Implementation of Additive Manufacturing Into Engineering and Engineering Technology Curriculum

Abstract

Public universities have a responsibility to continuously improve instruction and maintain currency with new technological advances. Simultaneously many public universities are under budget constraints seeking to maintain or reduce costs. One recent technological advance is the adoption of additive manufacturing by an increasing number of manufacturing industries. While machine costs of additive manufacturing have dropped in recent years, machine and consumable material costs remain significant. Hence, there is a need in the manufacturing, engineering and technology education community for methods to introduce additive manufacturing concepts into the curriculum while doing so with a minimum required investment. In this paper we discuss the methods used to implement additive manufacturing theory and applications into the Engineering and Engineering Technology curriculum at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Applications of the additive manufacturing technologies have been successfully included in traditional courses covering sophomore level research and development, upper level computer-aided design, upper-level research and development, capstone courses, and the introduction of a new course focused on additive manufacturing. The implementation of commercial, low cost open-source hobbyist kits and new hybrid student designs of AM machinery is discussed, along with the process used to develop additive manufacturing equipment in the Advanced Manufacturing Lab.