WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY

   DEPARTMENT OF  ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

COURSE SYLLABUS: ET 349 Rapid Tooling and Prototyping

Email: ballaaron@email.wcu.edu

Course Description
Prototyping methods and rapid tooling practices for product fabrication. Emphasis on computer methods, 3D prototyping,
CNC machining and tooling systems.

Pre-requisites: Physics (PHYS130), Trigonometry (MATH 144 or 145),
                          Computer Modeling and Rapid Prototyping (ET 231)

Required Text: Machinery Handbook,  CRC Publishing 28th Edition.
 
Supplemental: Various web sites will be used to supplement the course.

Supplemental Software: ProE; Excel; MS-Word; Mach3; OneCNC

Required Materials: Engineer's Pad, 1.44 M Floppy and CD, ZIP, or Flash USB
                                    Three ring binder, plastic sheet covers.

Course Objectives

The purpose of this course is to provide students a working knowledge of developing systems for fabricating new products
by carrying out the following objectives:

     1.   Develop a knowledge base for steps in the design to manufacture cycle.

     2.   Provide a knowledge base for transferring parametric modeling methods and
           procedures to the development of product fabrication.

     3.   Providing a knowledge base for CAM methods and procedures.

     4.   Develop a knowledge base for rapid manufacturing methods and procedures.

     5.   Developing skills in part and fixture design and fabrication for production engineering applications.

Laboratory Sessions
The course will consist on weekly laboratory sessions using state of the art technology.   These labs will include but are not limited to the following:

     1.  Safety and demonstrations of software, CNC machine operations and controllers;

     2.  Machine tool set-up procedures and fixturing;

     3.  CAM and CNC operations for tooling and product fabrication.

     4.  Production machining set-up and procedures.

Safety
Students are expected to maintain an attitude of safety at all time when working in the laboratory.   Special care should be taken to prevent oil from spilling on the floor.  Machines should be assumed to be ready for operation at MAXIMUM SPEED, and steps must be taken to properly adjust safe operating settings and parameters. Do not operate any equipment unless you have been completely checked out and authorized to do so!
NOTE:  You must complete the safety laboratory and submit a signed statement of acknowledgement and understanding of laboratory safety and procedures before being allowed to proceed with ANY laboratory activities.

Attendance
Attendance of each class period is very important. Some of the material that will be presented is not covered in detail in the text.  Students are expected to attend each class session. No make-up tests or laboratory sessions will be provided except in extreme emergencies or for extenuating circumstances. Any student missing more than three class periods may be penalized as follows:

     1.  A grade of "W" may be assigned if the infraction occurs prior to
          the legal time to withdraw from the course;

     2.  A grade of "F" may be assigned if the infraction occurs after the
          legal time to withdraw from a course; or

     3.  Final grade may be reduced by one letter grade as seen fit by
          the instructor.

Evaluation
Each student will be evaluated based on three major areas of performance.
These areas and percentage of the total grade are shown below:

     Test(s)                                         40%
     Labs and weekly assignments        25%
     Merit*                                         10%
     Semester Project                          25%

* Merit Includes attendance, lab safety, organization, clean-up assignments, work
   performance, and quality of work submitted.

Grading Scale:

Semester Project:
     A semester project is required for all students. The project will consist of program development for a
3D part/assembly, production of a working model, and a production plan.   A complete set of documentation
is required including but not limited to the following:

      1.  Set of working drawings produced to scale on CAD
      2.  Prototype Development
      3.  Complete Documentation of CNC Programs
      4.  Setup Procedure for production
      5.  Program Verification
      6.  Tooling and fixture design and fabrication
      7.  Prototyping
      8.  Production Plan including inspection and testing procedures
      9.  Project presentation.

All students are REQUIRED to maintain a workbook for the class including:
notes, quizzes, labs, tests, semester project, and reference materials.  Workbooks
will be collected for grading purposes and used for departmental accreditation.
Workbooks must be a quality three ring binder with tabbed dividers neatly maintained.

STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO SUBMIT WORK ON TIME! ANY WORK NOT SUBMITTED ON TIME
WILL BE SUBJECTED TO THE FOLLOWING PENALTY:

     1. Late work will receive an automatic 50% grade reduction.

     2. Late is defined as any work submitted after the class/lab period due.

     3. Any work more than one week late will not be accepted

     4. The late work policy will be strictly enforced!

     5. If you absolutely cannot attend class, notify the instructor prior to the absence! This
        is the only way you will be allowed to make up any work!

Students are expected to do their own work! The honor code will be strictly adhered to. Any student violating the
honor code will be subjected to penalties set forth by the university academic honesty regulations. Any student in
violation of the honor code will be subjected to the following penalty:

     1. A grade of "0" will be assigned to the current work upon the first infraction.

     2. A grade of "f" for the course will be assigned upon the second infraction.

Faculty Expectation of Students and Course Policies

   Statement on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Western Carolina University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for students with documented disabilities.  Students who require disability services or reasonable accommodations must identify themselves as having a disability and provide current diagnostic documentation to Disability Services.  All information is confidential.  Please contact Disability Services for more information at (828) 227-2716, lalexis@wcu.edu or 144 Killian Annex.

Academic Honesty Policy

Western Carolina University, as a community of scholarship, is also a community of honor. Faculty, staff, administrators, and students work together to achieve the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Academic dishonesty is a serious offense at Western Carolina University because it threatens the quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend on knowledge and integrity. Academic dishonesty includes:

a. Cheating—Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.

b. Fabrication—Intentional falsification of information or citation in an academic exercise.

c. Plagiarism—Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of someone else as one’s own in an academic exercise.

d. Facilitation of Academic Dishonesty—Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help someone else to commit an act of academic dishonesty, such as knowingly allowing another to copy information during an examination or other academic exercise. 

 Instructors have the right to determine the appropriate sanction or sanctions for academic dishonesty within their courses up to and including a final grade of “F” in the course. Within 5 calendar days of the event the instructor will inform his/her department head, and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School when the student is a graduate student, in writing of the academic dishonesty charge and sanction.

The department head or graduate program director will meet with the student to inform him/her orally and in writing of the charge and the sanction imposed by the instructor within 10 calendar days of written notice from the instructor. Prior to this meeting, the department head will contact the Office of Student Judicial Affairs to establish if the student has any record of a prior academic dishonesty offense. If there is a record of a prior academic dishonesty offense, the matter must be referred directly to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs.In instances where a program does not have a department head or graduate program director, the Dean or Associate Dean of the college will assume the duties of department head for cases of academic dishonesty. 

 If the case is a first offense, the student can choose to accept the charge and sanction from the instructor by signing a Mutual Agreement with the department head or graduate program director or can choose to have a hearing with the Academic Integrity Board. Within 10 calendar days of the meeting with the student, the department head or graduate program director will 1) report the student’s choice of action in writing to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs, 2) file a copy of the Mutual Agreement (when applicable) with the Office of Judicial Affairs, and 3) inform the student of the sanction or sanctions to be imposed under the Mutual Agreement or inform the student of the procedure for requesting a hearing with the Academic Integrity Board if the Mutual Agreement is not accepted. Mutual Agreements are final agreements not subject to further review or appeal.

 In instances of second offenses, or when the student chooses a hearing, the Office of Student Judicial Affairs will meet with the student to provide an orientation to the hearing process and to schedule a date no less than 10 and no more than 15 calendar days from the meeting for the hearing. The student can waive minimum notice of a hearing; however, extensions are at the sole discretion of the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. Should the student choose not to attend his/her orientation meeting, a hearing date will be assigned to the student.

The hearing procedures will follow the same format as stated in the Code of Student Conduct (Article V.A.5). The hearing body (Academic Integrity Board) will consist of 2 students from the Student Judicial Affairs Student Hearing Board and 3 faculty members. The faculty fellow for academic integrity will be one of the faculty members and will serve as the chair. The other two faculty members will be chosen by the Director of Student Judicial Affairs from a pool of eight faculty hearing officers. Each academic year, each college dean will appoint two faculty members from the college to comprise the pool of eight faculty hearing officers. Hearings will be held in a student’s absence when a student fails to attend the hearing for any reason. The hearing body may impose any sanctions as outlined in Article V.B. in the Code of Student Conduct. Students given a sanction of probation for academic dishonesty will remain on probation at Western Carolina University until graduation.

Following a decision from the Academic Integrity Board, the Office of Judicial Affairs will inform the student of the sanction or sanctions to be imposed upon them and of their right to file an appeal with the University Academic Problems Committee. The appeal is limited to those rules and procedures expressly mentioned in the Code of Student Conduct (Article V.D.2) and is limited to the existing record. If the student does not file an appeal with the University Academic Problems Committee within 5 calendar days, the sanction or sanctions from the Academic Integrity Board will be imposed. The decision of the Academic Problems Committee may be appealed to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Any decision of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs may be appealed to the Chancellor. 

Upon final resolution of a case involving suspension or expulsion, the Director of Student Judicial Affairs will inform the appropriate dean, department head, and the administrator in the One Stop Office who is responsible for University Withdrawals of the sanction. An act of academic dishonesty, including a first offense, may place the student in jeopardy of suspension from the university. A repeated violation or more serious first offense may result in expulsion. Disciplinary records for any act of academic dishonesty are retained by the Office of Student Judicial Affairs for at least five years from the date of final adjudication. These records are available to prospective employers and other educational institutions in accordance with federal regulations.

Course Topics
Product design and the manufacturing cycle
Machining processes and cutting theory
Machining methods and CNC programming
3D parametric modeling and procedures for CAM
Tooling systems methods and procedures
CAM applications for milling
Mid term exam
Machining methods and tooling for turning applications
Tooling systems for turning
Production planning and fixture development
Project presentations
Course review
Final exam

Class/laboratory schedule
Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week.
 

Update by Dr. Aaron K. Ball, August 2, 2011