Industrial Engineering Laboratories

Sections of the Kettering University Web Site

Industrial Engineering Laboratories

The laboratories of the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering program emphasize student use of industrial equipment. Students use machinery, containers, handling tools, measuring tools, and furnishings like those in real work environments, not benchtop models. This is key to preparing our students for professional engineering practice.

Advanced Machining Laboratory The Advanced Machining Laboratory consists of state of the art computer numerically controlled machine tools and non-traditional machining processes.
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Basic Machining Laboratory In the Basic Machining Laboratory freshman students get a hands-on experience learning to use lathes, mills, drill presses, and a broach.
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Computer Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory In the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) Laboratory students learn to bring together robotics, machining, material handling, and computer programming to produce a product. Visit the CIM Laboratory website.
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Control Systems Laboratory The Rockwell Automation Applied Control Systems Laboratory is used to teach students both fundamental and advanced industrial control methodologies.
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Design for Manufacture and Assembly Studio The Design for Manufacture and Assembly Studio teaches students how to design and redesign products to improve their manufacture and ability to be assembled. The goal is to improve both productivity and quality in these areas.
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Engineering Materials Laboratory The Engineering Materials Laboratory is intended to provide engineering students with an opportunity for hands-on learning in heat treating, mechanical testing and microscopic analysis of metals.
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Environmental Scanning Electron Micrcoscopy Laboratory The Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) Laboratory is a joint laboratory with the Physics program. The ESEM allows for extreme magnification of objects to examine in detail detail very tiny structures.
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Ergonomics Laboratory A second course in Work Design introduces students to Human Factors (Ergonomics) through various hands-on experiments. The analysis of human work is accomplished using analytical techniques of work measurement as well as methods for analyzing the motions required to perform the work. This laboratory introduces many opportunities to improve the interface between the human operator and the workplace.
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Failure Analysis Laboratory The Failure Analysis Laboratory provides the opportunity to analyze materials and how the interaction of materials and processing relate to product failure.
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Foundry Metal casting is a fundamental manufacturing process. Freshman get the opportunity to perform metal casting in the introductory manufacturing processes laboratory and seniors can take a full course in casting. In this laboratory students learn that there is more to casting than just pouring the molten metal. There are many other factors to consider as well.
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Joining Process Laboratory The Joining Processes Laboratory will provide students an opportunity to learn how to evaluate, identify, and specify the appropriate means for joining materials based on loading requirements, characteristics of the materials to be joined, practicality and economic impact. Topics covered include: fusion joining processes, non-fusion joining processes, adhesive bonding, factors affecting strength of joints prepared with various processes and the safety and practicality associated with these processes.
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Metrology Laboratory The Metrology Laboratory is used to instruct students in principles of measurements. The laboratory also supports students performing senior design projects.
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Polymer Processing Laboratory The Polymer Processing Laboratory is used to teach students about the process of injection molding. Injection molding is used to produce a broad range of products from toys to automobile parts.
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Productivity Center The Johnson Productivity Center is used extensively by Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering students to perform statistical analyses and create simulations of industrial processes.
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Sheet Metal Forming Laboratory The Sheet Metal Forming Laboratory is used to investigate the relationship between material properties and the tools used to form that material. In general, the sheets are circle gridded to study strain patterns and then formed using tooling with one feature varied such as die entry radius of punch nose radius. The laboratory exercises look at both round cups and rectangular pans. At the conclusion of the laboratory experience, students have a very good idea of the way that metals deform and their resulting strain patterns and can discuss changes in tooling necessary to correct failed components.
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Work Design Laboratory The introductory Work Design course enables students to design, build and run the entire production system with associated work methods, part presentations, and visual controls. The final product is made entirely of Lego blocks, thus this laboratory is often referred to as the Lego Lab. The relationship between product and process design is emphasized. Students apply continuous improvement techniques with the goal of running a lean manufacturing line.
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