Lab Facility Operations

General Information

The Manufacturing Laboratory, located in the Swan Annex are maintained and managed by the Manufacturing Technology Program (MFTE) Faculty and Staff. These facilities are necessary for instructional requirements of the MFGT and MFGE programs. This document has been created to help avoid scheduling conflicts and to define the parameters for the instructional use of the MFTE facility.

Access:

To avoid confusion and possible scheduling conflicts, all instructional and special uses of the Manufacturing Lab should be requested and scheduled one full semester in advance. Full semester use of the Manufacturing Lab for "regular academic class" use and "special" use must be requested for all lab time other than academic classes listed in the defined curriculum. The request must be completed and approved by the department before such use can take place. If the lab is needed during non-scheduled lab time, the course instructor of the student who is requesting the use of the lab, must be present in the lab with that student. Time can be scheduled through the Manufacturing Department.

Qualifications For Lab Use

Important Notes:

1. Students given assignments involving use of the laboratory should have machining experience equivalent to MFGT 150. Faculty will provide their students with a safety rule check sheet and an emergency information sheet prior to operating lab equipment.
2. During scheduled open lab hours, the laboratory must be staffed by qualified personal.
3. Please feel free to identify problems and/or offer suggestions about the laboratory, preferably in writing. Feedback from faculty and students is essential if we are to adequately meet the needs of both. Machining operations are very dangerous. Think. Use common sense. Be careful.

Regular Lab Use:

This is use of the lab for scheduled Manufacturing Technology and Manufacturing Engineering lab activities. The use may be for limited exclusive use, non-exclusive use as needed by students, or any combination of these uses. Multiple class scheduling of the lab may be necessary. As the use of the lab increases, lab availability may be reduced or may not be available. To ensure that the lab is available for all students, faculty, and staff, the procedures below are necessary.

1. MFGT/MFGE courses are given priority for use of the lab
2. No student is allowed to work independently in the lab.
3. A lab technician will be available to assist in maintenance issues related to the lab and related course items. The lab technician in his/her capacity is not available to monitor lab activities related to course work and lab operations. Students are not permitted under any circumstance to work under the guidance and oversee of the lab technician.
4. Teaching Assistants (TA's): A teaching assistant may be assigned to a specific course of study. This person will be working with the laboratory instructor to ensure that the laboratory functions as it should. He or she is responsible for assisting faculty in the lab during the normal class hours. Each TA is given a list of responsibilities. Briefly, they should: assist laboratory users; report problems; insure proper use of equipment; and assist in operations during lab hours.
5. Lab equipment is only to be used for course related projects, except by prior arrangement with the Manufacturing Department, or where specific exceptions have been made and notified.
6. Tools are supplied and distributed by program operations. Manufacturing operations will supply students using the designated (educational tool crib operation).
7. All tools distributed by the tool crib are only available and accessible to the manufacturing labs only.
8. Users shall not, unless by prior arrangement with manufacturing department, produce or fabricate non-course related items on any equipment.
9. The lab is for use by students currently enrolled in manufacturing technology, manufacturing engineering technology and student group organizations that qualify,Students who ignore operational instructions or displays inappropriate behavior in the lab will be denied lab privileges.
10. Visitors are not permitted to roam about the lab, and should be escorted to the person for whom they have come to visit. This applies to everyone not a member of the lab, such as salesmen, delivery personnel, company presidents, professors, and other students.
11. Ferris employees are not permitted to solicit non-related lab work without a written request by their department head directed for approval by the manufacturing department. (See Sample Request Form)
12. Outside request (Non-Ferris Operations) by individuals to access lab equipment, supplies, services, repairs and lab personal is strictly prohibited.
13. Academic work takes priority over nonacademic work.