Alexandra Schonning

Biomechanical Applications of Computers in Engineering Education

This paper discusses integration of biomechanical research in the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. The projects presented emphasize the use of computers and computer-aided engineering software. Two different projects are discussed. The first project involves generation of three-dimensional computer models of the bones of the lower limb, and the second project the generation of three-dimensional computer models of the shoulder to be used in developing an implant. Through these projects the students learned specialized computer-aided engineering software tools and also enhanced their communication skills through technical report writing and presenting a paper at a conference.Copyright

Engineering Education Via Robotics, Mechatronics, and Automation Projects

Engineering educational projects with regional industry have influenced creation of Floridas First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership. The development of the joint industry-academia collaboration has the primary goals of project-centered innovations for technology transfer, training the regional workforce with relevance to industry, and sustainability of technology transfer through creation of high-technology jobs. By providing an experiential education in manufacturing systems automation and design in undergraduate engineering curriculum, engineering students are better prepared upon entering the workforce. Projects comprising the development of the Manufacturing Innovation Partnership are outlined which describe project-centered engineering education in design and manufacturing systems engineering.

Effect of vacuum mixer brand on tensile properties of acrylic bone cement

The effect of vacuum mixer brand is studied on six commercial bone cements, three with prophylactic doses of antibiotics and three without. The modulus of elasticity, ultimate tensile strength, maximum strain, and 0.2% yield strength was analysed. Bone cement specimens were manufactured and tested in accordance with ASTM D638 specifications using three different types of vacuum mixers in an operating room. The specimens were tested in a universal testing machine. Statistical analysis revealed that a proprietary mixer did not generally outperform the other two mixers for its own cement. It was found that the mixer had a significant effect on the results and that the Stryker/Simplex mixer generally outperformed Biomet and Zimmer. However, for the Simplex bone cement, the mixer type did not have a significant effect for most of the data analysed. The overall conclusion is that the proprietary mixer does not perform the best with its own cement.

Design of a Screw Test Fixture via Computer-Aided Engineering

Biomet Microfixation is a biomedical engineering company specializing in craniomaxillofacial products. One of their main products is the manufacturing of screws. The current method of testing the pullout strength of the screws has been under investigation and it was determined that a new screw test fixture must be designed. The new method would exert an axial load to the screw adhered to a substrate. The design process for developing the fixture followed an iterative process including brainstorming, developing conceptual drawings, three dimensional computer-aided modeling, and computer-aided drafting. The final design was a three part device that allowed for easy and quick testing of the axial pullout strength of multiple screws. The design has been approved and is soon to be manufactured and utilized.Copyright

Fostering Undergraduate Research Through Collaboration With Local Engineering Companies

This paper discusses the importance of introducing the undergraduate engineering student to research; it provides examples on how research has been integrated with the curriculum, and how the local engineering industry provides engineering research projects for the students. One research project includes the development of a test fixture to be used in determining the pull-out strength of screws in a biomaterials substrate. Another example presented is the development of a test configuration for determining the under water impact resistance of acoustic windows. Furthermore, a research project will be presented on the creation, testing and analysis of bone cement specimens. Through these projects students learn valuable skills such as performing literature review of a technical topic, developing a statement of work, establishing a research plan, learning appropriate software and hardware tools, carefully documenting their work, analyzing results, writing papers, and presenting their work at conferences. This paper provides details on how these skills are developed through the students’ research experiences and how they will benefit the students upon graduation. In order to expose a large number of undergraduate students to research it is helpful to develop some form of a mentoring program where students learn from each other. The paper describes how this mentoring program is organized and provides details of how the students interact with their peers, the faculty members and representatives from the local industry.Copyright

Industry-Academia Computer Aided Engineering Undergraduate Research Projects

Florida’s First Coast Manufacturing Innovation Partnership (MIP), sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), promotes collaboration between academia and local industry members by providing a shared resource center. The local industry provides the university with research opportunities for its undergraduate students in areas of mechanical engineering design, manufacturing, and analysis and the university provides the local industry with technical resources. This paper outlines how this collaborative effort is structured, what types of projects are undertaken, and what the benefits are to academia, industry, and society in general. In particular, the paper describes three computer aided engineering (CAE) projects, addresses how these industry-academia projects help achieve the goals of the MIP program, and how these projects help improve the CAE skills of the future workforce.Copyright

Enhancing Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education With Computer Aided Engineering

This paper addresses the importance of integrating Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software and applications in the mechanical engineering curriculum. Computer aided engineering tools described include Computer-Aided Design, Computer-Aided Manufacturing, and Computer-Aided Analysis tools such as finite element (FE) modeling and analysis. The integration of CAE software tools in the curriculum is important for three primary reasons: it helps students understand fundamental engineering principles by providing an interactive and visual representation of concepts, it provides students an opportunity to explore their creative ideas and designs while keeping prototyping costs to a minimum, and it teaches students the valuable skill of more efficiently designing, manufacturing and analyzing their products with current technology making them more marketable for their future engineering careers. While CAE has been used in the classroom for decades, the mechanical engineering program at the University of North Florida is making an aggressive effort in preparing the future engineering workforce through computer-aided project-centered education. The CAE component of this effort includes using CAE software when teaching stress, strain, dynamics, kinematics, vibrations, finite element modeling and analysis, design and design for manufacturing, manufacturing and technical communication concepts. This paper describes CAE projects undertaken in several of the mechanical engineering courses at UNF in an effort to share creative teaching techniques for others to emulate.Copyright