Yue Zhang, Haijun Gong, Lianjun Wu

Department of Manufacturing Engineering

Georgia Southern University

December 3, 2021

Experiential Learning of 

Manufacturing Standards: from 

Lectures to Labs and Industrial 

Internships
Team Background

• Yue Zhang, assistant professor at Georgia Southern University.

• Expertise: nanomanufacturing, additive manufacturing (AM), 

and materials processing. 

• Research Interest: AM of soft polymer materials for robotic 

applications, energy materials, advanced manufacturing 

education.

• Liaison between the Department of Manufacturing Engineering 

and Fabricators & Manufacturers Association (FMA). 
Team Background

• Dr. Haijun Gong is an assistant professor at Georgia Southern University. 

His research interest concentrates on additive manufacturing metals and 

polymers and their mechanical properties. He is interested in applying the 

3D printing for advanced manufacturing. His research also involves 

lightweight structure design and high-performance material applications. 

Dr. Gong is a member of ASME Additive Manufacturing for Nonmetallic 

Materials Working Group. He is a member of editorial boards for the 

"Innovations in Materials Processing" Section, Technologies journal. He 

was a recipient of Randy Stevens Scholarship for university professor of 

additive manufacturing education and professional development (Additive 

Manufacturing Users Group 2017).
Team Background

• Dr. Lianjun Wu is an assistant professor at Georgia Southern 

University. His research interest concentrates on robotics, 

smart materials and actuators and soft multi-material 

manufacturing using 3D printing. Dr. Wu is a member of 

Emerging Professional Group and Student Relation Committee 

at SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers). He is a member 

of editorial boards of the journal Advances in Mechanical 

Engineering. He is also a member of Topical Advisory Panel for 

the journal Actuators. 
Main Goals

• Create a systematic framework that includes 

lectures, labs, and industrial internships to 

strengthen education and learning about 

robotics and additive manufacturing standards 

among engineering students. 
Project Objectives

1. Develop innovative course modules (lecture, lab, 

and project) to advance students’ professional 

preparedness

2. Develop virtual learning materials to improve 

students’ career readiness

3. Create a sustainable online course structure to 

enhance education and learning impacts. 
Teaching Materials

• Course Modules

• New Courses

• Guest Speakers

• Plant Tours
Course Modules and New Course

Additive 

Manufacturing

Robotics New Course

Entry Level

(Lecture)

MFGE 2421 Intro. to 

AM (15~20)

MFGE 3421 Controls 

and Networking Studio 

(16)

Medium Level

(Lab)

MFGE 5333 AM Studio 

(~10)

MFGE 4533 Industrial 

Robotics and 

Automation (16)

Graduate Level

(Project)

MFGE 5334G AM of 

Lightweight Structure 

(~10)

MFGE 

7221: Flexible Manufac

turing Strategies (16)

MFGE 5339G 

Manufacturing 

Standards and 

Standardization (10)
Guest Speakers and Plant Tours

Guest speaker Plant Tour

Activities • Webinars • Trip to plant or virtual tour

• Interview industrial professionals

Frequency Spring and Fall Semester 

Sponsors • Department Professional Advisory Committee (PAC)

• Industrial professionals

• Alumni

Documentation • Videos 
PAC members
Short-Term Impacts

• Improving students’ understanding of the benefits of 

standards and enhancing their skills of utilizing and 

developing standards. 

– The experiential learning modules offer hands-on 

experience. 

– Encourage student to participate in industrial 

internship to practice the engineering standards. 
Long-Term Impacts

• Prepare college student for workplace with 

standardization concepts. 

• Attract industrial partners to be involved in 

developing standards. 

– Strengthen the communications between GaSou and 

manufacturing community and promote a further 

collaboration in the standard development. 
Replication

• E-conference

• Class demos and seminar

• Project Website
Replication

E-conference Class Demos and Seminars

Who • GaSou faculties 

• IHEs: Jacksonville State University, University of Texas Permian Basin, etc.

What • Learning modules

• Experience of using the 

modules

• Learning modules

When Summer 2022 and 2023 Fall 2022 and 2023

Where Face-to-face and online 

simultaneously 

Online for other IHEs
Website

• Video records of e-conference and seminars 

• Course materials: module replication guide, 

class notes

• Project news and updates
Dissemination and Sharing

• Project Website

• Conferences

• Professional Society

• Social Media
Conferences

• SoTL Commons Conference 2022 (abstract 

accepted) & 2023

• ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 2023

• NIST workshop 2022 and 2023
Professional Society and Social Media

• Professional Society

– Forums (SME & FMA)

– Mailing List (ETD-L)

• Youtube channel and Facebook account of this 

project

• Department Website and College Emails.
Plans

• A 10-page project report will be prepared in 

Fall 2023

• Hiring of photographer

• Plant tour to Koyo Bearing
Thank You!

Questions?