Proposal to INCE/USA

Transcription

1 Proposal to INCE/USA Support for Revamping Three Graduate-Level Distance-Learning Courses in Noise Control Engineering for Working Professionals 23/24 October Background While he was at Penn State, Courtney Burroughs taught three graduate-level distance-learning courses in Noise Control Engineering. Much of the early funding for the development of these courses came from the Sloan Foundation. Courtney taught the three courses as part of the Penn State World Campus starting in the spring of During its six year run at Penn State there were over 100 student-course completions. The average time for a student to complete one of the three courses is approximately six months. These three courses represented a significant benefit to our professional community by making advanced NCE education available via distance learning to working professionals needing a flexible and off-campus schedule. The students who took the Penn State courses were working professionals interested primary in enhancing their professional skills. These courses will also prove to be useful to our members who want to achieve Board Certified status. It is our understanding that this is the most extensive series of courses on noise control engineering offered anywhere, either by distance learning, or in a classroom. 2. Observations by Others The National Academy of Engineering published this month their report Technology for a Quieter America 1. The Study Committee, chaired by George C. Maling, Jr., included many outstanding experienced noise control engineers. One of many areas the report examines is the state of noise control engineering education and concludes (pg 2) that: the nation needs to educate specialists in the field and provide basic knowledge of the principles of noise control engineering to individuals trained as specialists in other engineering disciplines. One of the findings and recommendations included in the report (pg 129) is that: The multidisciplinary nature of noise control engineering poses challenges for engineering practice and lifelong learning. Neither undergraduate nor graduate programs are comprehensive, and the need to understand new issues and technologies over time creates a strong demand for continuing education. 1 ISBN (pbk.) ISBN (pdf) 1

2 Excerpts from the Course Review by Turner, Wiebusch, McGowan, and Hill and published in the July-August 2002 issue of NCEJ (50 (4)) are provided below. A classic dilemma faced by those who are fully entrenched in life is how to obtain quality continuing education without sacrificing a job and uprooting family. Many of us can t afford to disconnect from our source of income and relocate to pursue further education. Yet, the desire is there to improve our knowledge base and enhance our skills in order to remain competitive in today s market. The first group of students to take this course included recent college graduates, several people who own acoustic consulting firms, and others with twenty or more years of experience in noise control. For those who are interested in expanding their knowledge of noise and vibration control, we highly recommend these courses. For those interested in becoming Board Certified by INCE, we can think of no better preparation. Comments provided below were received from working professionals who have completed the courses and are now applying the course materials in US industry and universities. Karl B. Washburn, machine noise and vibration control engineer at a major US equipment manufacturer. I am writing in support of the Noise Control Engineering distance learning courses originally developed for the Penn State World Campus. There is no doubt in my mind that these 3 semester-long courses, taken together, represent the best, most comprehensive explication of the principles and practices of noise and vibration control ever available in the US. When I took the courses, I already had a strong background in acoustics. However, I was much weaker in the engineering practice of noise control itself. These courses very ably filled the gaps between theory and practice. My background helped a great deal in making the material understandable; I can t speak for a typical engineer who might approach the courses without a thorough grounding in acoustics, vibration, and signal processing. However, the material always began from first principles, so diligent effort should make it understandable. I found the homework problems to be useful and creative and the term projects enlightening. The exams were thorough, challenging, and fair. While collaboration with the instructor went well, I found collaboration with classmates cumbersome. I work full time in machine noise and vibration control, and I can say that I refer to my NCE class notes on a regular basis for guidance. Additionally, I took and passed the INCE BC Exam this past Spring, and I was able to study effectively and be thoroughly prepared because of the NCE materials. The NCE classes are well-designed, effective, and have proven extremely valuable in my career. 2

3 Louis N. Cattafesta III, Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida I am writing this letter to offer my strong support for the Noise Control Engineering course proposal. I took these 3 courses approximately 10 years ago from Penn State s World Campus. Theses on-line courses were developed by Dr. Courtney Burroughs. They offered a comprehensive set of electronic notes on acoustics and noise control, including lecture notes, homework problems, quizzes, and projects. At a time when I joined the faculty at the University of Florida as an Assistant Professor in 1999 and was establishing my research program there, these courses served as the foundation for my future research projects in aeroacoustics. Courtney s classes were invaluable in this effort. I greatly appreciated his responsiveness and attention to detail. I strongly believe these courses would greatly benefit other students. I therefore offer my strong support for this proposal. Kenneth Kaliski, P.E., INCE Bd. Cert., Q.E.P. Director, Resource Systems Group, Inc. I took Courtney s Noise Control Engineering II and III courses when they were given at Penn State. I also had one of my employees take Noise Control Engineering I. As a consultant, we have found these courses to be invaluable. They start with the basics, but go through a very comprehensive curriculum spanning vibration, outdoor sound propagation, indoor acoustics, tools and methods, statistical energy analysis, modal analysis, psychoacoustics, etc. The course was designed for graduate students, and as such, goes into significant depth with the mathematical derivation of commonly used equations. In fact, after seeing triple integrals in the course material, Dartmouth College Thayer School of Engineering gave me full transfer credit equivalent to one course towards my degree there. We have often heard from people wanting to take the Board Certification exam, that there is no course that can help them prepare. Bringing back these classes would fill this gap. It would give Board Certification applicants the technical rigor and broad exposure to the field of noise control engineering that is needed to pass the exam. I strongly endorse bringing the course to INCE. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to comment. Unfortunately, due to lack of interest from other faculty, the courses have not been taught at Penn State since Courtney retired in

4 3. Proposal to INCE/USA The NCE course series represent a valuable resource for budding noise control practitioners. The courses offer a comprehensive overview of NCE principles and applications. Courtney and Acentech both feel that it would be a shame to not continue to make use of this valuable resource. Courtney and Acentech propose to revamp the three courses and start teaching them again. Based on the experience with these courses taught at Penn State, certain aspects of the courses should be revised, some aspects should be deleted, and some of the embedded animations need to be improved so as to enhance the teaching/learning experience. We propose offering the courses with sponsorship and some support from INCE/USA and the INCE Foundation. Since these courses would be offered to educate members of the noise control community, we believe our proposal is completely consistent with the primary purpose of the Institute and the Foundation to promote engineering solutions to noise problems and NCE education. We hope that the courses would be promoted by INCE/USA including a presence and information on their website with a header such as: Noise Control Engineering Graduate Education Sponsored by INCE/USA On Line Courses Provided by Courtney Burroughs and Acentech Incorporated Phase 1: Revise Courses Courtney and Acentech would revamp the courses based on the lessons learned while Courtney was at Penn State. We expect that this will involve about 300 to 400 hours of effort to revamp the three Courses. Because of the importance of these courses, we are willing to donate some time along with receiving some financial support from INCE/USA. As a first step, Courtney and Acentech would revamp and promote Course I. Revamping Course I will require about 120 hours of effort. We request that INCE/USA provide support for somewhat less than half of the time required; 50 hours at $150 per hour or $7500. The remainder of the time will be donated to revamp Course I. After Course I is up and running successfully, we will then want to revamp and start offering Courses II and III. At that time we expect to return to the INCE Board to request some additional support for the remaining revamping effort. 4

5 Phase 2: Teaching Teaching assignments will be shared between Acentech and Courtney. Administration, registrations, publicity, financial, and IT support efforts will be arranged and provided by Acentech. Course fees will be collected and maintained by Acentech. Note that this proposal is not intended to prohibit INCE/USA from supporting or sponsoring other courses. 4. Time Schedule Assuming that agreement and approval is received at the INCE/USA Board Meetings in Charlotte during 23/24 October 2010, we will promptly: Prepare and submit descriptive and promotional material for posting on the INCE/USA, INCE Foundation, and Acentech websites. We will also investigate other avenues to promote the courses such as at S&V, ASA, ASME, SAE, TRB, NAE, and NNI. Prepare course announcements and descriptive details for INCE/USA to send via messages to members, sustaining members, and associates of INCE/USA. Perform all necessary revamping of Course I during early Revamping of Courses II and III will occur once Course I is up and running with active students. Schedule Course I to start by approximately June 2011 and Courses II and III to start approximately six and twelve months later. Submit to INCE/USA semi-annual summary reports as to progress, enrollments, and accomplishments. 5. Description of the Courses Teachers who currently can be involved include: Courtney Burroughs, Ph.D. Eric Ungar, Eng. Sc.D. James Moore, Ph.D. Jeffrey Zapfe, Ph.D. Gladys Unger, Ph.D. Jeffrey Fullerton, MSME 5

6 Students each receive the following materials: Study Guide in notebook instructions on software, assignments & appendices (e.g. glossary & key equations) CDs with course material and MatLab software Communication is via for assignments, study questions, and interaction between teacher and students. Textbooks used in the course are by Beranek & Harris. Students completing the courses with satisfactory grades receive a certificate and possibly CEUs. Feedback from prior students shows that they most appreciated: Course content/material learned Flexible schedule Interaction with instructor and students Past experience indicates that we might expect about 15 students per year signing up for the course. Most students that dropped out did so early during Course I. Each course currently includes the units and lessons listed below. Course I Unit One Program Orientation and Background Basic course information Using CD-Rom and MatLab The effects of noise and approaches to its control Background mathematics Unit Two Simple Mechanical Vibrations Free vibration of undamped simple oscillator Free vibration of damped simple oscillator Forced vibration of damped simple oscillator Coupled simple oscillator Simple vibration isolation mounting systems Unit Three Noise Measures and Mechanisms of Propagation Wave propagation Superposition waves Acoustic energy and power in waves Levels and decibels Spreading loss 6

7 Unit Four Measurement and Analysis I: Introduction Transducers Calibration and use of transducers Using the sound level meter I Using the sound level meter II Noise measurements Unit Five Sound Reflections and Absorption at Boundaries Single interface-normal incidence Oblique incidence on absorptive layers Mechanisms and measurement at boundaries Practical guidance Scattering Course II Unit One Mechanisms of Noise Generation Small simple sources Directional simple sources Distributed and impact sources Real sources Use of intensity for noise source characterization Unit Two One- and Two- Dimensional Systems Vibration of strings Sound fields in ducts Lumped parameters Vibrations of beams Vibrations of plates Unit Three Room Acoustics Basic concepts of room acoustics Large rooms Small enclosed spaces Acoustic treatments and special rooms Sound systems in rooms Unit Four Measurement and Analysis II: Intermediate Sound level meter frequency filters Measurement of acoustic properties Vibration measurements Narrowband frequency analysis I Narrowband frequency analysis II 7

8 Unit Five Effects of Noise Fundamentals of hearing Human response to sound Metrics for human response to noise Metrics for noise-induced hearing damage Sound quality Course III Unit One Sources of Noise Machinery power transmission Machinery power generation Flow sources of noise Turbomachinery and HVAC systems Multi-component sources of noise Unit Two Outdoor Noise and Structural Acoustics Outdoor noise propagation Vibration response of structures Vibration transmission through structures Acoustic radiation from vibrating structures Acoustic transmission through structures Unit Three Measurement and Analysis III: Advanced Single-channel spectral analysis Two-channel spectral analysis Special features in FFT analyzers Model analysis Special methods of spectral analysis Unit Four Noise and Vibration Treatments Resilient mounting systems Damping treatments Enclosures and cladding treatments Mufflers and silencers Active control Unit Five Numerical and Statistical Models Approximate numerical solution for acoustic fields Finite element models for structural vibrations Boundary element models for acoustic radiation Implementation of numerical models Statistical energy analysis 8