The Manufacturing Technology Center is a resource for fabrication and guidance of senior design teams. Any team which plans to perform any fabrication (building of any physical parts) should make use of the Manufacturing Technology Center, even if it is only for review of their designs or plans. Building things is difficult, and the staff who work in the Manufacturing Technology Center are able to help with the following:
Provide guidance in early design
What resources & technologies are available in the MTC and in local suppliers
What types of fabrication are feasible for a design & timeline
Cost & lead time estimation
Design for prototype and manufacturability strategies
Support the review of designs and technical drawings
Satisfying functional and fabrication requirements
Clear communication on drawings and schematics
Adherence to standards
Support sourcing and acquiring from suppliers
Able to help find and quote raw materials, fasteners, equipment, and tools.
Perform fabrication and build support of many piece parts and assemblies
Robust machine shop capabilities.
Can support outsourcing of processes not possible in MTC.
Provide guidance and resources during build, test, and troubleshoot of assemblies
Testing and equipment experience.
Broad hardware modification capabilities.
On the resource survey in spring semester, teams will need to indicate if they need fabrication support from the MTC. This allows the MTC to prepare for the workload they will expect in the coming months.
Failing to indicate properly will place your team at the lowest priority at a minimum.
Teams which indicate they need fabrication support will need to schedule and hold a preliminary design review with the MTC. The preliminary design review provides insight to the MTC on what the team is designing and what portions of it will be fabricated. It also allows the MTC to provide feedback and guidance on the design and what is able to be made by the MTC.
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Preparation:
Be prepared to clearly describe your objectives and plan to the MTC. Teams should bring preliminary designs (sketches, drawings, 3D models, photos, or other concepts) to allow clear communications on what is to come. Plans and designs aren't expected to be perfect at this phase, but attending meeting of this nature with no preparation or concepts is ill-advised.
Preliminary Design Review Requirements:
Duration:
30-60 minute discussion
Attendance:
All student team members
Project advisor
The manager and possibly other employees of the MTC
Scheduling:
To schedule a preliminary design review:
Copy and fill out the below request form. See the example form for reference.
Deliver in person to the manager of the MTC or email to the manager of the MTC with the subject line "[TEAM ID], MTC Prelim. Design Review Request".
Bring any available visual aids to preliminary design review to help communicate objectives.
Reviewing designs and drawings with a supplier is common-place in industry. Fabricators and engineers benefit the opportunity to discuss upcoming work and clarify any concerns either party may have about the parts and assemblies in question.
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Preparation:
Teams which intend to have parts fabricated by the MTC will need to produce drawings for all parts. See Drawings 101 for additional guidance on what is expected when it comes to generating drawings.
Teams should prepare with thorough reviews of their drawings with their team members and project advisor at a minimum. Review the parts themselves first to insure they will function as desired, then review the drawings to confirm that the communicated part will function as desired even at worst-case tolerances and interpretations.
Critical Design/Drawing Review Requirements:
Drawings:
Must be printed
Each part/assembly must have a unique part number.
Must be signed & dated by student who created them.
Must be signed & dated by student who reviewed them.
Must be thoroughly reviewed, signed, & dated the team's project advisor.
Critical Review Duration:
30-90 minutes meeting depending on number of parts and complexity.
Attendance:
All student team members
The manager and possibly other employees of the MTC
Scheduling:
To schedule a critical design/drawing review:
Copy and fill out the below request form. See the example form for reference.
Deliver in person to the manager of the MTC or email to the manager of the MTC with the subject line "[TEAM ID], MTC Critical Design Review Request".
Bring all printed drawings to critical design review.
This is the process by which specific parts or sets of parts are requested once reviewed and approved. This process is intended to formally specify and document the "what" "how many" and "by when" aspects of the build.
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Preparation:
Materials:
Consult with MTC on necessary materials (best done during design/drawing review). The MTC is able to help navigate the quoting process and is familiar with local and national suppliers. Submit purchase requests as needed to acquire materials and insure they are delivered to the MTC with clear demarcation upon arrival. Long-lead items may need to be ordered well in advance.
Drawings:
Review the drawing package for completeness and all necessary signatures. Notify the MTC immediately if changes are necessary following the design/drawing review.
Submission:
To submit a fabrication request:
Confirm that all drawings are reviewed, signed, and on-file with MTC.
Work with MTC before or in parallel with the request to get necessary materials on-hand.
Submit request at the below link.