Integrating Undergraduate Learning in Engineering and Business to Improve Manufacturing Education

该项目旨在通过改善本科制造业教育来服务于国家利益。 制造业为美国和世界经济做出了巨大贡献，包括通过创造高薪工作岗位。 本计画借由协助大学生发展制造业之系统观，以改善制造业教育。 成功地将新产品推向市场涉及一系列步骤，包括设计、施工、实施和管理。尽管公司了解这一大局，但工程和商业毕业生往往未能意识到这些关键步骤之间的联系。这种缺乏理解的部分原因是本科工程和商业教育项目未能在课程中将这些步骤联系起来。为了弥补这一差距，本项目将为产品开发的不同阶段开发学习模块，强调产品生命周期各阶段之间的相互依存关系。 每个学习模块将包括设计，流程，系统和业务组件和特征建模，基于模拟的学习，虚拟现实和实践经验。 这些模块将被整合到工程（工业，机械和电气）和商业（管理信息科学）课程。 预计这种方法将使学生更好地了解产品制造作为一个相互依存的系统，以及提高解决问题和决策能力。该项目有三个具体目标：1）设计一套连贯的学习模块，介绍从产品设计到信息系统的关键制造阶段; 2）培养学生的系统思维能力，模拟完整的产品周期，并对产品设计进行批判和反思，以消除下游限制; 3）利用模拟和建模活动帮助学生认识和参与跨学科合作，从而发展专业技能。 产品设计将侧重于图形，分析。新产品（自行车）的计算机建模，考虑美学，人体工程学，动力学和机械性能。根据他们的产品设计，学生将选择制造材料和工艺，以成功地生产组成产品的组件。然后，他们将建立一个由所需技术和劳动力组成的制造系统。最后，他们将使用信息系统，包括一个现代企业资源规划系统，以展示如何管理和执行一个集成的过程，以采购材料，制造组件，并提供产品给最终消费者。在试点测试和反复完善之后，这些单元将被纳入项目生命周期管理的跨学科课程。一个准实验设计将被用来调查新课程对来自不同教育背景的学生的决策过程的影响。该项目有可能教育未来的工程师，他们可以应用先进的建模方法，并与支持信息系统和技术合作，从而有助于提高国家STEM劳动力的质量。 NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by improving undergraduate manufacturing education. Manufacturing contributes enormously to the U.S. and world economy, including through creation of high paying jobs. This project intends to improve manufacturing education by helping undergraduate students develop a system view of manufacturing. Successful delivery of a new product to market involves a series of steps that include design, construction, implementation, and management. Although companies understand this big picture, engineering and business graduates often fail to realize the connection between these key steps. This lack of understanding stems in part from the failure of undergraduate engineering and business education programs to connect these steps in their curricula. To address this gap, this project will develop learning modules for different stages of product development that will emphasize the inter-dependencies between the stages of the product life cycle. Each learning module will include design, process, system, and business components and feature modeling, simulation-based learning, virtual reality, and hands-on experiences. These modules will be integrated into engineering (industrial, mechanical, and electrical) and business (management information science) courses. It is expected that this approach will enable students to better understand product manufacturing as an interdependent system, as well as improve problem-solving and decision-making skills. The project has three specific aims: 1) Design a set of cohesive learning modules that introduce key manufacturing stages, from product design to information systems; 2) Cultivate students’ system thinking skills as they simulate the complete product cycle, and critique and reflect on product design to remove downstream constraints; and 3) Use simulation and modeling activities to help students recognize and engage in interdisciplinary collaboration that leads to development of professional skills. Product design will focus on graphical, analytical. and computer modeling of a new product (a bicycle), taking into consideration aesthetics, ergonomics, dynamics, and mechanical properties. Based on their product design, students will select manufacturing materials and processes to successfully produce the components that make up the product. They will then model a manufacturing system comprised of the required technology and labor. Finally, they will use information systems, including a modern Enterprise Resource Planning system, to demonstrate how to manage and execute an integrated process to procure materials, manufacture components, and deliver the product to the end consumer. Following pilot testing and iterative refinement, the modules will be integrated into an interdisciplinary curriculum in project life cycle management. A quasi-experimental design will be used to investigate the impact of the new curriculum on the decision-making processes of students from diverse educational backgrounds. This project has the potential to educate future engineers who can apply advanced modeling methods and working with supporting information systems and technology, thus contributing to the quality of the nation’s STEM workforce. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.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.