Industrial Engineering Technology Curriculum Remapping

Industrial Engineering Technology curriculum generally provides wide spread knowledge in problem solving, management of resources, and process planning. This paper remaps a typical Industrial Engineering Technology curriculum to align it with the four pillars of manufacturing knowledge (as identified by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers). A case study approach is used to take the courses of an Industrial Engineering Technology program, and develop an as-is curriculum map. After that, a gap analysis is performed against the four pillars of manufacturing knowledge. The gap analysis is used to suggest modifications to the Industrial Engineering Technology curriculum, including addition of courses and/or modifying existing course contents. The paper concludes with a phased implementation plan to align the selected Industrial Engineering Technology program with the four pillars of manufacturing knowledge. Introduction and Background The National Academy of Engineering forecasts that engineers and technologists will continue to operate in a rapidly changing innovation environment.This is compounded by globalization of economies, diversity of social and business groups, multidisciplinary research trends, and cultural and political forces. Engineering systems are of increasing complexity in energy, environment, food, product development, and communications. Hence, it is imperative to introduce engineering and technology practices in undergraduate education, where students can experience the iterative process of designing, analyzing, building and testing. There is a growing importance for engineering practice, but the engineering profession seems to be held in low regard compared to other professions and industry tends to view engineers and technologists as disposable commodities. Industrial Engineering Technology prepares “graduates with the technical and managerial skills necessary to develop, implement, and improve integrated systems that include people, materials, information, equipment, and energy”. To do so, a typical Industrial Engineering Technology curriculum provides widespread knowledge in problem solving, management of resources, and process planning. Specifically, “graduates must demonstrate the ability to accomplish the integration of systems using appropriate analytical, computational, and application practices and procedures... must demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of probability, statistics, engineering economic analysis and cost control, and other technical sciences and specialties necessary in the field of industrial engineering technology”. According to ABET, manufacturing deals with value-added transformations in shape, form or properties of materials. The specific ABET ETAC student outcomes for Engineering Technology are: a. An ability to select and apply the knowledge, techniques, skills, and modern tools of the discipline to broadly-defined engineering technology activities b. An ability to select and apply a knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology to engineering technology problems that require the application of principles and applied procedures or methodologies P ge 26956.2 c. An ability to conduct standard tests and measurements; to conduct, analyze, and interpret experiments; and to apply experimental results to improve processes d. An ability to design systems, components, or processes for broadly-defined engineering technology problems appropriate to program educational objectives e. An ability to function effectively as a member or leader on a technical team f. An ability to identify, analyze, and solve broadly-defined engineering technology problems g. An ability to apply written, oral, and graphical communication in both technical and nontechnical environments; and an ability to identify and use appropriate technical literature h. An understanding of the need for and an ability to engage in self-directed continuing professional development i. An understanding of and a commitment to address professional and ethical responsibilities including a respect for diversity j. A knowledge of the impact of engineering technology solutions in a societal and global context k. A commitment to quality, timeliness, and continuous improvement The four pillars is a common model of the manufacturing engineering field, and it may serve as a foundation for continuous improvement of manufacturing-related curricula, such as Industrial Engineering Technology. The four pillars are: 1) Materials and Manufacturing Processes, 2) Product, Tooling, and Assembly Engineering, 3) Manufacturing Systems and Operations, and 4) Manufacturing Competitiveness. Additional usages of the four pillars model include: Dialogues between program constituents and curriculum designers to ensure that graduates possess knowledge and skills in manufacturing principles and practices A starting point for defining the field of manufacturing engineering Assessing job applicants to manufacturing-related jobs Designing in-house training for employees The four pillars model suggests that manufacturing knowledge-based curriculum should include components in the following areas: Product, Tooling, and Assembly Engineering Manufacturing Systems and Operations Manufacturing Competitiveness Math and Science Personal Effectiveness Engineering Science Materials Manufacturing Processes Product Design Process Design Equipment/Tool Design Production System Design Automated Systems and Control Quality and Continuous Improvement Manufacturing Management P ge 26956.3 The field of manufacturing is wide, and engineering technologists must understand the manufacturing processes and materials involved in the creation of a useful product. Hence, adopting a unifying model such as the four pillars may aid in streamlining the pipeline in preparing future manufacturing engineers and technologists. The emergence of non-traditional education providers (such as online and hybrid) poses challenges for US higher education institutions. To remain competitive, US universities should re-adapt the way education is delivered, and develop curricula that meets the core competencies required in the market place. At a time when local, state, and national resources for education are becoming increasingly scarce, expectations for institutional accountability and student performance are becoming more demanding. There is a need for more educational innovations that have a significant impact on student learning and performance. The dominant approach for engineering and engineering technology education in the US is based largely on faculty intuition drawn from personal experiences as students and teachers. This research takes a pragmatic approach to reshape a curriculum of an Industrial Engineering Technology program. It uses the four pillars of manufacturing knowledge to suggest improvement opportunities. The paper proceeds by discussing the method used to carry out the research. After that it provides a summary of the results. The paper concludes by a discussion of the key findings and how to proceed in implementing the identified changes to the curriculum.