Project Details

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Aluminum Extrusion Kit and Playbook for STEM Education

Company: Aluminum Extruders Council

Major(s):
Primary: ME
Secondary: IE
Optional: ESC, MATSE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: NO

Intellectual Property: NO

Aluminum extrusions provide unmatched design solutions, and the PSU team will complete development of a technical kit and training aids for educational use. The goal is to establish an easily scalable method of delivering fun technical training using a comprehensive kit and playbook. The project team will advance the work completed by the three prior successful capstone projects (first place award Fall 2023!) and enhance the aluminum extrusion design challenges, physical packaging, and associated educational "playbooks" for use with students and educators in high school, Vo-Tech, and undergraduate technical colleges and universities. Additionally, the student team will conduct on-site testing of the enhanced aluminum extrusion kits and educational materials in local schools, refining and customizing them to establish an engaging and adaptable platform for enhancing technical, scientific, and other educational pursuits. The kits will leverage the versatile design capabilities of aluminum extrusions, offering a unique learning experience for students. Upon completion of the enhanced kit, the student team will define and create the appropriate instructions and details for packaging, ordering, logistics, delivery, and assembly for at least 50 kits to be distributed throughout all North American STEM high school classes and Universities as chosen by the sponsoring extrusion companies. This effort will be supported by several North American leading aluminum extruders working together as members of the trade association "AEC" (Aluminum Extruders Council), which has supported aluminum extrusion development, training, and implementation for over 75 years. The final deliverable will be a completed kit and playbook appropriate to pique the interest and help advance students’ technical prowess through using the aluminum extrusion kits (guided by the educator's playbook) in their curriculum. By developing both a fundamental, beginner-friendly kit/playbook and more advanced versions, the AEC and its members can effectively engage with local high schools, Vo-Techs, colleges, and universities. This outreach will enable them to provide comprehensive training on the material, process, and design potential of this crucial material/process. (Bonnell Aluminum TSLOTS on LinkedIn: TBUILD Tutorial on Navigating the Scene) See: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7087866752776212480?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios