One of the most important engineering developments of the last century.
Axiomatic Design
Short course and Workshop
June 5 and 6, Tuesday and Wednesday (Click here for detailed schedule)
114 and 116 Higgins Labs
WPI - Main Campus
Axiomatic design, developed by Prof. Nam Suh at MIT in the late 70s, establishes engineering design as a scientific discipline. It provides, in theory and in practice, the most effective method to finding the best, and most innovative, creative and robust design solutions.
Products, processes, organizations, and systems all are designed. Design methods, whether conscious or intuitive, influence the quality of design solutions and the effectiveness of their development. Axiomatic design provides an overarching structure, method and theory into which other design methods and tools can be incorporated.
This course is intended for engineers, scientists, technicians, students, professors, and managers who would like to improve their design methods and understand basic design theory. The short course covers fundamental principles and the elements of design and applications to many kinds of design problems. This course does not cover drafting or the use of CAD software.
Participants can also apply to present their design problems, research and challenges for discussion in the workshops. There will also be opportunities to participate in structured design reviews during the workshop.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS:
Prof. Christopher A. Brown, PhD, FASME
Mechanical Engineering Department
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Rd., 235 Washburn Bldg
Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Phone: 508 831-5627 cell: 508 560-6986
https://www.wpi.edu/people/faculty/brown
In 1980 Chris was first introduced to Axiomatic Design as a grad student during a visit by MIT Prof. Nam Suh to the University of Vermont, where Chris earned his PhD in 1983. Chris then applied AD on process and product development for four years at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, and for two years as a senior research engineer working on product and process development at Atlas Copco's European research center. In 1990 he started teaching AD at WPI.
Chris has published over a hundred technical papers on axiomatic design, sports engineering, manufacturing, and surface metrology. He has patents on a fractal method for characterizing surface roughness, an apparatus for friction testing, and on sports equipment for injury reduction. He advises projects using AD, and teaches grad courses on AD and on surface metrology, and undergraduate courses on manufacturing and on the technology of alpine skiing.
He also consults with, and teaches courses on, axiomatic design and on surface metrology for industry. He founded WPI’s Haas Center for CNC machining.
Chris co-chaired the 7th International Conference on Axiomatic Design at WPI in 2013, and chairs the international organizing committee for the ICAD conference series.
Associate Teaching Professor Walter Towner, PhD, MBA
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Rd., 222 Washburn Bldg (By Appointment only, I teach off campus frequently)
Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Phone: (508) 944-3862
I have taught or been involved in various (24 at last count) grad and undergrad and CPE courses at WPI over the past 20 years. These include Creating Processes in Technological Organizations, Engineering Economics, Operations Management, Management of Innovation, Lean Process Design, Productivity Management, Design and Analysis of Manufacturing Processes and Axiomatic Design Theory and others.
The courses were delivered on site at Raytheon, UTC, Natick Labs, NE Utilities, NSTAR, ECNE, Public Service of NH, Electric Boat, UMass Hospital and General Dynamics among other organizations. More courses are being offered online.
These courses are interdisciplinary and combine elements of engineering, finance and management, which I like!
My background is in manufacturing engineering and management. After graduating from WPI, my wife Carolyn and I ran my family's 50 person metal fabrication and laser cutting job shop for over 20 years. Our customers were many high tech companies in New England such as semiconductor equipment, medical equipment, nuclear power and many other varied industries utilizing metal parts that were formed, welded and machined. Every day was different as the production runs were short, but frequently highly complex from crazy customers that wanted high precision, delivered yesterday for free! You know the drill.
Degrees that I earned along the way from WPI include BS Mechanical Engineering, MS Operations & Information Technology, MS Manufacturing Engineering. I also earned an MBA from Babson College and I completed the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School. I enjoy teaching and hope to contribute to your educational experience while at WPI
PRICING AND REGISTRATION:
CAMPUS MAP AND DIRECTIONS
From the North: Take I-495 south to I-290. Follow directions from east.
From the East:
From the South and West:
TO THE PARK AVENUE GARAGE
Corner of Park Avenue and Salisbury Street
GPS Address: 151 Salisbury Street | Worcester MA
From the North: Take I-495 South to I-290. Follow directions from East.
From the East:
From the South and West:
Parking on Campus
Parking on WPI's Campus property is for members of the WPI community who have registered their vehicles with the WPI Police Department, in accordance with WPI's Parking and Traffic Regulations. These parking and traffic regulations apply to all personnel including all faculty, staff, students and other persons who operate any motor vehicles on campus or other land of the College.
Campus Parking Areas
Assigned parking locations on campus are identified for employees, students, and visitors.
Park Ave. Garage
Primary access into the garage will be from Salisbury Street, with secondary access available from the northbound lane of Park Ave. This entrance includes a driveway shared with the First Baptist Church and should be traveled with care and caution due to its proximity to First Friends Childcare Center. In addition to providing a significantly increased number of parking spaces for employees, commuter students and visitors, the garage will support campus event parking.
Eligibility
Permission to operate a vehicle on the WPI campus or other land owned by the university is a discretionary privilege bestowed by the president, through the Board of Trustees; such privilege may be denied, revoked, suspended, or modified by action of the board or the president and/or designee herein authorized to take such actions.
Parking spaces marked “Visitor Parking Only” are reserved for WPI visitors and guests (please note all visitor signs state permit required). These spaces are located in the following areas:
All visitors must obtain a temporary parking pass when parking on campus. WPI Police has two types of visitor passes, a hanging pass that can be picked up at WPI Police and an electronic pass that can be issued to the Department Heads and/or their designee.
WPI has 1 electric charging station located in the Campus Center Lot and there are 2 located in the Park Ave Garage. There is a 4 hour maximum for vehicle charging. Vehicles must be moved upon completion of vehicle charging to allot for other usage.