Fusing Rapid Manufacturing with 3D-Virtual Facility and Cyber Tutor System into Engineering Education to Cultivate Technical Success

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The project is redesigning and developing a set of Cyber Based Rapid Manufacturing (CBRM) related courses covering the topics of quick response, additive and advanced manufacturing, and establishing a Cyber Based Rapid Manufacturing Lab with virtual facilities to serve academic engineering programs and to support the development of multidisciplinary educational activities. The project goals include: 1) incorporate applied research themes in rapid manufacturing and technology into lecture and laboratory classes to engage students as active participants in web based courses; 2) Implement the most up-to-date technologies in virtual reality, 3D image and rapid manufacturing production systems to improve the learning environment; and 3) recruit high school students, especially minority and women, through web-accessible courses and laboratories, to increase their awareness and participation in science and engineering by stimulating their interest from early stages.The project enhances undergraduate engineering education in advanced manufacturing technologies by developing a CBRM curriculum with hybrid instructional approach and by appraising its effectiveness on student learning. The development of virtual facilities has great potential to resolve the issue of lacking manufacturing resources, particularly in remote areas. The program helps to produce well-prepared students with high-tech skills in the areas of automation, production and rapid manufacturing technologies and can serve as a national model for teaching network-based manufacturing.