A hands-on approach to teaching manufacturing processes

This paper describes a laboratory-based course in manufacturing processes. The course provides a general understanding of the behavior of the materials commonly used in manufacturing, the basic techniques used in processing them into useful products, the scientific theory underlying those processes, and the criteria for selecting particular processes. The course incorporates an innovative hands-on laboratory, which involves team projects that help students gain experience with selected manufacturing processes. The projects start with simple components that can be made on a single machine such as a lathe or a mill, and progress to the manufacture and assembly of a fully operational model engine. This approach exposes students to the issues involved in putting together a nontrivial assembly. The projects also expose students to the idea of working in teams, a skill that is highly sought by industry. The paper also discusses the implementation of collaborative learning techniques, using Internet tools to promote interaction among team members.