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Incorporating Computer Aided Design and Three-Dimensional Printing in a First Year Engineering Design Course

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Conference

2020 First-Year Engineering Experience

Location

East Lansing, Michigan

Publication Date

July 26, 2020

Start Date

July 26, 2020

End Date

July 28, 2020

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

7

DOI

10.18260/1-2--35773

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/35773

Download Count

303

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Paper Authors

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James Lenn Wayne State University Orcid 16x16 orcid.org/0000-0003-1696-0914

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James Lenn has been at Wayne State University since 2013, first as part time faculty and more recently as a Lecturer. He teaches a freshman design course and several electrical engineering courses. Prior to taking a position at WSU, he had worked in industry as an engineer and engineering manager for roughly 30 years.

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Fatmir Menkulasi P.E. Wayne State University

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Marcis Jansons P.E. Wayne State University

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Marcis Jansons, Ph.D., P.E.
Marcis Jansons has been on the faculty of Wayne State University’s College of Engineering since 2008, researching topics in advanced engine combustion and optical diagnostics at the University’s Center for Automotive Research (CAR). As an Associate Professor of the Mechanical Engineering Department, he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on combustion engines, fluid mechanics and emissions formation processes. Prior to joining Wayne State, he has worked for the energy industry as an environmental engineer addressing air, soil and groundwater contamination; and served as an instructor of Mechanical Engineering at the United States Coast Guard Academy. Jansons holds B.S. (1990), M.S. (1992) and Ph.D. (2005) degrees in Mechanical Engineering, earning his doctorate from Rutgers University for his work on combustion diagnostics and infrared imaging. He is a registered Professional Engineer (P.E.). Jansons has authored over forty peer-reviewed, engine-related publications, and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and on the Board of Associates of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Internal Combustion Engine Division (ICED). He is a 2012 recipient of SAE’s Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award, conferred in recognition of significant contributions to teaching, research and student development and a 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar. Jansons has twenty years’ experience working with optical engines, and leads a research group of qualified and experienced graduate students. Jansons serves as the Director of Early Engineering Programs, administering the core group of STEM courses common to the various engineering academic programs.

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Jessie Mazin Yousif-Dickow

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McKayla Kleinschrodt

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Jeffrey Potoff Wayne State University

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Dr. Jeffrey Potoff is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and the Associate Dean for Academic for the College of Engineering at Wayne State University. Potoff received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University in 1999, and his BS in Chemical Engineering in 1994 from Michigan State University. Prof. Potoff is interested on improving the engagement of engineering students in their coursework through the implementation of evidenced-based teaching practices.

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Abstract

Abstract This informational paper describes the methodology used to teach a hands-on, first-year engineering design class where Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Three-dimensional (3D) printing are introduced as tools to facilitate the creation, design and production of engineered products and systems. Additionally, students are provided insight into Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM), design for manufacturing and embedded computer control. For several years, first-year engineering design was taught at this institution using the Lego® Robotics system as the vehicle for solving engineering design problems presented to each class. While that approach proved to be effective, it was desired to extend the concept of problem-based learning to encompass a variety of realistic scenarios while fostering creativity through enhanced communication and visualization enabled by CAD and 3D printing. The new approach adds two new learning outcomes and removes one from the earlier approach. Assessment of student performance is made primarily through individual assignments, quizzes, a final team project and an exam.

Two significant challenges have arisen with the CAD/3D-printing approach. The first is a compressed timeframe for instruction in the mechanics of using design tools due to 3D printing latencies. The second challenge is that additional human effort is required for the operation and maintenance of the 3D printers. These challenges have been addressed through liberal application of undergraduate teaching assistant (UGTA) efforts in combination with instructional videos. Instructional videos (generally 10 minutes or less) are provided for each topic covered during the first several lectures, to help students prepare for class. UGTAs provide individual support to students during class while new 3D modeling capabilities are introduced, help students outside of class by providing tutoring sessions, and have a large share of the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the 3D printing lab.

This class has been met with great enthusiasm from students, instructors and administrators; and has resulted in many creative and surprisingly complex, meticulously implemented projects. An initiative was begun in the fall 2019 semester, where embedded control capability was incorporated into many of the existing projects by students with minimal programming experience. This has proven to have had a positive impact on making projects more realistic and on capturing student interest. This paper will provide an overview of our methodology in order to allow other institutions to develop a similar model.

Lenn, J., & Menkulasi, F., & Jansons, M., & Yousif-Dickow, J. M., & Kleinschrodt, M., & Potoff, J. (2020, July), Incorporating Computer Aided Design and Three-Dimensional Printing in a First Year Engineering Design Course Paper presented at 2020 First-Year Engineering Experience, East Lansing, Michigan. 10.18260/1-2--35773

ASEE holds the copyright on this document. It may be read by the public free of charge. Authors may archive their work on personal websites or in institutional repositories with the following citation: © 2020 American Society for Engineering Education. Other scholars may excerpt or quote from these materials with the same citation. When excerpting or quoting from Conference Proceedings, authors should, in addition to noting the ASEE copyright, list all the original authors and their institutions and name the host city of the conference. - Last updated April 1, 2015