The Virtual Industrial Process Simulator Laboratory Project

虚拟工业过程模拟器实验室项目

• 批准号: 1601222
• 负责人: Warren Overton
• 金额: $ 19.89万
• 依托单位: Augusta Technical College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-07-15 至 2020-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1601222&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Virtual; Industrial; Process; Simulator; Laboratory

In the world of today, business and industry are increasingly using computer applications and simulations to analyze industrial processes and components that improve process efficiency and safety and reduce operating cost. This Virtual Industrial Process Simulator Lab project at Augusta Technical College in Georgia is designed to enhance the education and instruction of engineering technology students utilizing 3D Virtual Simulation so that graduates of the programs can perform technical functions and assume greater responsibilities immediately upon hire. Utilizing this emerging technology to model industrial processes in a virtual instructional environment is unique to technical education. Students will thus have the technical knowledge and skills to be highly qualified and better prepared engineering technicians for industry and manufacturing as the computer based virtual simulation technology helps students to learn to adapt quickly to industrial process and equipment changes that meet the needs of industry. The inclusion of virtual simulation instruction in the engineering technology programs at Augusta Technical College will attract new students into technical programs and will be utilized in local outreach efforts with high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs to increase enrollment. The college has a long history of increasing diversity in engineering technology programs and will continue and expand that impact in this project. A comprehensive evaluation is being developed to research and evaluate the success of the project and its deliverables, as well as the sharing of best practices. Project results will be disseminated widely so that other engineering technology programs around the country can build on these efforts to graduate technicians with the skills required in the jobs of today and tomorrow.The four objectives of the project are: (1) increasing and deepening the technical knowledge and skill level of engineering technology students through 3D Virtual Simulation instructional methods; (2) developing curriculum to utilize 3D simulations effectively; (3) providing professional development for engineering technology faculty so that they can incorporate Virtual Simulation into their courses; and (4) increasing the number of graduates who are better prepared for technical responsibilities and functioning as engineering technicians in industry. The project will be incorporated into the Mechanical Engineering Technology and Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology programs at the college that are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. Through collaborative efforts with industry partners, the engineering technology programs have obtained simulation software, 3D modeling, and technical computer support which has allowed the institution to implement a Virtual Simulation Pilot Lab (VSPL). Although many suppliers have developed 3D virtual simulation equipment models of industrial equipment, no single supplier has synchronized these models into a single Computer Aided Design (CAD) program formatted to replicate industrial processes and their components; so graduates must be familiar with a range of CAD technologies to allow them to function quickly and adapt as needed. The project will also provide comprehensive faculty professional development to prepare faculty to use instructional methods not found in other associate degree curriculums. Collaborative efforts with local industries and software suppliers will result in long term technical support, faculty training, and the provision for the latest technical advancements in software to facilitate the means to bring 3D modeling and simulation to the classroom. The college is one of only four colleges in Georgia to be a part of the NSF Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Equity Pipeline Project to increase diversity in the STEM workforce and has also been supported through Predominately Black Institutions (PBI) Program at the Department of Education to improve the educational outcomes of African American male students. This project builds on those initiatives to increase advanced STEM opportunities for a diverse group of graduates for technical positions.

在当今世界，商业和工业越来越多地使用计算机应用程序和模拟来分析工业过程和组件，以提高过程效率和安全性并降低运营成本。这个虚拟工业过程模拟器实验室项目在奥古斯塔技术学院在格鲁吉亚的目的是加强教育和利用三维虚拟仿真工程技术学生的教学，使该计划的毕业生可以执行技术功能，并承担更大的责任后立即雇用。利用这种新兴技术在虚拟教学环境中模拟工业过程是技术教育所独有的。因此，学生将拥有技术知识和技能，成为工业和制造业的高素质和更好的工程技术人员，因为基于计算机的虚拟仿真技术可以帮助学生学习快速适应工业过程和设备的变化，以满足工业的需求。在奥古斯塔技术学院的工程技术课程中纳入虚拟仿真教学将吸引新学生进入技术课程，并将用于与高中科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）课程的本地推广工作，以增加入学率。该学院在工程技术课程的多样性方面有着悠久的历史，并将继续并扩大该项目的影响。目前正在进行一项全面评价，以研究和评价该项目及其交付成果的成功情况，并交流最佳做法。 项目成果将广泛传播，以便全国各地的其他工程技术项目可以在这些努力的基础上培养出具有当今和未来工作所需技能的技术人员。该项目的四个目标是：（1）通过三维虚拟仿真教学方法增加和深化工程技术学生的技术知识和技能水平;（2）开发课程以有效地利用3D模拟;（3）为工程技术教师提供专业发展，使他们能够将虚拟模拟纳入他们的课程;（4）增加毕业生的数量，他们为技术责任做好了更好的准备，并在工业中担任工程技术人员。该项目将被纳入由ABET工程技术认证委员会认证的学院机械工程技术和电气与计算机工程技术课程。通过与行业合作伙伴的协作，工程技术项目获得了仿真软件、3D建模和技术计算机支持，使该机构能够实施虚拟仿真试点实验室（VSPL）。虽然许多供应商已经开发了工业设备的3D虚拟仿真设备模型，但没有一家供应商将这些模型同步到一个单一的计算机辅助设计（CAD）程序中，以复制工业流程及其组件;因此毕业生必须熟悉一系列CAD技术，以使他们能够快速运行并根据需要进行调整。该项目还将提供全面的教师专业发展，以准备教师使用其他副学士学位课程中没有的教学方法。与当地行业和软件供应商的合作将带来长期的技术支持、教师培训以及提供最新的软件技术进步，以促进将3D建模和模拟带入课堂的方法。该学院是格鲁吉亚仅有的四所学院之一，是NSF科学技术工程和数学（STEM）公平管道项目的一部分，以增加STEM劳动力的多样性，并通过教育部的主要黑人机构（PBI）计划获得支持，以提高非洲裔美国男性学生的教育成果。该项目以这些举措为基础，为多元化的毕业生群体增加高级STEM技术职位的机会。