Using Lego To Teach And Learn Micromanufacturing And Industrial Automation

This paper describes the design and evaluation of two laboratory experiments that introduce LEGO ® Digital Designer and MINDSTROMS ® Education systems as meaningful means to reinforce concepts of micromanufacturing and industrial automation to engineering undergraduate students. The proposed laboratory experiments aim to complement the classroom lectures and to increase students’ conceptual understanding and learning motivation. The first laboratory experiment introduces the LEGO Digital Designer as a 3D design program to better understand the micromanufacturing process through the virtual assembly of LEGO blocks. The second laboratory experiment uses LEGO Mindstorms NXT systems to provide students with hands-on team projects to design and build an automated system while applying concepts learned in the classroom. Data from students’ projects and surveys is presented to evaluate the efficacy of the designed laboratory experiments on student engagement and conceptual understanding.