Direct Digital Manufacturing Course into Mechanical Engineering Technology Curriculum
Direct digital manufacturing (DDM) is a newer trend in advanced manufacturing. A CAD model could be converted into a physical product seamlessly with minimal human intervention. Additive manufacturing (AM) is a major constituent of DDM. Solid Modeling, G-code and 3D printing are the major steps in AM. AM technology that nests design and manufacturing tasks together offers many benefits but also suffers some constraints. Product design principles of AM are evolving; traditional design approach of “design for cost” and “design for manufacturing” might be relevant to AM, but not sufficient enough to live up to the new capabilities of AM. AM education is essential to support its evolution and widespread adoption. Technological aspect of 3D printing is incorporated in a DDM course offered in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program. This new course enables students to learn the theoretical aspects as well as help them understand the technological impact of DDM to the manufacturing industry. This course prepares them to deal with the newer developments and face upcoming challenges whether they will be pursuing engineering careers of product designer, 3D printing professionals. In this course students gain hands on experience in AM processes, product designing, 3D printing, and were able to analyze the technology by using product life cycle approach. This newly developed course is successful in attracting a significant number of students. The course helps us to serve the advanced manufacturing community by preparing engineers, who are better equipped with the latest knowledge and skills. The outcome of this paper might be of relevance to anyone planning to offer similar courses in their institutions. The authors believe that this course will be a foundational one for developing future courses relevant to the field of DDM.