Design Projects in a Mechanical Engineering Technology Curriculum

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Alan Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Lawn Mower ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
Design Projects

Abstract Design oriented “capstone” courses for senior students have enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years. However, incorporating design projects as part of lower level laboratory courses is not as widely practiced. This paper discusses the authors’ experience using design projects in four freshman/sophomore level mechanical engineering technology courses. In a mechanics of materials course, the students have been required to design a structure for an overhead granary, and a device to upright a large electrical transformer. In a fluid power course, students have been required to size and select components and create a schematic for a small machine. In a machine elements course, students have designed a commercial lawn mower and a ribbon printing machine. Students in a production drawing class have designed and produced a set of working drawings for a stamping die, and have worked with a machine elements class as the documentation personnel on a concurrent engineering project. The projects all require problem definition, data research and collection, analysis of the required components, minimum sizing verses commercially available parts, and a schematic or full set of drawings. The desired outcomes are an increased level of interest, involvement, and to help the students make the transition between theory and practice. Graduates of technology programs are involved in design after either an associate degree or a bachelors degree. These graduates will either assist engineers in the design process; or, be responsible for their own designs. The technologist must understand how the theory is applied to the solution of design problems. Design projects are utilized as a means of applying the theory learned in the courses and exposing the students to real life problem solving. This paper will discuss some of the above named projects; how they are presented, how the students are involved, and the results. Some of the lessons learned will be presented. Reports are a major part of all the design projects. This paper will discuss how progress and final reports are utilized in these projects.

Effective Approach to Teaching Stress and Deformation Analysis in Mechanical Engineering Design

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Strength Of Materials ◽  
Dynamic Stresses ◽  
Mechanics Of Materials ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
Engineering Mechanics ◽  
Theoretical Mechanics

The undergraduate course, Design of Machine Elements has been offered by the University of Connecticut’s Mechanical Engineering Department for many years. It has been one of the most difficult courses for students to follow and understand, and also for the faculty to teach. A strong basic knowledge of mathematics, theoretical mechanics and the mechanics of materials is required for students to take this mandatory course and to fully follow its contents. To understand entirely the concepts of Design of Machine Elements, students should be acquainted with the history of the strength of materials. Being aware of the importance of such a course the ME faculty has worked to establish outstanding structural engineering teaching and research methods, and to create a departmental nucleus of intensive development of engineering mechanics research and development. The efforts described in this paper have facilitated the teaching and learning of the mechanics of materials and consequently the Design of Machine Elements as well. To accomplish these in both teaching and practical problem solving the instructor must use the unconventional approaches and students must put a great deal of effort into learning the material. It is important for students to have a general knowledge of mathematics and theoretical mechanics, but as this is a foundation of the course, the instructor should review and clarify the specific assumptions of engineering mechanics and strength of materials. One of the pedagogical challenges to be overcome, which is faced by both instructors and students, has always been to connecting the basic theorems and application procedures of engineering mechanics to their practical use in designing machine elements and in calculating static and dynamic stresses and deformations. The concept of avoiding stress concentrations by properly designing the shapes of machine frames and parts should also be emphasized. Transforming plane stresses and deformations into three-dimensional representations and calculations should also be considered. Since machine elements are usually in motion, a dynamic approach to stress and deflection analysis is important as well. After introducing the analysis of dynamic stresses and deformations, the instructor should cover the concept of fatigue, which is the next crucial step. The instructors’ approaches and the unconventional methods they use to familiarize students with such complicated concepts are discussed in this paper. An analysis of representations of stresses and deformations and fatigue analyses of different machine elements are also considered. This paper connects to some approaches previously presented in earlier papers as well as in courses, books and discussions by outstanding engineering mechanics theoreticians, including UConn faculty, especially Dr. Roman Solecki. The paper concludes by recommending effective teaching approaches to complicated machine design concepts and summarizing the lessons learned. This paper is a companion piece to the IMECE 2015 50776 [1].

scholarly journals Implementing Mechatronics Design Methodology in Mechanical Engineering Technology Senior Design Projects at Old Dominion University

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vukica Jovanovic ◽  
Jennifer Michaeli ◽  
Otilia Popescu ◽  
Moustafa Moustafa ◽  
Mileta Tomovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Old Dominion University ◽  
Design Projects

An Introduction to Population-level Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Policy Cycle ◽  
Solution Generation ◽  
Screening And Surveillance

This book is based on the content covered during the non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention short course at the University of Oxford. It provides theoretical background and ‘real life case studies’ helping readers to apply the learnings to their day-to-day work. It covers case studies from both high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. This book is structured around the four stages of the policy cycle: (1) problem definition; (2) solution generation; (3) resource mobilization and implementation; and (4) evaluation. Chapters 2–7 focus on problem definition, which involves understanding the burden of NCDs, its risk factors, the sociopolitical landscape, the role of advocacy, and screening and surveillance. Chapters 8–10 are about solution generation, which involves examining the evidence for potential costs and benefits of interventions, while also considering contextual factors, including the ethical and political dimensions of different solutions. Chapters 11–13 are on implementation and the mobilization of resources, both the money needed for material aspects of the interventions and the people required to plan for and carry out the interventions. Chapter 14 is about evaluation and monitoring, which may be designed to assess whether interventions met their aims and objectives. Given the cyclical nature of the policy cycle, the final chapter is about returning to the various stages. NCD prevention does not always follow the stages of the policy cycle in a strict sequence and often, NCD interventions will need revisiting in light of the experiences and lessons learned from earlier stages.

scholarly journals Vocational Student's Attitude and Response Towards Experiential Learning in Mechanical Engineering

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 254-268
Author(s):  
Stephanus Fajar Pamungkas ◽  
Indah Widiastuti ◽  
Suharno
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Concrete Experience ◽  
Students Attitudes

Abstract This study evaluated the use of an experiential learning design for vocational education in mechanical engineering. The research objective is to analyze students’ attitudes and responses after participating in learning activities using a worksheet designed according to Kolb's stages by considering Felder-Silverman's student learning styles. This research was conducted using a case study research employing qualitative data analysis. The data were collected using a purposive random sampling technique with 28 respondents in a 10th grade. The datawere analyzed using descriptive qualitative analysis. The experiential learning activities were carried out concrete experience, reflective observations, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. It is shown that students have a positive attitude and response. Experiential activities help students in learning Basic of Mechanical Engineering and they enjoy participating in the learning activities. Experiential learning activities are considered to be fun, interesting, and easy to be understood. The students could relate the course material to real-life situations, which may benefit the students to enhance learning and connect the knowledge they learned to their own experiences. It is suggested that the experiential design is effectively used and could explore the relationship between learning theory and practice in Vocational High School.

scholarly journals CLIENT-BASED CORNERSTONE DESIGN PROJECTS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Boudreau ◽  
Hanan Anis
Keyword(s):  
Engineering Design ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Engineering Teams ◽  
Design Projects ◽  
Second Year

Engineering students at the University of Ottawa are exposed to engineering design in first- and second-year courses. Both courses are open to all engineering students and are multidisciplinary in nature. Students work in teams to deliver a physical prototype by the end of the term. The design projects are all community-based and involve a client from the local community with a specific unmet need. Examples of such clients include local hospitals, accessibility organizations, Ottawa police, Indigenous elders and many more. The client meets with the students a minimum of three times throughout the semester to provide the problem definition and give feedback to the student groups at different stages of the design process. The goal of this paper is to share best practices in selecting and delivering client-based projects targeting first- and second-year students in multidisciplinary engineering teams. The paper discusses the choice of project themes and specific projects. In addition, it presents lessons learned based on student-client interactions, lab manager-client interactions and client satisfaction. Examples are presented from the past three years of delivering such engineering design courses, with testimonials from clients and students.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF DISASTERS ON DISASTER MEDICINE EDUCATION

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 4125-4127
Author(s):  
Elena Valkanova ◽  
◽  
Rostislav Kostadinov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Real Life ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Disaster Medicine ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Medical Support ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Disaster Relief Operations ◽  
Medical Response ◽  
Medicine Education

Introduction: Disaster medicine is a novel but rapidly evolving medical specialty. It aims for evidence based practices as they are essential for contemporary medicine. Every calamity provides input for development. Researchers in the field study these events for the purpose of amending theory and practice to reflect new challenges. The better the understanding of the shortfalls reported is, the greater will the worth for disaster medical response to the upcoming events be. Purpose: The objective of the study is to demonstrate the connection between disasters and commencement and evolution in disaster medicine education and to highlight the significance of lessons learned for practice improvement. Materials and methods: By means of the descriptive method, lessons learned from disaster medical support to some of the most significant catastrophic events in recent years are presented. Comparative and deductive analyses are performed in order to assess the influence of disasters on the evolution of disaster medical support education and training. Results: Analysis of the most consequential disasters proves that the affected countries have implemented disaster medical support planning, organization, and management changes. These changes in policy and practice lead to amendments and advances in disaster medical tuition. Conclusion: As a conclusion, disaster medicine education reliance on the best practices approved throughout the disaster relief operations is noted. Every gained experience and lesson learned have to be implemented into the lectures and seminars, thus transforming real life achievements into knowledge and wisdom.

Re-Engineering of a Shifter Kart for Improved Performance

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 320-330
Author(s):  
David Freeman ◽  
Christopher Bennett ◽  
R. Bajon ◽  
S. M. Guo
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Good Reliability ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Actual Operation ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Road Races

This paper describes a new senior design project offered at Louisiana State University's Mechanical Engineering Department. The project was aimed at improving the performance of a 125 cc racing shifter kart in order to give the kart a competitive edge at three different types of racing events (autocross, sprint races, and road races) and good reliability during pre-race testing. Although similar design projects exist in the Mechanical Engineering Department, most racing-related projects primarily use off-the-shelf components. While these are worthwhile, they do not give students the satisfaction of being involved with the end-to-end life cycle of a complex engineering project, from conceptual design, fabrication, integration and testing to actual operation of the system. This project fulfills that need. Two approaches were taken in this project to accomplish a better performance for the racing shifter kart: one was to create a new exhaust for more power at low and medium engine speeds, while the other was to create a new front fairing to reduce the kart's coefficient of drag. This paper describes the design strategies, the fabrication processes, the final test results, and lessons learned from this project.

Experiential Learning in Graduate Archival Education at the University of Botswana

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olefhile Mosweu
Keyword(s):  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Records Management ◽  
Archival Theory ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
The Real ◽  
The University

Most curriculum components of archival graduate programmes consist of contextual knowledge, archival knowledge, complementary knowledge, practicum, and scholarly research. The practicum, now commonly known as experiential learning in the global hub, is now widely accepted in library and information studies (LIS) education as necessary and important. It is through experiential learning that, over and above the theoretical aspects of a profession, students are provided with the opportunity to learn by doing in a workplace environment. The University of Botswana’s Master’s in Archives and Records Management (MARM) programme has a six weeks experiential learning programme whose purpose is to expose prospective archivists and/or records managers to the real archival world in terms of practice as informed by archival theory. The main objective of the study was to determine the extent to which the University of Botswana’s experiential learning component exposes students to real-life archival work to put into practice theoretical aspects learnt in the classroom as intended by the university guidelines. This study adopted a qualitative research design and collected data through interviews from participants selected through purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Documentary review supplemented the interviews. The data collected were analysed thematically in line with research objectives. The study determined that experiential learning does indeed expose students to the real world of work. It thus helps to bridge the gap between archival theory and practice for students without archives and records management work experience. For those with prior archival experience, experiential learning does not add value. This study recommends that students with prior archives and records management experience should rather, as an alternative to experiential learning, undertake supervised research, and write a research essay in a chosen thematic area in archives and records management.

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