Development Of E Quality Laboratory Modules For Use In Engineering Quality Control Courses

Abstract

Abstract NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Development of E-Quality Laboratory Modules for Use in Engineering Quality Control Courses Abstract Recent results of laboratory and course development under an NSF, CCLI sponsored project, “CCLI Phase II: E-Quality for Manufacturing (EQM) Integrated with Web- enabled Production Systems for Engineering Technology Education” (NSF Award # 0618665) are presented. A multi-disciplinary team of faculty developed lectures and laboratory modules for use in Engineering Quality courses. The use of modern sensors, data acquisition instrumentation for monitoring and control manufacturing processes is implemented into laboratory practices in undergraduate classes on Web-based gauging, measurement, inspection, diagnostic system, and quality control. The network hardware and software components are integrated with quality methodologies to achieve maximum effectiveness in teaching E-quality concepts in various courses, including MET 204 Applied Quality Control, MET 310 Advanced Robotics and Mechatronics, and INDE 470 Engineering Quality Methods. In INDE 470, laser machining of plastics (acrylics) for applications to microfluidic ‘lab-on-a-chip’ devices offers an instructive and practical case study to teach Six Sigma Quality Assurance concepts and methods to Applied Engineering Technology (AET) students. A 10-week upper-level undergraduate course was developed that included a classroom component presenting lectures on Six Sigma principles and methods, combined with hands-on laboratory sessions that included product manufacture (laser machining of acrylic), and quality assessment measurements to support experimental design and data analysis in a Six Sigma framework. Acrylic sheets can be readily patterned with microfluidic circuits using a commercial CO2 laser machining system that is representative of typical engineering prototyping and commercial manufacturing. The quality of the laser machining, particularly with regard to reproducibility, can be investigated as a function of laser power and speed, and also as the optical properties of various grades of acrylic stock. Students made various measurements of laser-machined parts using a co-ordinate measuring machine (CMM) and Internet-based machine vision (i.e., a CCD camera with image processing software). Students then analyzed measurement data to compare measurement techniques (Gage R&R), establish part variations, correlate quality metrics with laser processing parameters, and optimize the laser machining process using Design of Experiments. Background Undergraduate curricula in Applied Engineering Technology (AET), Mechanical Engineering, and Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering have traditionally included courses in Quality Methods and Statistical Process Control. For example, the Drexel AET Program features several courses in Statistical Process Control and Quality Engineering, including an upper-level course titled INDE 470 “Engineering Quality Methods”. The course syllabus comprises topics on statistical distributions, probability plots, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation, control charts, ANOVA, and Process Measurement and System Capability Analysis. The Winter 2008 INDE 470 course