Training Tomorrow's Technicians in Lightweight Materials: Properties, Optimization, and Manufacturing Processes

培训未来的轻质材料技术人员：特性、优化和制造工艺

• 批准号: 1601261
• 负责人: Thomas Penird
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: Washtenaw Community 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: 2016-07-01 至 2019-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1601261&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Training; Tomorrow; Technicians; Lightweight; Materials

There is an emerging and imminent need for employees equipped with skills in advanced manufacturing and automotive technology in the area of lightweight materials. While some of these lightweight materials have been studied and used in prototyping for years, they are now being used more broadly in production. Consequently, there is a need to translate the theoretical findings related to these materials and how they are used in design and manufacturing into applications and implementation in production, finishing, and repair. In addition to educating technicians who will be directly applying these skills and knowledge in their work, this project at Washtenaw Community College (WCC) in Michigan is also designed to address the critical need to teach and train the high school teachers and college faculty who will pass that knowledge on to their students. It also tackles the sustainability of the advanced manufacturing industry by facilitating engagement and recruitment of youth into the talent pipeline by joining with Square One Educational Network (SQ1) to develop a pipeline into lightweight manufacturing starting with K-12 studentsKey activities for this project include (a) developing an introductory multidisciplinary and project-based course on lightweight materials around an existing vehicle design project for the SQ1 Full Scale Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge; (b) creating interdisciplinary community college faculty and K-12 teacher professional development centered on lightweight materials properties, optimization, and manufacturing processes; (c) establishing a talent pipeline extending from K-12 to community colleges and four-year universities; and (d) developing and contributing to a repository of light weighting curricula. The college is partnering with Wayne State University (WSU) to develop integrated curriculum in the emerging technologies surrounding lightweight materials properties, optimization and manufacturing processes. The goal is to also engage industry and educators in developing a talent pipeline and initial curriculum addressing the material properties as well as optimization and manufacturing processes associated with lightweight materials at the high school and community college levels to meet emerging industry needs for technicians in the manufacturing industry. A central element of this proposal entails the introduction of a new arrangement of course design and delivery. With the advent of lightweight materials and manufacturing processes, the manufacturing industry is shifting to a systems approach rather than the traditional silo manufacturing practices. WCC will utilize this project to create a model for community college curriculum development utilizing this systems approach. The overview course will be multidisciplinary, project-based and designed around specific lightweight materials or categories of materials (aluminum alloys, plastics and polymers, carbon fiber composites, etc.) rather than focused on specific manufacturing disciplines. For each material or group of materials, the course will be arranged so that an overview of the material properties, applications, design for manufacturability, and manufacturing processes will be presented. As an introductory course, this will facilitate students identifying specific areas of interest in which to continue their studies. It will also provide a broader context for these students to build a systems approach into their study of advanced manufacturing or advanced transportation. A comprehensive evaluation is being developed to continuously enhance the project activities and provide opportunities for researching and evaluating the success of the project and its deliverables, as well as the sharing of best practices.

有一个新兴的和迫切的需要，员工配备了先进的制造和汽车技术在轻质材料领域的技能。虽然这些轻质材料中的一些已经被研究并用于原型设计多年，但它们现在正在更广泛地用于生产。因此，有必要将与这些材料相关的理论研究成果以及它们在设计和制造中的应用和实施转化为生产，精加工和维修。除了教育技术人员谁将直接应用这些技能和知识在他们的工作中，这个项目在密歇根州沃什特诺社区学院（WCC）还旨在解决迫切需要教和培训高中教师和大学教师谁将通过这些知识对他们的学生。该项目还通过与Square One教育网络（SQ 1）合作，从K-12学生开始开发轻量化制造业的管道，促进青年参与和招募人才，从而解决先进制造业的可持续性问题。围绕SQ 1全尺寸创新车辆设计挑战赛的现有车辆设计项目的轻质材料基础课程;（B）创建以轻质材料特性为中心的跨学科社区学院教师和K-12教师专业发展，（c）建立从K-12到社区学院和四年制大学的人才管道;（d）开发和促进轻量课程库。该学院正在与韦恩州立大学（WSU）合作，开发围绕轻质材料特性、优化和制造工艺的新兴技术的综合课程。其目标是让行业和教育工作者参与开发人才管道和初始课程，以解决高中和社区大学层面与轻质材料相关的材料特性以及优化和制造工艺，以满足新兴行业对制造业技术人员的需求。这项建议的一个核心内容是对课程设计和讲授作出新的安排。随着轻质材料和制造工艺的出现，制造业正在转向系统方法，而不是传统的筒仓制造实践。WCC将利用这个项目来创建一个模型，社区大学课程开发利用这种系统的方法。概述课程将是多学科的，以项目为基础，围绕特定的轻质材料或材料类别（铝合金，塑料和聚合物，碳纤维复合材料等）设计。而不是专注于特定的制造学科。对于每种材料或材料组，课程将被安排，以便材料特性，应用，可制造性设计和制造工艺的概述将被呈现。作为入门课程，这将有助于学生确定感兴趣的具体领域，以继续他们的研究。它还将为这些学生提供更广泛的背景，以建立一个系统的方法到他们的先进制造或先进运输的研究。 目前正在进行一项全面评价，以不断加强项目活动，并为研究和评价项目及其交付成果的成功以及分享最佳做法提供机会。