College of Engineering and Science: Fighting to Keep Manufacturing in Michigan
In
response to the need to retain manufacturing knowledge and jobs in this country,
and particularly, in Southeast Michigan, the College is increasing its focus
on Manufacturing Engineering. Retaining and creating manufacturing jobs is
a highly visible priority for federal and state leaders. To do so, it is essential
that we have deep knowledge and competence regarding manufacturing processes
and systems . . . the kind of knowledge and competence that are possessed
by qualified manufacturing engineers. UDM now teaches Manufacturing Engineering
at FOCUS:HOPE and at Ford, but we have also brought the study of Manufacturing
Engineering to campus.
The College received a grant from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers to support the development of the GLEAM (Great Lakes Education Alliance in Manufacturing) Coalition. Ford Motor Company, Macomb and Schoolcraft Community Colleges and many high schools are partners in this project. The faculty is developing new curricula in the areas of lean manufacturing and manufacturing systems. Also as a result of this grant, a new faculty member, Dr. Mostafa Mehrabi, has joined the college.
To support our increased emphasis on manufacturing, we are currently building the Visteon Prototype Center and two new labs for Manufacturing. The prototype center will include extensive prototyping equipment (CNC machine tools, rapid prototyping systems, etc) to create mechanical and electrical systems. It will allow students throughout their engineering curriculum to transform their ideas into real working systems. The manufacturing labs are designed to teach manufacturing systems and manufacturing processes. The processes lab will include equipment for forming, welding, casting and painting, as well as woodworking for prototype projects. The systems lab will allow faculty to teach students the integration of machining, material handling, perception and controls into complete manufacturing systems. All of these facilities will be available to students starting in the fall semester. We are teaching the students of today to become the manufacturing engineering leaders of tomorrow.
Corporate support coupled with committed alumni and friends have helped make all this and much more possible. It is encouraging to see the momentum of individual and corporate giving, like the College, continue to grow. To support the College, please call Marc Melamed, the college’s director of Development at (313) 993-1510, or pledge online.
Together we can make a help retain the manufacturing leadership that made
our nation and our state leaders in the production of world-class products.
Dr. Leo E. Hanifin ’69, ’72, ’75
Dean