Design and Implementation of an Experiential Assembly Systems Engineering Laboratory Module

Curriculum integration and multidisciplinary studies have become key issues in improving engineering education. This paper presents the design and implementation of laboratory material that integrates three traditionally independent courses in the industrial engineering curriculum, manufacturing, ergonomics, and simulation, utilizing an experiential assembly system. This collaborative project incorporates a team-based learn-by-doing approach to the theoretical knowledge in these subject areas 1,3. These components are implemented in a dynamic and reconfigurable environment in which the students are given the opportunity of contrasting his/her design against the working reality. The results of this project are discussed along with the impact on the curriculum.