能量传递机制和/或非传统能量传递介质的过程。这项建议侧重于非传统材料的去除或机械加工过程。它们包括电火花和电化学加工(EDM/ECM)、激光加工(LMP)和磨料水射流加工(AWJM)等。NTM工艺可以从复杂的材料中加工出精密部件。随着人们对高温合金、复合材料和陶瓷等创新材料优异性能的日益关注，以及对高质量和高灵活性的要求，近年来，在纳米加工工艺创新、定量分析和工艺模拟以及监测和控制方面的研究非常活跃，并取得了长足的进步。这些进步使NTM工艺更具吸引力，有时甚至是最佳或唯一的选择。同时，这些研究成果已被引入工程课程，以培养紧跟最新发展的新一代工程师。然而，由于非技术管理过程的高度多样性和多学科性质，需要更多的协调努力，以扩大课程开发所需的专业知识的范围。这项计划的课程交付包括一套七个单元，包括五个教学单元和两个基于软件的单元。这七个单元将组成一门关于非专利技术的深入课程，在高级本科和研究生水平。培养新一代工程师，他们将具有分析背景知识，对非专利技术重要领域的理解，以及使用基于最新研究的现代工具来解决工艺创新、设计和优化问题的技能，将对非专利技术的潜力能否充分和适当地实现，以及这些先进材料所拥有的承诺能否充分实现具有重大影响。

9813028YaoNontraditional manufacturing (NTM) processes refer to processes in which nontraditional energy transfer mechanisms and/or nontraditional media for energy transfer are involved. This proposal is focused on nontraditional material removal or machining processes. They include electrical discharge and electrochemical machining (EDM/ECM), laser machining processes (LMP), and abrasive waterjet machining (AWJM), among others. NTM processes can machine precision components from sophisticated materials. They offer the advantages of a reduced number of machining steps and a higher product quality.Driven by the increasing interest in the vastly superior properties of innovative materials such as superalloys, composites and ceramics, and requirements for high quality and flexibility, research in NTM process innovation, quantitative analysis and process simulation, and monitoring and control has been very active and considerable progress has been made in recent years. These advances have made NTM processes more attractive and sometimes the best or only choice. At the same time, these research results have been introduced into engineering curricula in order to prepare a new generation of engineers who keep abreast to the latest developments. Due to the high diversity and multidisciplinary nature of NTM processes, however, more orchestrated efforts are needed to expand the range of expertise needed in the curriculum development.The curricular deliverables of this project include a set of seven modules including five instructional modules and two software based modules. These seven modules will form an in-depth course on NTM at the upper level undergraduate and introductory graduate level.To prepare a new generation of engineers who would have analytical background knowledge, appreciation for the vital area of NTM processes, and skills to use recent research based modern tools to tackle process innovation, design and optimization problems will have a significant impact on whether the potential of NTM technologies can be fully and properly realized and in turn whether the promise held by these advanced materials can be fully realized.