For GETS, "a pipeline of talent": in partnership with GE Transportation Systems, Penn State University-Erie students are combining traditional classroom learning with practical experience, laying the groundwork for promising engineering careers

Railway Age, Sept, 2002 by Robert Gray

After working in the engineering field for nearly 20 years, I became an Assistant Professor of Engineering at Penn State University-Erie. I soon noticed that the current Engineering Technology curriculum did not actively address topics I found important in the field. Engineering students had a reasonable grasp of the individual subjects taught in their courses (circuits, digital electronics, microprocessors, physics, mathematics, etc.), but lacked a solid understanding of how the pieces integrated and reliably functioned in a sophisticated system. Along with finding a way to correct this, I also wanted to consider other ways to make improvements to the Engineering Technology curriculum, such as providing more opportunities where students could connect theory to real-world problems, interact with Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology students, and be exposed to other disciplines (such as business), engineers with practical experience, and failure and the non-ideal nature of technology.

I met with engineers from GE Transportation Systems (GETS) to gain their perspective on newly-graduated Engineering Technology students, particularly those from Penn State-Erie. These engineers found that the students possessed strong prob1cm-solving and leadership skills, but lacked knowledge in locomotive systems, and systems and reliability engineering. We agreed that the students and industry would benefit if there was a way to 1) better connect theory taught in the classroom to real-world situations and 2) enable students to be more knowledgeable in systems and reliability engineering prior to graduation.

The result was the creation of two three-credit courses that combine theory with realistic application to a locomotive system. The first course, EET497A (Applied Systems Design and Remote Diagnostics), introduces systems engineering in an active-learning environment. The second, EETBD45O (Manufacturing Related Topics in Electrical Systems), presents reliability engineering in a traditional lecture-style setting. Up to this point, systems and reliability engineering had rarely been taught in undergraduate engineering programs. However, these subjects are important because they look at a project from a multi-disciplinary standpoint and present a realistic view of the challenges that an engineer faces in the field.

Systems and reliability engineering address a variety of issues: business (minimizing production costs and maximizing customer service), engineering (ensuring the smooth interaction between the discrete parts of a system), and statistical (evaluating and minimizing failure in a system and its production). They help prepare students for what they will likely face in their career upon graduation.

For EET497A, it was determined that my and GETS' goals would best be met by focusing on a system with both electrical and mechanical engineering components. The locomotive was the natural choice of study. Not only is it a sophisticated system that utilizes theory from both electrical and mechanical engineering, it also utilizes state-of-the-art technology like GPS and other communications equipment that students would not likely be exposed to in a traditional classroom setting. GETS also provides communications systems and services for its locomotive customers, which allows students insight into the business and customer service areas of engineering.

The course is divided into five modules consisting of Systems Engineering, Communications and Navigation Systems, Engines Systems, Propulsions Systems, and Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics. For each module, students must complete homework assignments, laboratory projects/reports, quizzes, and an exam. To stress the importance of teamwork, which students will face in their career, many of the assignments are completed by teams consisting of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology students. For example, during the systems engineering module, student teams are given a project in which they have to system-engineer a product. The students work together to brainstorm new designs and make a realistic comparison of their design to existing products. They also have to address real-world issues such as reliability, ease of use, cost, ease of manufacture, and scheduling for manufacture.

The material is presented using traditional lectures and active-learning activities. The lecture component is team-taught by faculty and GETS engineers and introduces students to theory from systems engineering. Since locomotive subsystems utilize electrical and mechanical engineering, the students have the opportunity to learn about specialized areas of engineering other than their own. The GETS engineers give students insights of what it's like out in the field and how to anticipate and minimize failure. Too often, students design a project without taking into consideration potential problems that may occur, such as adverse operating conditions or rough handling of the equipment. The GETS engineers perform the important function of providing validation of the use of theory in the field.