Manufacturing Engineering
Graduate Courses
ME 5370. Surface Metrology
This course emphasizes research applications of advanced surface metrology, including the measurement and analysis of surface roughness. Surface metrology can be important in a wide variety of situations including adhesion, friction, catalysis, heat transfer, mass transfer, scattering, biological growth, wear and wetting. These situations impact practically all the engineering disciplines and sciences. The course begins by considering basic principles and conventional analyses, and methods. Measurement and analysis methods are critically reviewed for utility. Students learn advanced methods for differentiating surface textures that are suspected of being different because of their performance or manufacture. Students will also learn methods for making correlations between surface textures and behavioral and manufacturing parameters. The results of applying these methods can be used to support the design and manufacture of surface textures, and to address issues in quality assurance. Examples of research from a broad range of applications are presented, including, food science, pavements, friction, adhesion, machining and grinding. Students do a major project of their choosing, which can involve either an in-depth literature review, or surface measurement and analysis. The facilities of WPIs Surface Metrology Laboratory are available for making measurements for selected projects. Software for advanced analysis methods is also available for use in the course. No previous knowledge of surface metrology is required. Students should have some background in engineering, math or science. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have received credit for ME 5371/MTE 5843/MFE 5843 Fundamentals of Surface Metrology or the Special Topics (ME 593/MTE 594/MFE 594) version of Fundamentals of Surface Metrology.
ME 5371. Fundamentals of Surface Metrology
Surface Metrology is about measuring, characterizing, and analyzing surface topographies or textures. This course covers conventional and developing measurement and characterization of roughness. It emphasizes research and covers a wide variety of applications, including, adhesion, friction, fatigue life, mass transfer, scattering, wear, manufacturing, food science, wetting, physical anthropology, and archeology. Surface metrology has applications in practically all engineering disciplines and sciences. Research principles are applied to critical evaluations of research methods. Students learn multiscale methods for discovering correlations between processing, textures, and behavior, and for discriminating surface textures supposed to be different because of their performance or manufacture. Results support product and process design, and quality assurance. Students create detailed project proposals on topics of their choosing, including literature reviews, preparation and testing of surfaces, measurements, characterizations, and analyses. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have received credit for the Special Topics (ME 593/MTE 594/MFE 594) version of this course, or for ME 5370/MTE 5841/MFE 5841 Surface Metrology.
ME 5385. Metal Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing (AM), popularly known as 3D printing, is a technique in which parts are fabricated in a layer-by-layer fashion. The focus of this course is on direct metal AM processes that are used in aerospace, automobile, medical, and energy industries. The objective of the course is to enable students to understand the working principles of various additive manufacturing processes, assess the suitability of metal AM processes for different designs and applications, apply process design concepts to metal AM processes via analytical and finite element modeling approaches, and have an introductory-level understanding of design for AM. Through the course project, students will have the opportunity to experience hands-on design, manufacturing, and characterization of additively manufactured materials, and will work in an interdisciplinary team of mechanical, materials, and manufacturing engineers. The economics of the manufacturing process will also be addressed, with an emphasis on determining the major cost drivers and discussing cost minimization strategies. Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have received credit for the Special Topics (ME 593/MTE 594) version of the same course.
MFE 500. Current Topics in Manufacturing Seminar
This seminar identifies the typical problems involved in a variety of manufacturing operations, and generic approaches for applying advanced technologies to implement operations. Topical areas of application and development such as intelligent materials processing, automated assembly, MRP and JIT scheduling, vision recognition systems, high-speed computer networks, distributed computer control of manufacturing processes and flexible manufacturing systems may be covered. This seminar is coordinated with the undergraduate program in manufacturing engineering. Required for all full-time students.
MFE 510. Control and Monitoring of Manufacturing Processes
Covers a broad range of topics centered on control and monitoring functions for manufacturing, including process control, feedback systems, data collection and analysis, scheduling, machine-computer interfacing and distributed control. Typical applications are considered with lab work.
MFE 511. Application of Industrial Robotics
(Concurrent with ME 4815) This course introduces the student to the field of industrial automation. Topics covered include robot specification and selection, control and drive methods, part presentation, economic justification, safety, implementation, product design and programming languages. The course combines the use of lecture, project work and laboratories that utilize industrial robots. Theory and application of robotic systems will be emphasized.
MFE 520. Axiomatic Design of Manufacturing Processes
This course begins with elements axiomatic design, the theory and practice. Design applications are considered primarily, although not exclusively, for the design of manufacturing processes and tools. Axiomatic design is based on the premise that there are common aspects to all good designs. These commons aspects, stated in the independence and information axioms, facilitate the teaching and practice of engineering design as a scientific discipline. Analysis of processes and products is considered from the perspective of supporting product and process design. Fundamental methods of engineering analysis of manufacturing processes with broad applicability are developed. Attention is given to examples from one or more of the following: machining (traditional, nontraditional and grinding), additive manufacturing, and to the production of surface topographies. The ability to generalize from detailed examples is emphasized in order to facilitate the students ability to development analyses and design methods with broader applicability. This course is offered live, in-class only, to be completed in one semester, for three credits. Credit cannot be given for this course and any of the similar, online versions of this material for 2 credits: MFE 521, MTE 521.
MFE 521. Fundamentals of Axiomatic Design of Manufacturing Processes
The course starts with an in-depth study of axiomatic design. Applications of axiomatic design are considered primarily, although not exclusively, for the design of manufacturing processes and tools. Axiomatic design is a design methodology based on the premise that there are two axioms that apply to all good designs. These axioms facilitate the teaching and practice of engineering design as a scientific discipline. Manufacturing process analysis is considered from the perspective of supporting design. Methods of analysis of manufacturing processes with broad applicability are sought. Special attention is given to examples in machining (traditional, nontraditional and grinding), additive manufacturing, and to the production of surfaces. The ability to find commonalities across applications and generalize is emphasized to facilitate further development of principles with broad applicability. The content is delivered in video lectures and in readings from the technical literature. Homework and quizzes are given and delivered online. There is a project to design a manufacturing process. The topics can be from work or dissertations that can be interpreted as manufacturing processes and tools. Credit cannot be given for this course and any of the similar, in-class versions for 3 credits, MFE 520, MTE 520 and ME 543
MFE 531. Computer Integrated Manufacturing
An overview of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). As the CIM concept attempts to integrate all of the business and engineering functions of a firm, this course builds on the knowledge of computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, concurrent engineering, management of information systems and operations management to demonstrate the strategic importance of integration. Emphasis is placed on CAD/CAM integration. Topics include, part design specification and manufacturing quality, tooling and fixture design, and manufacturing information systems. This course includes a group term project. Note: Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have taken the Special Topics version of the same course (MFE 593D/MFE 594D
MFE 541. Design for Manufacturability
The problems of cost determination and evaluation of processing alternatives in the designmanufacturing interface are discussed. Approaches for introducing manufacturing capability knowledge into the product design process are covered. An emphasis is placed on part and process simplification, and analysis of alternative manufacturing methods based on such parameters as: anticipated volume, product life cycle, lead time, customer requirements, and quality yield. Lean manufacturing and Six-Sigma concepts and their influence on design quality are included as well. Note: Students cannot receive credit for this course if they have taken the Special Topics version of the same course (MFE594M).
MFE 590. Capstone Project in Manufacturing Engineering
The new capstone course (MFE 590) will provide a practical experience for the students in the M.S. MFE Program to synthesize their learning and to apply knowledge to solving real-world manufacturing problems. The projects will be sponsored by either internal units on campus or external organizations. In addition to a written report, the project results will be formally presented to the class, outside sponsors and other interested parties.