J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
DOI 10.1007/s10845-009-0329-z
Automotive engineering curriculum development:
case study for Clemson University
Laine Mears Mohammed Omar Thomas R. Kurfess
Received: 5 May 2008 / Accepted: 20 February 2009 / Published online: 22 October 2009
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009
Abstract The automotive manufacturing industry has
transitioned in the past 20 years from a central technical focus
to an integrated and globally distributed supply chain. As car
makers outsource not only a greater portion of their manufac-
turing, but also their technical design responsibility, a more
thorough understanding of both design and manufacturing
changes effect on total vehicle and total production system
performance and cost is critical. The distribution of tech-
nical responsibility in automotive manufacturing has moti-
vated the development of a specific curriculum in Automotive
Engineering at Clemson University in South Carolina, USA,
with core focus on the interaction between systems, both
in design and manufacturing. In this development, a detailed
survey of automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers and
major suppliers was carried out. The differences in perceived
need between these organization types is explored, and the
incorporation of these perceived needs to a new Automotive
Engineering curriculum is presented.
Keywords Education Curriculum Manufacturing
Automotive OEM Supplier
L. Mears M. Omar T. R. Kurfess (B)
Clemson University-International Center for Automotive Research,
343 Campbell Graduate Engineering Center, 4 Research Drive,
Greenville, SC 29607, USA
e-mail: kurfess@clemson.edu
L. Mears
e-mail: mears@clemson.edu
M. Omar
e-mail: momar@clemson.edu
L. Mears M. Omar T. R. Kurfess
Automotive Engineering Program,
Clemson UniversityInternational Center for Automotive Research,
Greenville, SC, USA
Introduction
The motor vehicle industry is the largest manufac-
turing industry in the United States. No other single
industry is linked so much to the US manufacturing
sector or directly generates so much retail business
and employment. (Center for Automotive Research
(Economics and Business Group) 2003)
The automotive manufacturing industry has transitioned in
the past 20 years from a centralized technical focus to an
integrated and globally distributed supply chain. As car
makers outsource not only a greater portion of their man-
ufacturing, but also technical design responsibility, a more
thorough understanding of both design and manufacturing
changes effect on total vehicle and total production system
performance and cost is critical. An understanding of sys-
tems integration, or focus on the interfaces between sys-
tems, is essential for the future success of automotive
manufacturing.
The automotive sector specific to the United States is in
transition as well. The market for automobiles produced by
international manufacturers is increasing, as shown in Fig. 1
(Automotive News 2008).
International auto makers, employing a build where they
buy philosophy bring to the manufacturing market new
products, methods and cultures that must interface with local
labor and suppliers. This cultural level of systems integration
presents another dimension of understanding for the interface
of systems.
Additionally, consideration must be given to the geog-
raphy of plant construction and regional trends of automo-
tive manufacturing. In the 1990s, the total population of
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennes-
see, and Texas (the six southern automobile manufactur-
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Fig. 1 North American sales of light vehicles by international firms
with US production facilities. This sales trend continues to increase as
more US plants are constructed by foreign firms. 20072009 data were
forecast. (Automotive news)
Fig. 2 Automobile manufacturing employment by region. Over
5 years, southern employment increased by 26%, while Northern
employment declined by 10% (Hill and Brahmst 2003). This trend con-
tinues today
ing states), increased by 7.5 million people or 19.7%, while
that of the Northern automobile manufacturing states (Illi-
nois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
increased by only 3.6 million people or 7.7% (Hill and
Brahmst 2003). In the period from 19982001, the number of
vehicle registrations in the South Atlantic states increased by
2.7%, while the Northern states share of total registrations
dropped by 3.4% (Hill and Brahmst 2003). Due to high cost
of transporting vehicles regionally to sales markets, these
figures translate directly to an increase in automotive manu-
facturing employment in the South. Figure 2 shows a regional
increase in the number of manufacturing employees in South-
ern states.
Today we see a need for educating tomorrows automo-
tive engineers through an industry with such profound effect
on the global economy. The increasing need for understand-
ing systems integration, the widening of the culture within
the automotive industry, and the regional trend of increased
automotive manufacturing in the South has motivated the
development of a new Automotive Engineering curriculum
at Clemson University.
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J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
In the following sections, we present a motivation for
the study of Automotive Engineering as a systems integra-
tion practice by studying the need for quality improvement
and current trends of availability and use of information in
furthering flexibility and reconfigurability in manufacturing
enterprise. A case study is presented of development of a new
graduate program curriculum built on the concept of systems
integration, with input from industrial original equipment
manufacturers and suppliers. Engineering design tools are
applied to develop a technical, business and cultural frame-
work of a curriculum to educate the next generation of auto-
motive industry leaders.
Recent manufacturing developments in the automotive
industry
Intelligent quality improvement
One platform upon which to consider study of the concept
of systems integration is in the analysis of quality uniformity
across different suppliers to the automotive OEM, and appli-
cation of intelligent manufacturing systems to ensure this
quality consistency. Vosniakos et al. (2005) apply intelligent
logic programming for process planning in the automotive
domain of progressive-die sheet metal forming. The system
generates and makes use of stored knowledge to check manu-
facturability, plan the phases of the process, and to verify
tooling designs; process validation output is shown in Fig. 3.
This approach is part of a new technological direc-
tion in manufacturing to incorporate design considerations
directly and automatically in the process. Another applica-
tion of information use in providing quality uniformity is
Balics intelligent programming of computer numerical con-
trol (CNC) turning (Balic et al. 2006). The system augments
part computer-aided design (CAD) data with a genetic algo-
rithm tool selection and cycle planning routine. This is an
Fig. 3 Progressive sheet stamping process using intelligent program-
ming. The intelligent system with no prior process knowledge output
essentially the same process that had been developed through years of
experience
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
Fig. 4 Communication architecture for manufacturing health. Legacy
systems such as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), CNCs and
robotics are interfaced across a common object linking and embed-
ding for process control (OPC) network which may utilize Microsoft
evolution of earlier work in expert system development using
GA (Balic and Abersek 1997). Intelligent process planning
is also addressed by Wang through the integrated intelligent
process planning system (IIPPS) (Wang 1998). Results of
such work are applicable across the supply base in a flexible
manufacturing framework, insuring better quality supplier to
supplier as designs evolve and market demands change.
An intelligent approach to quality uniformity in the area
of materials is given by Brezocnik et al. (2002). They sim-
ilarly use genetic programming to derive the flow stress of
steel in bulk forming. Based on experimental data, a model of
forming efficiency evolves, yielding accurate material prop-
erties that can be fed back to the process for improved quality
consistency.
Tolerance is another area to address when dealing with
quality uniformity. Berruet et al. (1999) address tolerance
evaluation for flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). This
work evaluates the potential for failure in FMSs, and pre-
scribes the addition of flexible elements to the system in areas
of failure sensitivity. This approach not only addresses qual-
ity consistency, but also supply chain reliability.
Rokach and Maimon (2006) present a new data mining
algorithm for discovering patterns in complex manufactur-
ing processes. Traditional data mining techniques are more
difficult to apply to manufacturing data due to unbalance dis-
tribution of the target value and small training sets. The new
algorithm is applied to manufacturing quality improvement,
and can be used as an enabling tool to improve quality con-
sistency across suppliers for both (producer) and (con-
sumer) risks. Te-Sheng et al. (2006) also address data mining
for assessment of manufacturing yield rate for a semicon-
ductor operation. This approach is warranted due to process
complexity and interaction between operations.
695
message queuing (MSMQ). Such a structure enables interoperability
of systems with different data formats. Data are managed through a
Structured Query Language (SQL) database, and analysis applications
interface through reporting services
A fuzzy selection algorithm for quality-based invest-
ments by suppliers is presented by Gungor and ArIkan
(2007) in order to obtain the highest quality value. Fuzzy set
theory is used to select investments from engineering, mar-
keting, supply quality, quality certification, inspection, tech-
nology and training. Such a system supports consideration of
poorly-defined or linguistic considerations when selecting a
quality investment. In all of these cases, a broader under-
standing of systemic interaction effects is warranted.
Digital technology in the manufacturing enterprise
The ease of information generation and its use in the man-
ufacturing process has been enabled by advances in digital
technology. Filos and Banahan (2001) review digital tech-
nology development in research and technological develop-
ment organizations, and the importance of properly using
these technologies to leverage the interlinked relationships
of information and knowledge to both research and econ-
omy. The unforeseen opportunities that access to this infor-
mation stream allow support intelligent manufacturing in
the form of interoperability standards between suppliers and
automotive OEMs. These include both open internet stan-
dards for new information generation as well as middleware
standards to interface legacy systems.
Digital technologies applied to workflow management in
manufacturing are also becoming better formalized. Supply
chain logistics and factory-level monitoring systems are able
not only to report workflow data, but also to diagnose defi-
ciencies and monitor overall manufacturing system health.
Architectures such as the factory throughput analysis system
in Fig. 4 are enabled by advances in information management
technology.
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Fig. 5 Activity and data flow in manufacturing. Design, process plan
and production activities can benefit from a neutral data model (Feng
2003)
Cenesiz and Esin (2004) treat protocol analysis for net-
working intelligent devices within the manufacturing sys-
tem via controller area network (CAN) bus. This bus
system, originally developed by Robert Bosch Corpora-
tion for automotive in-vehicle communication is shown to
be useful as a highly-reliable and low-cost alternative in
factory communication systems, and is amenable to network-
ing multiple real-time systems.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST, US Dept. of Commerce) has been deeply involved
with standardization of communication methods and proto-
cols among software, design, manufacturing and production
planning systems. Feng (2003) highlights the criticality of
the data incompatibility problem as design and manufactur-
ing systems become more global and more highly vertically-
integrated. A process planning activity model is developed
to create a framework context to identify deficiencies in data
flow and requirements at different process levels; high-level
relationships are represented in Fig. 5.
The process planning activity model is exemplified on
data flow for a CNC machining process. Such a standard
also promotes interoperability of supplier software systems
and leads to improved quality consistency. Lpez-Ortega also
addresses machining-specific common language using STan-
dard for Exchange of Product data (STEP) data standard
implemented in Java classes (Lopez-Ortega and Ramirez
2005). This standard allows process planning in the context
Table 1 Automated resources of a FMS
Flexible manufacturing resource Acronym
Automated guided vehicle AGV
Automatic storage and retrieval system ASRS
Computer numerical control CNC
Robot none
Resources are effectively allocated when production plans are made on a common data system such as STEP (Lopez-Ortega and Ramirez 2005)
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of resource sharing in flexible systems. Typical resources to
be managed in an automated flexible system are given in
Table 1.
Process planning systems are also treated by Hsieh
and Wu (2000) in analysis of error sensitivity in classical
computer-integrated deterministic production planning mod-
els. Information always contains uncertainty, and this effect
can be directly accounted for in planning if it is accessible.
Treatment using probabilistic methods in a production exam-
ple shows improved planning performance.
Intelligent support of manufacturing flexibility
A further development supported by digital technology
enablers is flexibility in manufacturing. The flexible man-
ufacturing system (FMS) offers benefits over traditional pro-
cesses by their capability to respond to changing market,
volume and demand conditions with minimal quality, cost
and delivery (QCD) impact. Mehrabi et al. (2002) offer a
comprehensive review of trends and outlooks for this devel-
oping area of manufacturing systems. Over 60% of man-
ufacturing experts in this study claim that the FMS is not
living up to expectations; a primary opinion is that training,
software and communications are areas for improvement for
FMSs and for the new generation of reconfigurable manu-
facturing system (RMS). An aim of the Clemson AEP is to
develop technical skill and expertise in the area of flexible
systems.
Wang and Deng address the FMS as a system of machin-
ing centers with material handling and automatic storage
incorporating real-time decision making under a formal
architecture (Jiacun and Yi 1999). Such an architecture offers
scalability in FMS design. Rahimifard and Newman (1999)
note the evolution of information systems in manufacturing
and their role in enabling flexibility.
Hauser and De Weck (2007) argue that demand fluctu-
ations and component specification changes have exposed
the need for embedding more flexibility in manufacturing
systems and processes. This is greatly prevalent in the
Description
Battery-powered, automatically-steered vehicles that follow defined
pathways in the floor. They are used to move unit loads between load
and unload stations
A storage system that performs storage and retrieval operations with
speed and accuracy under a defined degree of automation
Numerical control machine tools whose operation is based on a
dedicated computer.
General-purpose, programmable machine possessing certain
anthropomorphic characteristics, the most obvious of them is the
mechanical arm
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Fig. 6 Manufacturing flexibility space. Processes are compared for
flexibility on scales of changeover time, productivity and variable vs.
fixed costs (Hauser and De Weck 2007)
automotive manufacturing industry, where the market is
characterized by fragmentation, volatility and product plat-
forming. A qualitative comparison of representative manu-
facturing processes is given in Fig. 6.
Such comparison can be quantitatively used for process
selection and identification of areas for new process devel-
opment.
Human factors in manufacturing development
Ultimately, the described areas of manufacturing develop-
ment are driven in the automotive industry by the coupled
evolution of digital technology advancement (knowledge
availability), flexible manufacturing, and increased global
competition. Zargari et al. (1999) completed a detailed survey
of Society of Manufacturing Engineers College Fellows and
awardees to ascertain the collective expert opinion regard-
ing current state of US Manufacturing curricula. The first
point noted by the study is that manufacturing expertise and
domestic manufacturing capability are vital to the economic
stability of the United States. The pool of qualified manu-
facturing employees as a whole is decreasing due to both
reduced involvement in Manufacturing Engineering (slow-
ing of the runner in the competitive race) and increasing
complexity of technological systems (receding finish line).
Almost 90% of responding Outstanding Young Engineer a-
wardees believe that there is a lack of competency because of
the distance between education and real world applications
(Zargari et al. 1999). The expert consensus was that engi-
neering graduates need not only a technical background, but
also have the ability to communicate clearly and positively,
and to manage complex interrelated systems.
This recognized need motivates the education of a new
class of integration engineer, familiar with intersystem
effects among design, manufacturing and market, as well as
the effective use of knowledge in automotive development.
697
Automotive engineering program at Clemson University
The Automotive Engineering Program (AEP) at Clemson
University is a graduate-level engineering program founded
on the needs of the automotive industry. The master of sci-
ence (MS) program responds to the professional needs of
the industry, while doctoral research programs contribute to
the economic future of the industry in the state, nation and
world through advancements in automotive and manufac-
turing technology. Primary goals of the AEP are to develop
students communication, leadership, project management,
business and critical-thinking skills, ethical judgment, global
awareness, and scientific and technological knowledge as it
relates to the automotive sector.
The guiding vision of the AEP is to be thePremier research
and education program for automotive engineering and mo-
torsports. This vision is supported through a dedicated satel-
lite campus known as the Clemson University-International
Center for Automotive Research, a 330-acre research park
housing automotive industry research centers and the home
of the AEP, the Campbell Graduate Engineering Center
(CGEC, see Fig. 7).
To achieve and support this vision, the program will
adhere to the primary theme Interdisciplinary research
and education focused on complex systems integration
using the automobile and its manufacturing environment
as a platform. The theme is characterized by the following
principles:
Interdisciplinary Character,
Industry Involvement,
International Orientation / Participation,
Student development / accomplishment mentorship,
Delivering exceptional value to sponsors,
Responsibility and contributions to society,
Supporting economic development in South Carolina,
and
Contributing to Clemsons vision and goals.
The program is developed in order to address the afore-
mentioned needs, particularly the understanding of the
relationships between design, manufacturing and quality,
ability to leverage process intelligence with process inter-
operability, and establishing the fundamental framework for
the automotive engineer to think and design at the systems
level.
Critical factors
The interaction studies for the needs of the automotive indus-
try resulted in a number of key critical factors lacking in the
automotive engineer. These were taken from both OEM and
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Fig. 7 Campbell graduate engineering center (Clemson University). The automotive engineering program is housed in this 90,000 ft2 research and
education center
Supplier interviews, and the results differed greatly in terms
of technical versus organizational competence.
Critical factors: original equipment manufacturers
The major classes and subjective areas highlighted by OEMs
are given in Table 2. These areas are representative of auto-
motive-specific subjects perceived by the OEMs to be lacking
in graduates from traditional engineering programs.
These subjects encompass not only technical knowledge
and ability, but also proper use of these technical tools given
production volumes, market conditions and maturity of tech-
nology. Integration of technologies and systems is a key
theme.
Critical factors: major automotive suppliers
The suppliers perceived a much greater need in the area of
organizational soft skills for interacting with OEMs and
providing smooth service within the supply chain. In this
context, the term soft skills represents interpersonal, crea-
tive and positive non-technical abilities, not to be confused
with soft computing in intelligent systems. Supplier per-
ceived needs are presented in Table 3.
These perceived needs are highly organizational and man-
agement-oriented with virtually no technical content. Based
on the major topical areas, an implicit need for integra-
tion capability is shown, but never explicitly voiced by the
suppliers.
Critical factors: comments on disparity between OEM and
supplier perceived need
It is interesting to notice that Supplier Integration is only
a single item in the OEM educational strategy, though sup-
plier issues represent a significant portion of OEM effort
and cost. The OEM main focus is on technical integration
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J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
of vehicle architecture, electronics, software, simulation and
production systems.
Alternatively, the Supplier needs approach is highly
organizational and management-oriented. These types of
skills are not typically core to an engineering curriculum,
and the effect in the supplier workplace is demonstrated.
Interestingly virtually no technical needs are given, even
as the current market trend of vehicle development and
manufacture is putting a higher technological burden on the
supplier.
The different perceived needs of OEM and supplier have
driven the development of a holistic Curriculum incorpo-
rating hands-on practical experience, research, and a set of
courses that address integration of technical and organiza-
tional needs for producing the next-generation Integration
Engineer to serve the Automotive industry. This engineer
will be an individual capable of specializing in a few key
areas, but with the understanding of the effects that his deci-
sions have on the system as a whole from the standpoints
of functional performance, environmental robustness, total
system cost, business strategy, and marketability.
Incorporation of intelligent methods to satisfy
perceived needs
In the Clemson AEP, needs in particular areas are addressed
with an emphasis on intelligent methods, specifically product
development planning/realization and manufacturing sys-
tems education. In product design and planning, systems-
level needs identified by the OEM are addressed using digital
manufacturing tools such as and ergonomic analysis. These
tools give a modeled view approximating reality without the
cost of prototype development and testing. This digital anal-
ysis is incorporated to the product development and launch
aspects of the curriculum.
Similarly, intelligent approaches are included in instruc-
tion and practical projects in the manufacturing area to
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Table 3 Automotive Supplier

Perceived Education Need
Areas. The supplier interests are
shown by organizational
category
Communication Multi-cultural issues
Report writingpresentations well integrated Multi-cultural management
Teaching how to communicate through people How product is used across cultures
Communication through layers of management Collaboration toolswork together
Communicate orders and why they were given Policies
How to present and sell Liability issuesRisk assessment
Future modes of communication Social issues related to the vehicle
Effective modes of communication Economics of public choice
Communicationtransmitting and receiving Policytrade, regulation, environment
Effectively communicating Navigating policy and financial issues
Communication as a means for cultural diversity Business
Use of technology in communication Negotiation
How to create an environment such that Who is the customer? internal vs. external
communication can occur effectively customers
Writing skills: technical and creative Thinking out of the boxwhole picture
Assertiveness (when to speakhow to be heard) Look beyond the carbut at total impact
Ability to define customer needs clearly Look at it as a business
Leadership Design and mfg. effects on society
Leadership/team skills Honor code, ethics
Listening skills Problem solving
Cultural aspects/differences Balance the how and why issues
Internal marketing Sustainable development
Interpersonal dynamics Creativity
Presenting ideas in a non-confrontational manner Solution is only one stepmust keep going
Money is the best motivator How to think and how to learn
Negotiation skills Problem solving methodology
Leadership roles Integration tools
Pre-selling, internal marketing Systems view
Project management Critical thinking skills
Project management (keeping on schedule) Life cycle issues
Innovation and entrepreneurship Diversity in problem solving
Innovation is a value proposition Quality tools such as six sigma
Concepts related to innovation Design to cost/value
How to think about innovation Rapid design/rapid experimentation
Value of innovation Ability to function in uncertain conditions

address needs identified by both OEM and suppliers such
as flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing system design,
use of product and process information in inspection design,
and system robustness to uncertain conditions. Additionally,
digital representations of manufacturing processes are used
for process planning, force and power analysis, and develop-
ment of interactive cost models.
Application of design tools to curriculum development:
background and current state
A new curriculum must be approached systematically if it is
to be successful. Miller (1998) highlighted the problem of
lack of real-world preparation of new engineering gradu-
ates going to industry, and points to a number of factors con-
tributing to the disparity. Curricula have traditionally been
slow to respond to industry needs, and have not kept pace
instructionally with technological advances, particularly in
manufacturing programs. Of primary importance in incor-
porating industrial internships in the field of study to provide
practical knowledge and understanding not attainable in the
classroom. Additionally, Miller notes a lack of instruction in
necessary soft skills necessary for functioning in an indus-
trial environment, but not typically taught in traditional pro-
grams. Primarily noted:
opportunities for students to interact on teams,
explicit instruction on communication skills,

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Table 2 Automotive OEM perceived education need areas Table 4 Areas of engineering curriculum importance (Shea and West)
Vehicle development: process and integration tools and methods Rating (/ 5.00)
Vehicle architecture
Topical areas
Development process and tools
Engineering economics 4.13
Vehicle testing
Quality management 4.04
Problem solving methods and tools
Design process 4.03
Quality methods
Statistics 4.03
Cost structures
Planning and control 3.99
Manufacturing: process, tools and development: focus on OEM
manufacturing Critical attributes

Supplier integration Communication skills 4.60

Flexibility in manufacturing Problem solving skills 4.45

Quality methods in manufacturing People skill 4.45

Launch: preparation, management, project cost justification Commitment to objective 4.13

Manufacturing technology integration Continuous improvement 4.12

Management of cross-functional teams, synchronicity High ethical standard 3.83

disciplines+schedules IME topics 3.72
Financial evaluation of manufacturing+development projects and total Business operations 3.64
vehicle business cases Design skills 3.38
Electronics: from integration into vehicle to service and MMI Engineering fundamentals 2.92
System integration for electronics
Board-net, test diagnosis and analysis in development+manufacturing+
service A methodology for curriculum development using design
Electronics component manufacturing
tools was proposed by Shea and West (1996), who applied
Communication electronics, MMI (incl. ergonomics of vehicle
multi-objective programming to satisfy educational objec-
operation)
tives while meeting the university, college, accreditation
Software design and logistics
and course sequence constraints of the engineering curric-
Quality in software development
ulum. They developed a multi-objective model, then iden-
Development of controls
tified five of nineteen topical areas and ten critical attri-
Subsystems: from functions to component, materials+manufacturing
processes: prepares mainly to work for a parts supplier
butes decided as important for graduates. These are shown
in Table 4.
Parts design and manufacturing (Why use castings?)
Note that soft skills not traditionally taught explicitly
Subsystems/ components materials (basic and advanced)
in engineering are most highly rated. Shea used a simpli-
Manufacturing processes depending on the volume
fied weighting scheme to develop test curricula emphasizing
Combustion+fundamentals of power trains+power integration
different areas.
Alternative energy
Shih (1994) identified global competition, increasing tech-
Vehicle market concepts technology concept evaluation
nology and the need for agility as motivators for improving
Vehicle+market customer behavior the manufacturing engineering curriculum. This led to his
Vehicle business cases development of the integrated manufacturing systems engi-
Vehicle dynamics simulations neering (IMSE) discipline, where some program focus is
Body and suspension simulations given to tools and techniques for managing integrated sys-
Aerodynamics simulations tems, namely:
The automotive interests are organized roughly by developmental stage
of the vehicle Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM),
Concurrent Engineering (CE),
Total Quality Management (TQM), and
explicit teaching of process skills such as creative prob- Reengineering.
lem solving and project management,
application of skills to engineering problems, These tools have been integrated to the instructional curricu-
better understanding of interaction effects in both com- lum at Clemson University, and were also used themselves to
plex products and organizations (seeing the big picture), take a scientific approach in development of the curriculum
and itself. Though the described tools are outmoded today, the
ability to question current practices. methodology can still be successfully applied.

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Thom et al. (2002) also apply design tools such as weigh-
ted objectives, Quality Function Deployment, and func-
tional decomposition directly to curriculum development at
Purdue University. They cite the benefits as being able to
improve complex and coupled organizational systems such
as curricula using a structured methodology. The curricu-
lum is treated as analogous to a complex manufactured prod-
uct. This approach overcomes a number of challenges for
traditional curriculum reviews, namely implementation of a
systematic approach and having a quantitative measure of
curriculum success.
Previously at Clemson University, Beasley et al. (1995)
created and applied a design optimization approach for
undergraduate scientific curriculum development. Such a
curriculum requires optimization of course offerings subject
to external constraints such as ABET requirements, bud-
gets, facilities available, faculty time and industrial advi-
sory board recommendations. A curriculum was developed
first by identifying key organizational elements across the
4-year window, then through iterative identification and
topical coverage development for individual courses. This
approach was expanded to include quality-related continu-
ous improvement concepts applied to develop a systematic
framework for assessing and improving existing engineering
curricula (Beasley et al. 1996). These techniques continue
to be used in Clemson University Mechanical Engineering
today, and will be applied in periodic reviews of the Auto-
motive Engineering curriculum.
More recently, Lerman (2008) has pointed to the need for
critical analysis of targeted skills in education programs. He
points out that programs which continue to assume a needed
skill set based on data of decades ago cannot compete in
todays competitive business environment where foci such as
agility and flexibility have replaced traditional success val-
ues. The conclusion is that skills required for a given market
must be actively studied with the industry of that market to
provide an occupation-focused education plan.
Borthwick et al. (2000) undertook a study in the Australian
automotive service industry to identify skill shortcomings to
be addressed through education programs. The data were col-
lected through focus groups with industry representatives to
the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI),
the Australian Industry Group (AIG) and the Business Coun-
cil of Australia (BCA). They also examined the impact of
training through hands-on apprenticeship and higher educa-
tion class work on the resultant skill set.
Emadi and Jacobius (2004) give a detailed review of a cur-
riculum development for automotive electric power drives at
the Illinois Institute of Technology. This undergraduate pro-
gram places teams of students in the role of design teams
for electric power integration to vehicles. This need of iden-
tifying and practicing issues with integration of new sys-
tems to existing platforms was also cited as a critical need in
701
our curriculum development study. Education development
for adapting and maintaining electrical systems to conven-
tional vehicles was also addressed by Oklahomas Mid-Del
Technology Center (Lee and Stephens 2004). Curriculum
developers formed partnerships with businesses and Depart-
ment of Defense facilities for input on areas of education for
electric vehicles. Additionally, partnerships resulted in dona-
tions of Toyota Prius, Honda Insight and GM EV-1 vehicles
to be used as practical study subjects.
McGrath (2007) highlights the important role of global-
ization in motivating higher-skill-set curricula, particularly
for the automotive industry. He uses the case of automotive
globalization and resultant commercial proliferation within
South Africa as a prime motivator for improved higher
education curriculum development in partnership with this
important industry. Van Der Linde (2000) also addresses
the relationship of education and employee marketability in
South Africa, stressing the need for education programs to
be sensitive to changes in national industry, and to adjust
curricula as needed to continue providing viable employees.
Much as the automotive industry competes in an arena of
agility today, so must education programs be actively seek-
ing information and reinventing their programs in response
to change.
Guerra-Zubiaga et al. (2008) highlight the importance of
collaborative learning methods (i.e., integration of education
with industrial or practical influences) to improve engineer-
ing education. The case study undertaken is that of collab-
orative design tools such as those in the product lifecycle
management (PLM) class of tools emerging as a necessary
approach for managing automotive developmental informa-
tion. They specifically point out deficiencies of programs
that do not elicit feedback from the end customer (automo-
tive industry), specifically:
Inability to generalize new knowledge from previously
known concepts;
Inability to recognize variations of previously known con-
cepts, when taken out of the context in which they were
learnt;
Inability to apply known methodologies to open-end
problems, i.e., when the specific question to be answered
is unfocused. These problems arise frequently in engi-
neering design;
The available channels for receiving information are
almost restricted to audio-visual, associated to short-term
memory and poor insight;
Essential life-enduring skills such as creativeness,
reflexiveness, abstractiveness, etc., remain undeveloped
(Guerra-Zubiaga et al. 2008).
The conclusion of this review is that application of tradi-
tional learning environments (i.e., classroom and textbook)
123
702
Fig. 8 QFD for deployment of OEM capability requirements to automotive engineering curriculum. The first two categories of capability study
are shown; 8 designation represents the catalog course numbers
do not address the specific needs of open problem require-
ments development, integration of complex systems, and
the creativity required to address these problems. These
newly-defined required skills have been taken to heart in the
design of the Clemson University Automotive Engineering
program. The AEP was originated through extensive interac-
tive workshops with automotive industry OEM and supplier
partners beginning in late 2003. The primary activities were
undertaken to answer the question what is lacking in the
engineers you hire from traditional Mechanical Engineering
and Electrical Engineering programs?
Application of design tools to curriculum development:
Clemson University
For the Clemson University graduate Automotive Engineer-
ing Program, a number of program requirement ideation tools
and metrics were used, including decision matrices, affinity
diagrams, and most notably the Quality Function Deploy-
ment matrix (Kogure and Akao 1983). This tool correlates
end user (automotive OEMs and suppliers) requirements
with specific program features (classes, education tracks and
research areas).
To develop the QFD for the Automotive Engineering pro-
gram, a series of interviews over the period 20002002 were
conducted to elucidate the perceived requirements of grad-
uates for industry. The interviews were undertaken with a
major Original Equipment Manufacturer, BMW AG, as well
as Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers, most notably Michelin North
America and The Timken Company. Results of these inter-
views were grouped by capability class and used to drive
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J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
program development. An example of the QFD tool used for
program evaluation is shown in Fig. 8.
As shown by this table, the capability requirements identi-
fied through OEM interview and focus groups are addressed
by different courses. The tool is used to verify that all required
capabilities are addressed in the curriculum (all rows should
have one or more entries), and that no extraneous offerings
are included (no columns should be blank or sparse). An
equivalent activity was undertaken for the input offered from
interaction with primary automotive supplier partners. Pro-
gram educational structure is described in section in Pro-
gram structure.
Program structure
The AEP consists of core offerings as a requirement for all
graduates, and a variety of technical and business offerings
that allow the student freedom to specialize in certain areas
while achieving the identified objective outcomes.
Core classes
Core education requirements are embodied in a set of base
courses, covering fundamental skills identified during the
requirements embodiment phase of program development.
These primary skill sets imparted by the core class
requirements are as follows.
Project Management for Design and Manufacturing. Pro-
ject management is an essential skill for ability to operate
in the automotive design and manufacturing environment;
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
Overview of Automotive Systems. Students are presented
with an overview of major automotive systems, their func-
tions, constituent components and interfaces with the envi-
ronment. Particularly stressed is functional decomposition
of systems and a study of the interfaces between systems.
This study of interfaces and interactions leads directly to
the concept of systems integration;
Systems Integration Concepts and Methods. A critical
explicit approach to the study of interactions between sys-
tems and subsystems is undertaken to provide the student
with foundational knowledge of the effect decisions have
on the system as a whole. Exemplary case studies are pre-
sented that embody the integrated nature of the modern
vehicle;
Applied Systems Integration. The concepts learned dur-
ing the overall course of study are applied in a laboratory
course, where students are presented with an open-ended
design problem spanning multiple domains of specializa-
tion. The emphasis is on global system design optimization
in an open design space; both vehicle and manufacturing
systems are treated.
Technical emphasis: track courses
Technical breadth and depth is introduced to students through
a number of courses grouped by focus tracks. The tracks and
current planned courses are given in Table 5.
Technical track courses in Manufacturing Processes are
presented on a product platform. Representative automotive
components and their function are presented as a context for
manufacturing process selection and analysis. Automation,
supply chain and intelligent manufacturing concepts are pre-
sented, and all concepts are reinforced with industry interac-
tion (tour or in-class discussion).
Previous treatment of interdisciplinary manufacturing
instruction with involvement of industry was presented by
Deisenroth and Mason (1996) in design of an aerospace
manufacturing course with the aircraft, its subsystems and
components as the platform of study. They also integrated
transition of instruction from a process focus to a manufac-
turing systems focus, and included cost drivers and manu-
facturing selection topics for an integrated approach.
Technical emphasis: function and system approaches
The Masters degree professional program has two major
stems or directions of study based on the student inter-
est and final employment objective. The Function stem
is designed primarily to meet the needs of the automo-
tive tier 1 and tier 2 suppliers for individuals with knowl-
edge and skills to integrate two or more technical areas.
The System stem primarily meets the needs of automotive
OEMs for individuals having knowledge and skills to man-
703
Table 5 Technical track courses in the AEP
T1 vehicle materials and structures mechanics
AuE 853: Crash analysis methods and crashworthiness
AuE 855: Structural/thermal analysis methods for
automotive structure, systems, and components
AuE 866: Advanced materials for automotive applications
T2 vehicle electronics, mechatronics and computer systems
AuE 825: Automotive sensors and actuators
AuE 826: On board diagnostics and reliability
AuE 827: Automotive control systems design
T3 vehicle design and integration, methods and tools
AuE 846: Tire behavior and its influence on vehicle performance
AuE 847: Vehicle suspension systems design and analysis
AuE 848: Vehicle braking systems
AuE 849: Automotive chassis design
AuE 875: Vehicle development and realization
AuE 876: Mass customization design for vehicles
AuE 877: Light-weight vehicle systems design
AuE 884: Body and interior design
AuE 885: Vehicle layout engineering and ergonomic design
T4 vehicle manufacturing and production
AuE 867: Vehicle manufacturing processes I
AuE 868: Vehicle manufacturing processes II
T5 vehicle performance (vehicle physics)
AuE 850: Automotive stability and safety systems
AuE 805: Ground vehicle aerodynamics
AuE 886: Vehicle noise, vibration and harshness
AuE 887: Methods for vehicle testing
T6 vehicle power systems and transmission
AuE 816: Engine combustion and emissions
AuE 817: Alternative energy sources
AuE 828: Fundamentals of vehicle drivelines and power train
integration
Courses for tracks T1T6 that are shown in italic have been developed
and taught; others are either in development or planned for development
age and integrate people, technologies, and suppliers at dif-
ferent stages of the vehicle development/production process
chain.
Function Stem. The function stem emphasizes technical
competence in two or three specialization areas as noted
in the defined technical tracks;
System Stem. The system stem replaces two technical
track courses with courses chosen from the following:
AuE 831: New Vehicle Conception, Market and Technol-
ogy Identification, Concept Validation
AuE 832: Vehicle Development and Integration Processes,
Methods and Tools
AuE 833: Automotive Manufacturing Process Develop-
ment, Methods and Tools
123
704
AuE 834: Automotive Production Preparation, Manage-
ment and Launch
AuE 835: Vehicle Electronics IntegrationA Process
Chain Perspective
The objective of Systems-stem courses is to provide the
students with a more detailed knowledge and experiences
as related to various stages in the vehicle development/
production process chain.
Business emphasis
To provide the students with the foundations of business,
economics, policies etc. as pertinent to the automotive indus-
try, a requirement of two business courses is imposed. One
is chosen from a traditional business school offering, while
a second business course specific to the automotive indus-
try has been developed through Clemsons Spiro Center for
Entrepreneurial Leadership. This course, titled Autovation
is designed to engage graduate-level engineering students
in emerging trends and technologies in the automotive sec-
tor. The first semester provides an introduction to emerg-
ing automotive competition and modern market demands;
emphasis is placed on the development of economically via-
ble alternative fuel sources (primarily hydrogen fuel cells).
The second semester focuses on applying the lessons from
the first semester; students design products and detailed busi-
ness plans addressing these issues. Both courses are centered
around teams of students working to understand and develop
entrepreneurial skills.
This two-course approach requires the student to be
founded in business concepts while exploring the latest busi-
ness aspects and considerations within Automotive Engi-
neering. The curriculum does allow flexibility, so students
can specialize in a number of traditional business areas while
being exposed to entrepreneurship and new automotive mar-
ket developments and trends.
Incorporation of practical experience to curriculum
An additional program need identified through industrial
partner input is graduates with practical experience and
knowledge. This need is addressed from two directions. First,
a program requirement of 2 years of industry experience is
imposed. This allows education of the student at a higher
level of understanding. Common terminology, professional
relationship ability, and an understanding of the industrial
environment serve as practical prerequisites for the program.
A second approach to this need is an underlying theme
throughout courses of hands-on involvement with equipment
and systems under study, as well as interaction with indus-
123
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
trial partners through guest speaking, plant tours, internships
and a required industrial internship.
Jiles compares curriculum development incorporating
integrated practical education with the traditional final cap-
stone project approach, identifying common deficiencies
of traditional graduates as noted by industry (Jiles et al.
2002):
poor understanding of manufacturing processes,
a desire for more high tech solutions,
lack of design capability,
lack of appreciation for alternatives,
lack of knowledge of value engineering,
lack of appreciation for variation,
poor perception of the overall project engineering pro-
cess,
narrow view of engineering and related disciplines,
weak communication skills, and
lack of experience working in teams.
These needs have traditionally been treated by a single cap-
stone course at the end of the curriculum, an approach which
has merit but is not effective in preparing students for indus-
try as these needs increase and new practical needs identified
(e.g., design of flexible systems). Jiles developed the VID
approach, which parallels that of R&D teams in industry, and
applies it to a Materials Science curriculum incorporated to
Nondestructive Evaluation center sponsored by the National
Science Foundation (NSF).
Another education area in need of integrated practical
instruction is process instrumentation and control. Amadi-
Echendu and Higham (1997) describe an approach to curric-
ulum development in this area, transitioning the technology
from an artisan approach given by employers after hire to
a more scientific treatment obtained in the educational pro-
gram. The program collaborates with industry and profes-
sional society to offer instruction in practical, usable areas.
Schneider et al. (2005) address the practicality of instruc-
tion for development of a software engineering curriculum.
Industry input is solicited specifically from working gradu-
ates of the curriculum under development to find deficien-
cies, particularly software training that was required after
employment. Additionally, soft skill deficiencies were noted
as shown in Table 6. Though this data is from the software
industry, it highlights the perception of graduates from pro-
grams of complex system study as needing additional prac-
tical training after graduation. This is the same case with
the complex mechanical, electrical and software systems of
the automotive industry, motivating industry-based practical
input in the curriculum.
Mativo (2005) describes curriculum development in a
materials-based curriculum where the previous practice of
highly theoretical instruction was eschewed in favor of a bal-
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708 705

Table 6 Curriculum participant soft skill self-evaluation

Very little (%) Not much (%) Neutral (%) Much (%) A great deal (%)

Project management 14 5 38 33 10
Quality assurance 5 0 19 57 19
Teamwork 5 0 19 33 43
Risk management 10 33 33 24 0
Design 5 19 24 38 14
Requirements elicitation and documentation 0 5 19 38 38
Coding 0 0 10 33 57
Conflict resolution 14 29 38 10 10
Graduates of a software curriculum generally rated soft skill development in their education program as low, requiring additional development after
employment

Fig. 9 Web-based instruction on electro-discharge machining. Current research results are demonstrated graphically, with time-based trend of
critical process parameters. This is an on-demand web application (Yao et al. 2005)

anced approach of theory and practical experience with dif-
ferent materials in manufacturing. The addition of instruction
in current software used in industry develops graduates that
enter the workforce with a strong combination of knowledge
and skill. Tapper (2001) additionally noted the importance of
involving industry directly in engineering curriculum devel-
opment, particularly where laboratory equipment will be
highly utilized.
The AEP curriculum developed at Clemson incorporates
the hands-on profound experience described by Tapper,
with the ability to be flexible to changing technology require-
ments of industry. Knowledge that is today obtained by
automotive engineers during their first years of employment
is instead offered within the graduate curriculum, reducing
learning time after graduation and making graduates imme-
diately more usable to industry.
realized; development of the student and development of the
technology will run in parallel.
Yao et al. (2005) describe an example of this concept
applied to an integrated research and education program in
non-traditional manufacturing (NTM) methods. In addition
to teaching of recent research results, digital technologies
are also incorporated, both enriching the educational expe-
rience and disseminating information to a broader audience.
Examples of web-based technologies incorporated include
Java applets, Shockwave animations, VRML animations, and
QuickTime movies to demonstrate concepts. The essence of
this program is its multidisciplinary nature, covering the inte-
gration aspects of mechanical, electrical, chemical and bio-
logical domains. An example of digital instruction materials
is given in Fig. 9.
Current state of development

Incorporation of parallel research to curriculum
Research within an academic program is the impetus driving
new technology development. As new areas of technology
become increasingly important. It is necessary to begin edu-
cation of these technologies and methods as they are being
As of this writing, the Masters graduate education program
with 30 students has been realized for three full semesters.
Additionally, 20 Ph.D. students have been involved for over
2 years; these students will be the first students to obtain a
doctoral degree in the field of Automotive Engineering from
an American university.

123
706
There are a total of 50 students and 10 full-time fac-
ulty, and together we occupy the newly-constructed Camp-
bell Graduate Engineering Center. AuE course plans have
been vetted through focus groups with industrial partners
and Mechanical Engineering faculty as described; the first
year of courses is complete and the next is set to begin. Fur-
thermore, the faculty focus groups review the offered courses
in light of the students response, which is collected through
written student surveys and one on one discussions with the
program student association. Also, the faculty discuss any
new additions to the current offerings in light of new gov-
ernmental regulations, new technologies or changes in the
industry operating environment.
The current course offerings focus on four different
core areas; automotive manufacturing processes and sys-
tems, vehicle performance, vehicular electronics and auto-
motive power-train systems and technologies. The courses
that support these foci are sequenced to couple with the
core course offerings. The program is expected to gradu-
ate its first generation masters students in the summer of
2009.
Industry focus
There is heavy industrial involvement with the program, not
only through course development input, but also direct con-
tributions to courses in the forms of guest lectures, sponsored
factory tours and in-kind equipment and software donations.
Additionally, the industrial collaborators provide real-life
case studies for the students to analyze and propose solutions;
such activities include past and current challenges within the
automotive industry.
Additionally, an aligned intelligent manufacturing rese-
arch plan is being carried out with industrially-sponsored
projects. A number of consortia are also forming around
the program, including the Clemson University Vehicular
Electronics Consortium and the newly forming Automotive
Industrial Partner Consortium, where manufacturers can join
to drive research directions and take advantage of open results
while maintaining intellectual property rights.
Cultural awareness
A final aspect of the curriculum unique to an Automo-
tive Engineering graduate program is a cultural immer-
sion requirement, whereby every student will be involved
in a 6-month foreign residence internship with a partner
company or international government research laboratory.
While students get practical industrial research experience,
they are also exposed to international culture and learn by
doing cultural integration within the automotive environ-
ment. This international internship also entails a language
requirement, either previously spoken or through an intensive
123
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
summer learning program. The cultural education side helps
the students to operate effectively within a global environ-
ment through improving their communication skills across
different cultures and their understanding of the different
habits and traditions across the world. Plans to improve the
cultural educational aspect within the program is to incorpo-
rate a cultural seminar series.
Comments on curriculum
The Automotive Engineering graduate curriculum at Clem-
son University has been designed to incorporate exposure to
the practical aspects of a career in Automotive Engineering.
Particularly stressed is the integration of top-down systems-
level instruction exemplified on practical industrial projects,
and exposure of students to international cultural experience
in a technical environment. The curriculum is developed with
input from OEM and supplier representatives of the automo-
tive industry, highlighting needs that depart from traditional
technical instruction, such as business-product relationships
and interpersonal skills in a multicultural environment.
Additionally, the role of intelligent systems is included in
the curriculum design. Digital product design and the inter-
operability of digital systems in the product development
process are included in the product realization area. Intelli-
gent tools included in the manufacturing systems area include
intelligent inspection, information use between inspection
and manufacturing process, and digital representations of
manufacturing processes used for process analysis, planning
and control.
Conclusions
In this paper, we present a critical need for education of sys-
tems-level thinkers in the global automotive industry, evi-
denced by the relatively recent transformation of vehicle
manufacturing from a centralized function to a widely-dis-
tributed supplier network. The influx of international auto-
motive makers with a build where you buy philosophy has
increased the need for global and cultural understanding of
manufacturing and business processes in the North Amer-
ican sector. A growing area for automotive manufacturing
and resultant global technical understanding is in the South-
east US. This understanding is manifested in the increased
management and use of information for improving process
quality and flexibility. The greater availability of this product
and process knowledge, coupled with the fact that there is a
decrease in the number of advanced manufacturing gradu-
ates, has motivated a new program focused on systems-level
thinking for the global automotive industry.
The Automotive Engineering Program under development
at Clemson UniversityInternational Center for Automotive
J Intell Manuf (2011) 22:693708
Research is a comprehensive degree program designed under
the theme of systems integration, a concept that transcends
traditional integration studies such a Design for Manufac-
turing or Functional Decomposition techniques. The new
era of systems integration focuses on development of the
Integration Engineer, a graduate that analyzes and makes
decisions with innate knowledge of those decisions effect
on aligned systems. This skill is applied not only across
manufacturing systems integration within design, but also
functional integration of design as systems become more
complex, supply chain integration as technical responsibility
becomes more distributed, and cultural integration as infor-
mation-enabled collaboration links geographically-disparate
organizations.
The contributions that this paper highlights are
The contrast in perceived needs of automotive original
equipment manufacturers vs. those of suppliers to the
OEMs. OEM needs were for more technical thinkers able
to understand the effect of decisions in one domain on the
performance in another. Supplier issues centered mainly
on need for leadership, interpersonal and communication
abilities;
Development of a graduate-level program addressing
both systemic technical issues, and education of technical
leaders able to function in an interpersonal and intercul-
tural global automotive environment;
Incorporation of intelligent concepts in manufacturing
to the curriculum, focused on product development and
manufacturing systems areas. For product development,
information from the digital design model is shared to
dynamic analysis and manufacturing planning functions.
In the manufacturing systems area, intelligent tools are
exercised in the areas of inspection design and planning,
digital process modeling and application to process plan-
ning and control.
As evidenced by interviews and interactions with vehicle
manufacturers and suppliers, this approach is greatly needed
in todays automotive manufacturing environment. As vehi-
cle development and manufacturing becomes more frequent
with shorter lead times, coupled with increased competitive
pressures, the understanding, knowledge and use of integra-
tion techniques will define the automotive technical leaders
of tomorrow.
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