In this project, the Helisys Rapid Prototyping (RP) machine is used to teach the principles of concurrent engineering in an Engineering Technology program. Rapid prototyping is the process of creating a three-dimensional object directly from a computer- aided design (CAD) file. This process is revolutionizing the prototyping step in the design/engineering process in much the same manner CAD revolutionized drafting and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) revolutionized manufacturing. The RP equipment is being immediately incorporated into the curriculum to teach the contemporary concept of concurrent engineering. This concept allows manufactured products to be developed and produced much faster than previously possible because several design and manufacturing activities can occur at once. One of the key pieces of equipment to teaching concurrent engineering is the RP machine. This machine gives students hands-on experience with an emerging technology and prepares them to enter a global market place. They can actually convert their CAD design to three-dimensional objects that will be analyzed for form, fit, function, and assembly. This new ability holds students accountable for their designs. The RP machine also gives the PI and CoPI the opportunity to develop national curriculum models for use by other institutions of higher learning when the RP equipment becomes common place in both industry and education.
