Partnership Receives NSF Laser Cladding Training Grant
Add comment May 26th, 2008
A collaborative proposal between Northern Illinois University (NIU), Rock Valley College (RVC), and the Abilities Center to establish a training program encompassing Laser Cladding operations was awarded a three year grant supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
“Development and Field Test of an Internet-based Multimedia Simulation and Remote Laboratory System of Laser Cladding Technology for Technicians” is the title of the project that will receive an award of $850,000 over the three year grant period. This significant award will allow the project directors to develop and field test a multimedia- and database-supported simulation and remote laboratory system on the internet for training laser cladding process technicians, which will eventually be offered nationally at two-year community college engineering technology programs that choose to offer the training as part of their applied technical degree curriculums. The cost of the training will be determined by the tuition and lab fees established by each community college. The project will contribute to the training and commercialization effort in the robotic direct-diode laser cladding technology as an emerging high-quality and low-cost process of refurbishing expensive distortion-sensitive parts, enabling training of industrial laser operation, safety, and part processing in a robotically guided laser cell in a real-world work environment, that otherwise would not be possible through conventional laboratory.
The project combines the curriculum leadership of RVC, the existing clientele base of the Abilities Center, a community center for advanced technology education, and the educational research and the hardware and software expertise of NIU, supported by a number of industry partners leading the field of laser cladding equipment and applications. The program will be co-directed by representatives from each of the collaborating institutions. Three representatives from NIU who are participating in the project are: Dr. Promod Vohra, Dean of the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology (CEET); Dr. Richard Johnson, Director, Research and Development Outreach for CEET; and Dr. Xueshu Song, Professor in the CEET Department of Technology. Representing Rock Valley College is Charles Billman, a professor in the Aviation Maintenance Technology Program, and representing the Abilities Center is Phil Pilcher, Director of MULTITREX, a division of Abilities Center that is responsible for developing innovative educational materials.
The internet-based training course under development will consist of five modules: The Fundamentals of Laser Cladding; The Equipment of Laser Cladding; The Process Control of Laser Cladding; the Safety of Laser Cladding; and The Remote Laboratory of Laser Cladding. Each module can stand alone as an individual curriculum entity, including on-line help and quizzes and can be used in either sequential or random order. Throughout the modules, realistic video and graphic images of laser cladding equipment and processes will be juxtaposed with schematic illustrations of the system being studied, epitomizing the ideal of using virtual reality to enhance the reality of the training program.
One of the most important concepts emanating from this training program is the concept of a “hybrid” laboratory which combines a traditional laboratory at the remote end, an interactive interface at the user end, and the virtual multimedia simulations—all via the internet for maximum cost and educational effectiveness. The educational effectiveness and efficiency has been assessed by pilot testing with a small group of students and will be further confirmed in years two and three of the project with large-scale formal field tests at Rock Valley College. For information about participating in the RVC program, please contact Charles Billman at 815-921-3014 or by Email at C.Billman@RockValleyCollege.edu.
Source: NIU ROCK Newsletter
