Design Enhancement Through Advanced Integrative Learning

在任何制造领域，面向制造和装配的设计(DFMA)都是产品开发周期的重要组成部分。DFMA背后的理念是以一种易于制造的方式设计部件。如果一个人在设计零件时，不知道生产这些零件需要什么，就可能出现产品缺陷和昂贵的重新设计。专注于设计优化可以降低制造成本，因此对任何制造公司来说都至关重要。区域利益攸关方表示，需要有DFMA经验的雇员。为了满足地区利益相关者对具有DFMA知识的员工的需求，奇佩瓦山谷技术学院(CVTC)将与行业合作伙伴合作，开展基于项目的学习(PBL)活动，为中学生和大专学生提供解决DFMA实际问题的机会。该项目将利用CVTC原型实验室，该实验室由之前的NSF高级技术教育奖开发，为学生和社区成员提供一个将他们的设计从概念转化为现实的空间。通过实际操作、因地制宜的问题体验复杂制造业领域的机会越来越多，这将导致相关大专课程的入学人数增加，并随后进入高需求、高技能的制造业职业生涯。该项目的目标是：(1)通过DFMA工艺和概念的应用教育，为制造业和工程学培养技术人员；(2)提高农村中学教师教授DFMA的能力。通过完成PBL活动和设计研讨会，学生将展示对与DFMA相关的核心能力的掌握。PBL活动将在行业合作伙伴的直接协助下开发，并纳入整个机械设计技术和制造工程技术员计划的各种课程。PBL活动将集中于各种主题，包括简单的机器、工具设计、机构、机器人工具和表面设计。在顶峰体验期间，大专学生将直接与行业合作伙伴接触，以应对与DFMA相关的现实世界商业问题。中学一级的介绍将包括将PBL活动纳入几门课程和一次区域设计竞赛。面向高中教师的特定专业发展和指导将在未来几年造福于未来的学生。该项目将包括由外部专家进行评估。这一评价的结果可使其他机构了解为DFMA工作招聘和培训技术人员的有效办法。此外，通过互动网站，项目合作伙伴和社区成员将随时了解项目进展和成功情况。该网站还将为其他机构提供一个访问所制定的PBL活动的地方。CVTC原型实验室将继续提供空间，激励来自社区的制造商和企业家将他们的想法转化为新产品，在奇佩瓦山谷创造一种创新和发明的文化。该项目由高级技术教育计划资助，该计划专注于为推动国家经济的先进技术领域培养技术人员。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) is a critical part of the product development cycle in any manufacturing field. The idea behind DFMA is to design parts in a way that allows them to be easily manufactured. If an individual is designing parts with no understanding of what will be required to produce those parts, product flaws and costly redesigns can arise. Focusing on design optimization reduces the cost of manufacturing and is therefore critical to any manufacturing company. Regional stakeholders indicated the need for employees with experience in DFMA. To help regional stakeholders’ need for employees with knowledge of DFMA, Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) will work with industry partners to develop Project Based Learning (PBL) activities that will provide secondary and post-secondary students opportunities to solve real-life DFMA problems. The project will leverage the CVTC Prototype Lab, developed through a previous NSF Advanced Technological Education award, to provide students and community members a space to take their designs from concept to reality. Increasing opportunities to experience the complex field of manufacturing through hands-on, contextualized problems will lead to increased enrollment in related post-secondary programs and subsequent entry into high-demand, high-skilled manufacturing careers. The goals of this project are to: (1) prepare technicians for manufacturing and engineering through applied education of DFMA processes and concepts, and (2) increase the capacity of rural secondary teachers to provide instruction in DFMA. Through completion of PBL activities and design workshops, students will demonstrate mastery of core competencies related to DFMA. PBL activities will be developed with direct assistance from industry partners and incorporated into various courses throughout the Mechanical Design Technology and Manufacturing Engineering Technologist programs. PBL activities will focus on a variety of topics, including simple machines, tool design, mechanisms, robotic tools, and surface design. During capstone experiences, post-secondary students will engage directly with industry partners as they respond to real-world business problems related to DFMA. Introduction at the secondary level will involve incorporation of PBL activities into several courses and a regional design competition. Specific professional development and mentoring geared toward high school faculty will benefit future students for years to come. The project will include evaluation by an external expert. Results of this evaluation could inform other institutions about effective approaches to recruiting and educating technicians for DFMA jobs. In addition, via an interactive website, project partners and community members will be kept apprised of project progress and success. This website will also provide a place for other institutions to access the PBL activities developed. The CVTC Prototype Lab will continue to provide a space to inspire makers and entrepreneurs from the community to turn their ideas into new products, creating a culture of innovation and invention in the Chippewa Valley. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation's economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.