Rajani Kumar Sindavalam, Nagaraju Dodda
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are now an indisputable part of the design and development processes of biomedical products. This gap is reflected in the fact that many undergraduates find it difficult to adequately use and apply such advanced and powerful tools, which often limits the outcomes of their degree projects. This paper proposes a framework for the transfer of critical digital manufacturing skills with a focus on Reverse Engineering (RE), Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), and Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies. This framework incorporates the principles of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and experiential learning to train students on developing individual-specific medical devices. A pilot study including four cohorts of undergraduate students was conducted to evaluate the proposed framework. They demonstrate that the learning framework markedly increased students' confidence and proficiency in the use of these technologies, leading to a more effective and gratifying learning experience. This paper places the framework in relation to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and highlights its motivation for strengthening the technical, methodological and personal capabilities of undergraduate students so that they can meet the needs of the industry; Furthermore, the study indicates the significance of stakeholder participation in the learning process, positively affecting students' engagement with biomedical device design projects. The results indicate that structured knowledge transfer, facilitated by ICT-tools, is key to surmounting the obstacles encountered by students in emerging biomedical manufacturing.
Digital Manufacturing, Biomedical Devices, Reverse Engineering, Project-Based Learning, Knowledge Transfer