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Advanced Wood Products Laboratory - Academic Use Policy

10 January 2005

As the use of computer-based manufacturing and prototyping technologies have increased in the College of Architecture, so too have academic demands on the machines in the Advanced Wood Products Laboratory.  This document outlines the policies and procedures for faculty and student access to the laboratory.  Our intent is to provide safe and controlled access to machines and training, so that both faculty and students can benefit from the world class machinery available at AWPL.

AWPL Mission

The AWPL mission focuses on training for CNC (computer numerical control) programmers and operators, on research into new materials and processes for the secondary wood products industry, on demonstration of CNC technologies to improve industry competitiveness, and on education for traditional Georgia Tech students.  The primary revenues for AWPL come from our continuing education program, from state "economic development" funds, and from external research.  It is important for our stakeholders to be aware that the primary AWPL focus is on supporting its revenue generating programs, and that academic support, while important, is only one of our functions.  

AWPL does not intend to replace or support activities that already take place in the college shop facilities.  Manual wood-working, model making, and prototype building should be completed in the college shop.  Recent investments in academic focused CNC technologies, such as the laser cutter and stereo lithography "printer" are increasing the ability of the college to support the need to translate the digital into the physical.

Nevertheless there are clear areas where AWPL and the college benefit from collaboration.  AWPL will focus on supporting the creative work of faculty and the needs of academic programs within the college (and within the larger Georgia Tech community where possible).  AWPL is committed to training design students in CNC technology and in developing a certificate program in CNC manufacturing (primarily at the graduate level, for students in Industrial Design and Architecture).  Our access policy therefore reinforces the academic mission of the AWPL and makes best use of our limited staff.

Faculty Access

College faculty and research staff are encouraged to bring research and creative work into the lab.  AWPL is committed to proving access to both funded and unfunded research activities, and to helping faculty acquire funding for collaborative work (e.g., through GTF funds).  We also support the work of other research centers within the college and within Georgia Tech.  In general, AWPL will provide training (for research-funded students or faculty), design expertise/consulting, and machine access.   We may also provide materials from donated stock where available.   In most cases, AWPL cannot provide product prototyping or CAD support to a project.  It is expected that faculty will complete design drawings, CAD representations, and CAM programming themselves, or will hire AWPL-trained research students to support their work.  AWPL provides multiple avenues for CNC training, as described below.

Access for Students in COA Courses

AWPL will focus on supporting student work that occurs within the context of courses offered by college faculty.   In some courses (such as those offered by Monica Ponce de Leon (ARCH) or Alan Harp (ID)), the AWPL may be the primary focus of the course.  In other courses, a programmed time period during the term may be scheduled to occur at AWPL.  In any case, the use of the AWPL by a given course must be coordinated one term in advance.  At this time, our primary focus will be on graduate-level courses, as it is these courses that will support the graduate certificate in CNC furniture design and manufacturing.

The procedure for class access to AWPL will generally be as follows.  The faculty member in charge of the class will allow for a minimum of two weeks of training (all other coursework suspended) for the students.  Alan Harp will provide CAD-CAM instruction during this time period and will lead the students in a small design-build exercise.  This exercise can be integrated within the context of the course, but this integration must be done well before the semester begins.

It is important to note that AWPL can only train 10 students at a time.  We therefore cannot accommodate classes with more than 10 students.  We feel that this is a reasonable limit for classes that intend on training and prototyping on CNC equipment within AWPL.  AWPL has two classrooms with room for 10 students, but the primary classroom is dedicated to our continuing education training.  This means that we have only one classroom available for GT students.  At this time, we have only one CNC instructor (Alan Harp) who is available for training of COA students.  The aforementioned coordination is required to a large degree based on the limitation of instructor time and the need to control the number of students using the lab at any given time.

In the past, software has been a limiting factor for students and faculty using AWPL.  AWPL has not had the full suite of design software (3D Viz, Rhino, FormZ …) and the college has not had access to CAM software (AlphaCam).  Planned upgrades to AWPL and COA are addressing this limitation.

AWPL will not be open for “drop in” use for students who are not part of a COA course where the instructor has coordinated access and training for the entire class. 

Students who have received AWPL training from previous AWPL-sponsored courses may be allowed access to AWPL for specific projects (such as an ID or ARCH thesis projects) but this access will be made available only as resources allow.

Complementary Enrollment in AWPL Continuing Education Courses

AWPL offers week-long courses for industry which run 8 hours per day for 5 days.  The courses listed as AWPL 101 and AWPL 108 on our website (www.awpl.org) are introductory-level courses and are suitable for CAD-CAM training for faculty or students.  It is best that students have some knowledge of CAD before attending.  Where space is available, faculty or students are welcome in these courses.  These courses may not be held as scheduled based on the paid enrollment in these courses.  COA students may be “bumped” from these courses based on the demands from our paying trainees.  It is important to note that these course run all day long for an entire week.  Faculty or students wishing to attend must pre-register for the given course by contacting Ms. Leigh McClelland at the AWPL.

Shop Safety

All students and faculty working within AWPL must follow safety procedures.  It is expected that all students working within AWPL have received the safety training and certification provided in the college shop.  Alan Harp will provide an additional safety briefing, and students will be expected to sign a shop safety acknowledgement form.  In addition to being safe around the automated wood processing equipment, students must be instructed on and have permission to use ancillary woodworking equipment: joiner, planer, band saws, table saw, lathe, routers, etc.  Metalworking equipment and other specialized equipment (e.g., materials test stands) are off limits to students and faculty unless special use permission has been granted.  Part of safety is keeping a clean and well-organized shop.  Students are required to clean up after themselves and replace tools on a daily basis.

In no instance should one person be working in the lab by him or herself, without the presence of a buddy or other person, who is aware of their work.

In addition to safety in the shop, it is important to note that the AWPL is on the perimeter of campus, and that the same personal safety concerns that we have for students and faculty at the college apply at the AWPL.  During evening hours of operation, it is suggested that students drive to AWPL or use the GT Stingerette service.  The machine supervisor will escort students to their vehicles or verify that they have been picked up during evening hour departures.

Students who do not follow safety procedures will lose access to AWPL.

Machine Supervisor + CAM Verification

Students in approved COA courses will be allowed at AWPL anytime M-F, 7 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to use the CNC software in the mezzanine computer laboratory.  AutoCad and AlphaCam are available on these computers.  Additional design software is being installed and will be ready for use Spring semester 2005.  Students will not be able to use the mezzanine laboratory when it is reserved for classes.

Students are required to sit with a machine supervisor and verify their CNC programming with the machine supervisor before they can run parts on the CNC machines.  The proposed “typical” CNC supervisor hours are as shown below.  The intent is to provide machine supervisor hours during times when students are unlikely to be in design studios.  Extended hours are anticipated on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.  Students should not expect to have access to the CNC machines at times other than those posted.

Proposed CNC Supervisor Schedule