2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A New Course in Defense Manufacturing – An Introduction to Shipbuilding

Presented at Design Experiences in Manufacturing Education

This paper discusses the development and deployment of a new course in DMEI (Defense Manufacturing Engineering Innovation) titled, “Introduction to Shipbuilding.” This course has been taught using Zoom since 2021 at both the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, a Hispanic Serving Institution, and Virginia State University, a Historically Black University. After a brief literature review, an outline of the course is presented with topics including the maritime market for shipbuilding, economics of shipbuilding, the classification agencies, metallurgy and welding processes, ship structure and assembly, shipyard layout, accuracy control, and shipbuilding planning and scheduling. Difficulties in obtaining an appropriate textbook and the use of guest lecturers are discussed. Student survey data is presented, and conclusions are drawn about this course.

Authors

Dr. Alley C. Butler University of Texas Rio Grande Valley [biography]

Alley C. Butler received his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering and was commissioned into the US Navy in 1973. After serving as a Naval Officer in the Pacific Fleet for five years, he worked in industry for eight years, and earned an MBA degree. He earned his MS and PhD degree from Purdue University in 1988 and 1992 respectively. He has been a faculty member in engineering since that time. He is presently a Professor of Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

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