Incorporating Non-Destructive Inspection Technologies into Engineering Technology Curricula to Meet Industry Needs

Abstract This paper details the curricular developments made over the years to an undergraduate-level non-destructive inspection (NDI) course and its complementing labs to better prepare undergraduates as they get placed in regional workplaces. The core motivation for this course as well as its development activities have been driven by the needs of the regional aerospace and oil & gas industry sectors, which was further affirmed via feedback from industrial advisory boards that convene each semester as part of the Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology (MMET) program, within the Department of Engineering Technology & Industrial Distribution at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Over the years, NDI has become an integral part of the design, manufacturing and maintenance procedures of components/systems utilized within these industries, many of which are large sized, of low-batch-size, and are high-value parts/systems. Consequently, NDI techniques have evolved to cater to the such environments, which often involve non-traditional and high-temperature materials. To meet this regional workforce demand for a graduate with such knowledge and skills, this specific core course was developed within the degree program which focused on five core NDI techniques that are state-of-the-art and relevant to these industry sectors. For this, technical material was assimilated, and counterpart lab activities were developed as part of a 400-level dedicated undergraduate course (senior-level). Being the only hands-on NDI lab of its kind on campus, its capabilities are also often highlighted as part of mini workshops for visiting students and during tours for industry visitors. This paper outlines the core NDI technologies selected for instruction as well as the lab activities designed to empower undergraduate students to be well-versed in NDI that are pertinent for the regional industry needs. Qualitative feedback from students was also gathered to ascertain the reception of the content and the learning experience.