Curriculum Innovation in Distributed Collaborative Manufacturing

Utah State University, Logan UT

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funding for a collaborative effort between Utah State University and Pennsylvania State University for the development of innovative curriculum in the areas of distributed collaborative manufacturing, including Internet based collaboration and remote manufacturing. A new course is proposed for graduate students in manufacturing engineering curriculum programs. In addition, modules related to these topics will be introduced in senior level manufacturing engineering courses for students in mechanical and industrial engineering programs. This course is a needed addition to existing manufacturing courses as it deals with a subject area that has been revolutionizing the entire manufacturing community worldwide. A changing global manufacturing environment necessitates that engineering institutions educate their students in the associated new concepts/principles and help them acquire skills which will enable them to adapt to their changing manufacutring work environments. Students at Utah State and Penn State will work on inter-university collaborative class projects under the framework of an innovative 'Collaboratory'. Multi-media course modules, interactive learning modules and internet based projects will be designed and implemented.