A Novel Outreach To High School Students By Teaching Them The Engineering Skills In A Project-Based Approach

In this paper a novel outreach approach to high school students to familiarize them with engineering functions and methods are explained. In this approach students participated in a seven days research camp and learned many engineering skills and tools such as CAD solid modeling, finite element analysis, rapid prototyping, mechanical tests, team working, and communication skills under a project-based bridge design research project. End of the program survey results showed a good understanding about the engineering skills and functions and a high degree of satisfaction among participants

Integrating Rapid Prototyping into Product and Process Development

Rapid prototyping concepts and skills are being taught to undergraduate manufacturing engineering students at Texas State University-San Marcos, not as an independent course, but as a part of the broad concept of product and process development. In such approach, students get a hands-on experience in a variety of rapid prototyping processes such as FDM, LOM, Zcorp 3DP, and 3D system’s InVision and they apply them in their industry-sponsored or research-based senior capstone design projects. In such approach students get a good understanding about the specifications, cost, and quality of the parts fabricated by each rapid prototyping machine. They also learn how to select the optimum process for each component of their product. In this paper, teaching and assessment methods for such learning experience are explained and a few samples of the previous projects are presented.Mechanical Engineerin

Integrating Global, Ethical, And Multicultural (GEM) Issues Into The Manufacturing Engineering Senior Design Projects

To satisfy manufacturing engineering accreditation requirements, to assist students in finding and retaining jobs, and to provide equal learning opportunities, global, ethical, and multicultural (GEM) topics were added to the senior design project course. Diverse interactive tools and methods were used to cover the topics and a multifaceted method was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the added topics. Results showed generally significant improvement in students’ awareness of the GEM topics.

New Design for Conserving Polymer Powder for the SIS Rapid Prototyping Process

Selective Inhibition of Sintering (SIS) is a Rapid Prototyping process that makes parts in a layerbased method by using polymer powders. Current SIS machines accomplish this layer-based method by heating a fixed area of polymer powder. The current process is an area of concern because the entire fixed area of each layer is cured, resulting in large amounts of polymer powder being wasted. This paper explains the design of an automated, mechanical system that will mask off areas of polymer powder with heat-resistant fingers, allowing for the adjustment of the heated area in order to cure minimal amounts of polymer powder at each layer. Test results of a prototype model showed significant reduction in polymer powder usage.Mechanical Engineerin

Case Study Of Manor New Tech High School: Promising Practices In STEM Education For Comprehensive High Schools

The following paper culminates a year of research conducted by researchers at E3 Alliance and Texas State University and sponsored by the National Science Foundation.  The following reports on promising practices observed and reported at Manor New Tech High School (MNTH), a Texas Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (T-STEM) high school in Manor Independent School District (ISD) that opened in August 2007.  MNTH follows several high school redesign principles such as small learning communities and rigorous coursework with real-world applications, and is focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).  Through a case study analysis based on teacher surveys, interviews, and site visits, the researchers identify practices that potentially apply to comprehensive high schools committed to improving student outcomes in STEM fields.&nbsp

Mobile Paving System (MPS): A New Large Scale Freeform Fabrication Method

In the last decade, significant opportunities for automation have been identified in the area of construction. Soaring labor and material costs have driven multiple research efforts in construction automation. In this paper, we present a novel means for construction automation that involves the fusion of the rapid prototyping, controls and mechatronics technologies. The resultant autonomous construction mechanism has been designed for commercial applications. Mobile Paving System (MPS) is a new freeform fabrication process which is capable of rapidly producing variable profiles such as curbs and sidewalks out of materials like cement and asphalt. Path generation and guidance of the construction operation is controlled by a mobile robot. This article presents an overview of research and development efforts that are aimed at establishing the feasibility and the potential of the process.Mechanical Engineerin

An REU Experience With Micro Assembly Workcell Research

Under an NSF REU center grant REU-0755355 entitled “Micro/Nano Assembly Workcell Via Micro Visual Sensing and Haptic Feedback”, Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and Texas State University – San Marcos collaboratively hosted two groups of 10 students from different backgrounds for 10 weeks each in Summer 2008 and 2009 respectively.  The research effort involved is part of an ongoing research program developing novel methods for making automated micromanipulation systems.  The twenty students and two teachers were divided into four teams developing interrelated aspects of the project.  The first team developed the micro-scale parts, such as gears, for assembly.  This required the team to develop techniques for etch and release of three dimensional parts from a silicon substrate.  The second team developed the microscopic vision system used for locating and identifying parts on a silicon wafer.  The vision system is used to determine the position on the wafer of the parts, their diameter (one of several standard parts), and, utilizing a novel technique developed by the team, the thickness of the parts.  The third team developed a robotic platform able to locate any portion of a wafer for manipulation within a three-dimensional space with 10μm accuracy.  This mechanism is used to first bring any desired portion of the wafer to the vision system for analysis and also to bring a manipulator to “pick and place” parts using the vision system for feedback.  The fourth group developed the micro-manipulator in the form of a “gripper” powered by electro-active polymer.  This gripper was capable of accurately and repeatably gripping, lifting, moving, placing, and releasing parts at any point within the workspace.  Collectively, the REU project successfully produced a prototype system advancing the state-of-art for an important are of micro-manufacturing while offering a stimulating experience for undergraduate students.  Assessment of the student experience showed an increase in the likelihood for these students to pursue engineering careers and to encourage their peers to consider STEM careers

Advancements in the SIS Process

Selective Inhibition of Sintering (SIS) is a new layer-based rapid prototyping process. This paper reports the progress in research and development of the SIS process. Specific printer path generation method, experimentation with various powder and inhibitor materials, and systematic models leading to optimum performance given various factors affecting part strength, surface quality, and dimensional accuracy are presented.Mechanical Engineerin

“Bridging” Engineering & Art: An Outreach Approach For Middle And High School Students

In this paper describes a novel outreach approach to high school and middle school students to familiarize them with engineering functions and methods. In this approach students participated in a seven-day summer research camp and learned many engineering skills and tools such as CAD solid modeling, finite element analysis, rapid prototyping, mechanical tests, team working, and communication skills under a project-based bridge design research project. The project choice was intended to integrate principles of artistic design, creative use of public spaces, as well as principles of engineering design. End of the program survey results showed a good understanding about the engineering skills and functions and a high degree of satisfaction among participants.

Utilizing Additive Manufacturing in Thermoacoustic Refrigeration-based Atmospheric Water Generation

Atmospheric water generators are devices that generate water by condensation. The water vapor in the air is cooled, by a refrigeration system, below the dew point and thus forces a phase transfer from gaseous to liquid. Thermoacoustic refrigeration (TAR) was used as the refrigeration technology. The TAR is an innovative clean technology that utilizes an acoustic wave passing through a gas to create a temperature gradient in a specially designed porous material. The main components of such a system are resonator tube, stack, acoustic driver, gas, and heat exchangers. An additive manufacturing process was utilized to develop different configurations and interchangeable components of the TAR system. The lowest temperature on the cold side of the stack was achieved by the stack manufactured with spiral design, spacing of 0.53 mm, 4cm length, and 1cm stack position in the resonator tube. The minimum temperature achieved with this prototype was around 46 ̊F at a room temperature of 72 ̊F, relative humidity of 59%, and dew point of 57 ̊ F.Mechanical Engineerin