This project develops a product realization and prototyping workcell, based on an inkjet-deposit prototyping desktop station and a rapid three-dimensional desktop digitizer, for the purpose of integrating product development training experience into the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. The new prototyping workcell enhances the previous courses in engineering design, manufacturing engineering, computer-aided design and manufacturing, robotics, and computer-integrated manufacturing. The levels of students to be positively affected by this project spans from freshman to senior mechanical engineering students. The project enhances the product development component of the mechanical engineering curriculum and enables new discussions and demonstrations of product realization and prototyping to be integrated into existing design and manufacturing related courses. It also elevates the level of collaboration when undergraduate mechanical engineering students participate in cross-university product development projects. The new prototyping workcell complements the previous configuration of the Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Laboratory and provides a leading technology product development environment for mechanical engineering students. The expanded CAE Laboratory is also available for use by students involved with related interdisciplinary projects.
