2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Experiential Learning in Manufacturing Process Development through an Assembly Workcell

Presented at Manufacturing Division (MFG) Technical Session 3: Experiential Learning in Manufacturing Education I

Direct experiential learning experiences allow students to obtain critical thinking skills and experience without undergoing internships or co-ops. This paper presents the design and development of an experiential experience lab course that focuses on manufacturing process development for the assembly process. The lab course was developed to supply students with focused, learning-based assembly goals over the course of a semester. The students are expected to exhibit their learning through team-based reports that provide a theoretical company with the organization, plant layout, and duties of each workstation within the workcell. This cohort-driven approach will provide a focus for students to make decisions that will be the best outcome for the exemplary company. With these goals, students will then use the workcell to practice process design methods in the assembly of a racing drone. Manufacturing concepts including Quality Control, Reverse Engineering, Lean Manufacturing, and Six Sigma are practiced through this workcell and retention for these concepts are promoted through the addition of empathizing with real-world problems and operators. This workcell's design aims to yield an experiential experience for students in process development of manufacturing in the advancement of manufacturing knowledge and skills to prepare students for the production workforce.

Authors

Mx. Gracie Elizabeth Brownlow Michigan Technological University [biography]

Gracie Brownlow earned their Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in Spring of 2025 before continuing their education with a Master's in Mechanical Engineering. Under the direction of Dr. Vinh Nguyen, the focus of their graduate studies is on how experiential learning experiences can be used to improve the outcomes for students studying in the introductory manufacturing courses. The current project described in the paper focuses on the work that will be implemented into the next school year for students to develop themselves as manufacturing engineers before entering the workforce.
Vinh Nguyen Michigan Technological University [biography]

Dr. Nguyen started his appointment as an Assistant Professor at Michigan Technological University in 2022, where his research focuses on advanced manufacturing through Industry 4.0, human-robot-machine interaction, and physics-based/data-driven modeling. Dr. Nguyen has developed solutions for a variety of production processes including machining, additive manufacturing, metal forming, and robotic assembly to promote smart and sustainable manufacturing. Dr. Nguyen also conducts research in general industrial automation including autonomous vehicles and industrial robotics.

Prior to his appointment at Michigan Technological University, Vinh was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology from 2020 to 2022. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and his MS in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in addition to receiving his BS in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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