ABET Self-Study Report
April 2006
Self-Study Report
Mechanical Engineering Technology Associate Degree Program
Penn State University
Hazleton Campus
Prepared for:
Technology Accreditation Commission
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
111 Market Place, Suite 1050
Baltimore, MD 21202-4012
Phone: 410.347.7700
Fax: 410.625.2238
e-mail:
www: http://www.abet.org
School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs (SEDTAPP)
The Pennsylvania State University
Table of Contents:
A. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 4
A.1 Program Title 4
A.2 Program Modes 4
A.3 Actions to Correct Previous Findings 4
TAC/ABET Comments on Institutional Factors 4
Action Taken by the Institution…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...4
Action Taken by the Institution 5
TAC/ABET Program Weakness 5
Action Taken by the Institution…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...5
TAC/ABET Program Concern 7
Action Taken by the Institution 7
TAC/ABET Other Comments on the Program 7
Action Taken by the Institution 7
Action Taken by the Institution 7
B. ACCREDITATION SUMMARY 8
B.1 Program Educational Objectives 8
B.1.a-Mission 8
B.1.b-Educational Objectives 8
B.2 Program Outcomes 9
B.2.a-MET Program Outcomes 9
B.2.b-Relationship Between Program Outcomes and ABET Criterion 2: 10
B.2.c-Relationship Between MET Program Outcomes and Program Objectives: 12
B.2.d-Relationship Between MET Program Outcomes and Course Outcomes: 13
B.2.e-Organization of Display Materials Demonstrating Accomplishment of Outcomes: 15
B.3 Assessment and Evaluation 16
B.3.a-MET Program CQI Process: 16
1. The Engineering Technology Council (ETC)…………………………………………………………………………………………17
2. The Engineering Technology Advisory Board (ETAB): 18
3. System-wide Program Coordinators 18
4. Program Curriculum Committees 19
5. Course Chairpersons 20
B.3.b-Administrative Support Structure for Engineering Technology: 23
B.3.c-Examples of Continuous Improvement of MET Program……………………………………………….23
1. Examples of CQI Activities of SEDTAPP and Supporting Committees…………………………………………………………….23
2. Examples of CQI Activities of MET Curriculum Committee and MET Course Chairs……………………………………………..24
3. Examples of Continuous Quality Improvement-Closing the Loop at the System-wide Level……………………………………….24
Program Improvement…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….24
Course Improvement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26
4. Examples of Continuous Quality Improvement - Closing the Loop at the Hazleton Campus……………………………………….31
Program Improvement……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..31
Course Improvement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………33
5. Assessment of Program Educational Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………..34.
B. 4 Program Characteristics………………………………………………………………………...34
B.4.a-MET Program Curriculum……………………………………………………………………………….34
B.4.b-Minimum Credits and Credit Distribution………………………………………………………………38
B.4.c-Quality Assurance of Core Courses……………………………………………………………………...41
B.4.d-Course Descriptions……………………………………………………………………………………...43
B.4.e-Demonstration of Adequate Attention to Key Curriculum Components………………………………..43
B.4.f-Co-operative Education Provisions………………………………………………………………………43
B.4.g-Additional Review Materials…………………………………………………………………………….43
B.5 Program Faculty………………………………………………………………………………….44
B.5.a-Faculty Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………45
Biographical Data-Wieslaw Grebski, Ph.D……………………………………………………………………………………………46
Biographical Data-Raj Amireddy………………………………………………………………………………………………………48
Biographical Data-Maryam Ghorieshi…………………………………………………………………………………………………50
B.5.b-Relevance of Faculty Background to Program Curriculum…………………………………………….52
B.5.c-Adequacy of Faculty-Student Interactions………………………………………………………………52
B.5.d-Technical Currency of Faculty…………………………………………………………………………..52
B.5.e-Professional Development Program for Faculty………………………………………………………...53
B.5.f-Faculty Input into Program Objectives…………………………………………………………………..53
B.5.g-Faculty Workload………………………………………………………………………………………..54
B.5.h-Faculty Teaching Assignments………………………………………………………………………….54
B.6 Program Facilities………………………………………………………………………………...56
B.6.a-Physical Facilities………………………………………………………………………………………..56
B.6.b-Adequacy of Facilities…………………………………………………………………………………...58
B.7 Institutional and External Support……………………………………………………………...59
B.7.a-Institutional and Financial Support………………………………………………………………………59
B.7.b-Support Expenditures for the Program…………………………………………………………………..63
B.7.c-Characteristics of the Industrial Advisory Committee for the MET Program…………………………...64
B.8 Program Criteria………………………………………………………………………………….65
APPENDIX - CROSS REFERENCE: SELF-STUDY TO TAC OF ABET ASSESSMENT FORM…………………………………………………………………………………………...67
A. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A.1 Program Title
The program covered by this report is titled Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET). Students graduating from the program are awarded the degree of Associate in Mechanical Engineering Technology. There are no options in the program.
A.2 Program Modes
The MET program is offered only as a traditional day-schedule program. There are no off-site, co-operative, on-line, distance-learning, or other non-traditional offerings. However, some courses are offered during the evening hours on a rotating basis to accommodate non-traditional students.
A.3 Actions to Correct Previous Findings
The last accreditation visit of the MET program occurred in September of 2000, and the final report documenting the findings of that visit was issued in August of 2001. There was one “weakness”, one concern”, and four comments found with respect to both the Institution and the MET program.
TAC/ABET Comments on Institutional Factors
It was observed that although there is room for an elective course in the curricula of both the electrical and mechanical engineering technology programs, there is no plan for a cooperative education program in either of the two programs. Consideration might be given to developing formal cooperative education programs to enhance student experiences in internships and cooperative programs with local industry.
Action Taken by the Institution
In order to enhance students’ industrial experience and get students involved in cooperative projects, the course, MET 297, was developed. A majority of the MET students are taking MET 297 in order to satisfy the technical elective requirement. Students in the MET 297 course are doing a design project for local manufacturing companies. While doing the projects, students are working with the company’s engineering staff and are being supervised by the faculty. A majority of those projects are implemented by the company. The student can see the implementation of their work. Some projects are sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center so the students can also benefit financially from their work. Although internships are available, they are not required. To require an internship, there would have to be a change in the MET curriculum. This change cannot be made at the Campus level. Discussions related to these changes are currently being held at the College level.
Policies of the United States Department of Education prescribe that literature of institutions refer to their ABET program accreditation by providing complete contact information of ABET. This information enables the public to contact ABET for the purpose of learning the nature and level of standards of programs holding ABET accreditation. TAC of ABET accredited programs should be specifically identified as “accredited by the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 111 Market Place, Suite 1050, Baltimore, MD 21202 – Telephone (410)347-7700.” Though the institution was advised in the previous TAC of ABET visit to provide the address of ABET in their publications, the university has inadvertently left out the address from their university catalog. The institution is requested to give attention to this requirement and utilize this wording in an easily identifiable location in literature such as the college catalog.
Action Taken by the Institution
The campus does recognize this omission. However, the University has stopped printing these catalogs two years ago. Presently, the University uses a web based version of these catalogs. We have advised the network administrators to include the complete contact information of ABET on its website.
TAC/ABET Program Weakness
The program does not provide adequate laboratory experiences for students, particularly in the areas of manufacturing processes, materials, thermal and fluid sciences, and controls/automation. Students do not receive any laboratory experiences in conventional machining, foundry, heat-treating, metallography, polymers, thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and data acquisition. Much of the existing equipment utilizes old technology and is not of the type currently used in industry. Since one of the objectives of engineering technology is the development of technical skills, all students should be thoroughly familiar with the use and operation of analytical or measurement equipment common to their major field of study. It was recommended that the program provide more laboratory experiences for students using equipment of current technology and of the type encountered in industry.
ABET Criteria: Criterion I.K.2 states “…Laboratory manuals, experiments, and projects should clearly indicate that the facilities are being used to educate students in modern techniques of applied design, construction, operation, maintenance, testing, production processes, etc.” Criterion I.K.3 states that “it is particularly important that instruction in engineering technology be conducted in an atmosphere of realism. Theory courses…should be accompanied by coordinated laboratory experiences, including measurement, collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data.” Further, criterion I.K.4 states that “Laboratory equipment…should be of the type that would be encountered in industry and practice.”
Action Taken by the Institution
In accordance with an agreement between the institution and the Hazleton Area School District, one of the required laboratory courses, IET 216, Manufacturing Processes Laboratory, is being taught at the Career Center of the Hazleton Area School District. The equipment at the center is the type that is currently used in industry. The Mechanical Engineering Technology students are now getting hands-on experience in machine tools, machining, welding, cutting, brazing, sheet metal fabrication, foundry process, manufacturing, planning, and manual and computer-aided programming for CNC and robotics.
In addition, the topics listed below were incorporated into IET101 – Manufacturing Materials, Processes Laboratory and MCHT214-Strength and Properties of Materials Laboratory.
a. Data Acquisition: Students use state of the art Mitutoyo Data Acquisition system to acquire data and compute statistical interpretation. This is incorporated into the student laboratory experiment entitled “Automated Data Acquisition and Evaluation of Process Capability”. A new set of data acquisition tools used in conjunction with a PC has been acquired to integrate a majority of the laboratory experiences to real-time data acquisition systems with a sampling rate up to 240 samples/second from DATAQ Instruments in Akron, Ohio. These devices are the same type as those employed in industry to monitor various system parameters like, temperature, pressure, stress, etc. The laboratory experiments are being upgraded to utilize this system in the course, MCHT214-Strength and Properties of Materials Laboratory.
b. Fluid Mechanics: The department procured fluid circuit tester # 9009 from Technovate, Inc. The students were able to experiment with the concepts of pressure drop in a pipe flow and Bernoulli principle using this system. This is incorporated into the student laboratory experiment entitled “Fluid Circuits”. Also, the students were able to experiment with the effect of heat on the viscosity of various lubricant oils. This was incorporated into the student laboratory experiment entitled “Viscosity Experiment”.
c. Heat Transfer & Thermodynamics: Two experiments were developed to expound on the principles of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity. These concepts were incorporated into the student laboratory experiments entitled “Coefficient of Thermal Expansion” and “Thermal Conductivity”.
d. Polymers: Students are exposed to these materials in the creep testing experiment utilizing SM106 MK II – Creep Measurement Apparatus from Tecquipment, England, to expound on the behavior of polymer materials in static loads and varying temperatures. This was incorporated into the student laboratory experiment entitled “Creep Testing”.
e. Heat Treating and Metallography: The department has acquired a state of the art oven, LINDBERG 5100 series with 1200 degree Celsius maximum temperature capability from G.S. Lindberg, A division of Allied Signal. This is the kind used in industry and research laboratories. This system gives the students exposure to heat treatment, annealing, and PLC programming concepts. The system is equipped with the PLC system to program and control the temperature for ramp up, ramp down, and set temperature(s) as done in industry. The sample material for this experiment was acquired from local industry and adopted into the course. These concepts were incorporated into the student laboratory experiments entitled “Effect of Heat Treatment on Hardness” or “Precipitation Hardening”.
TAC/ABET Program Concern
The program has a part-time technician, but the support is provided primarily after regular working hours. This arrangement forces the program faculty to do many of the laboratory set-ups, and occasionally perform equipment maintenance. Section I.K.7. of the ABET criteria states that “Satisfactory procedures and/or qualified support personnel for repair and maintenance of laboratory and other instructional equipment and for general laboratory assistance must be provided.” It is recommended that technician support and/or other satisfactory procedures be provided during regular working hours.
Action Taken by the Institution
The working hours of the laboratory technician have been extended. The technician is available as needed to provide laboratory set-ups and equipment maintenance during regular working hours.
TAC/ABET Other Comments on the Program
MET 206 is entitled “Dynamics and Machine Elements” but does not contain any topic coverage of machine elements. MET 210W is entitled “Product Design” but is primarily a machine elements course. It is suggested that courses or course titles be changed to reflect the actual topic coverage.
Action Taken by the Institution
The names of those two courses have been changed according to the suggestions made by ABET.
There are no technical courses offered in the curriculum that cover topics of thermal science, fluid mechanics, fluid power, and heat transfer. These topics are only covered in the second physics course, PHYSICS 151, and they occupy about one-fourth of the course content. For student understanding of applied aspects of these topics, it is suggested that the program include technical coursework on topics of thermal science, fluid mechanics, fluid power, and heat transfer.
Action Taken by the Institution
This change is a curricular change and therefore it cannot be made at the Hazleton Campus level. This change is being discussed at the University level and the appropriate change will be made.
B. ACCREDITATION SUMMARY
To be accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET), it is now necessary that engineering technology programs adopt clearly defined and measurable objectives and outcomes. Objectives represent those post-graduation accomplishments that are reasonably expected of program graduates in the first few years after graduation. Outcomes represent the skills, knowledge and capabilities that graduates should possess at the time of graduation so that they are properly prepared to achieve the objectives of the program.
The Penn State MET program is offered at several campuses within the Penn State system, Hazleton being one of them. However, the program is academically controlled and administered by the School of Engineering Design, Technology, and Professional Programs (SEDTAPP), which is a department within Penn State’s College of Engineering. As such, the MET program curriculum, as well as its objectives and outcomes, are common to all offerings of the program. To ensure proper breadth, relevance, and currency, the MET curriculum and the expected objectives and outcomes were established and are maintained through an ongoing process that involves faculty and constituent representation from all campuses where the MET program is offered. The details of this process are described in Section B.3 of this report where continuous quality improvement practices are described. It was through this collective process that the current MET program objectives and outcomes were established. The current objectives and outcomes are described in the following paragraph. The program educational objectives complement the mission of the University as well as the mission of the Hazleton Campus.