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.

First Year Engineering Projects to Senior Capstone Design: Are Students Gaining Technical and Professional Skills?

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daria Kotys-Schwartz ◽  
Daniel Knight ◽  
Gary Pawlas
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Professional Skill ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Professional Skills ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Design Skills ◽  
Engineering Projects ◽  
Capstone Design

Innovative curriculum reforms have been instituted at several universities and colleges with the intention of developing the technical competence and professional skills of engineering students. First Year Engineering Project (FYEP), or Freshman Design courses have been integrated into undergraduate engineering curricula across the country. Many of these courses provide students with hands-on engineering opportunities early in the curriculum. Senior Capstone Design (SCD) courses are ubiquitous in engineering programs, incorporating technical knowledge and real-world problem solving. Previous research has shown that project-driven classes like FYEP and SCD increase the professional and technical design skills of students. While research into first year and senior design skills development has been more robust, scant research investigating the transformation of skills between freshman design experiences and senior design experiences has been performed. This research project investigates the longitudinal technical and professional skill development of mechanical engineering students at the University of Colorado at Boulder. An overview of First-Year Engineering Projects and the mechanical engineering Senior Capstone Design project course is detailed. Technical and professional skill objectives are discussed within the paper. Pre and post skill surveys were utilized in both First-Year Engineering Projects and the Senior Capstone Design classes. Initial results indicate that student skills deteriorate between the end of the first-year and beginning of the senior year.

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.

Solving Koffee Karousel Design Problems: A Case Study in the Senior Mechanical Engineering Design Student Project

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Casey McCall ◽  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek
Keyword(s):  
Credit Card ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Stepper Motor ◽  
3D Cad ◽  
Design Iteration ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Engineering Team ◽  
Current Design ◽  
And Mathematics

The University of Connecticut Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed an industry recognized Senior Design Capstone course. The course provides fourth-year students the opportunity for a “major design experience in which they apply the principles of engineering, basic sciences, and mathematics to model, analyze, design, and realize physical systems, components or processes, and it prepares students to work professionally” [1]. The course is taught by a class instructor and is supported by the faculty of the Mechanical Engineering department at UConn. In the 2013–2014 academic year there were over 40 projects in the course. This paper presents the issues and challenges that students faced when working on a project for Koffee Karousel’s coin-operated K-Cup vending machine. Work on the project began with the problem statement, and was followed by the generation of possible solutions (accepting the most promising ones) and finally, choosing the ideal solution. The subsequent steps involved preliminary and detailed design, structural analysis, creating a 3D CAD representation, generating drawings, and producing a prototype. The prototype was then tested to verify its capabilities. The example of switching from a coin-operated design, with its limited potential use, to an electronically operated solution is described in this paper. The objective of this senior design project was to implement a credit card reader onto the original Koffee Karousel design. To accomplish this goal, a redesign of the Koffee-Karousel’s coin mechanism was required. An electrical engineering team of four students worked independently on the credit card and display setup, while a mechanical team worked on a lever mechanism and gears activated by the validation of a credit card. The implementation of this new mechanism included designing a replacement face, a couple of brackets for electrical hardware, and several new parts, including an actuator and a mini-stepper motor. In addition, students designed the new cam that would interface with stepper motor. Some parts were accepted from the current design of the lever and ejector. The new design still allows the customer to choose which K-Cup flavor they want by hand by operating a rotating knob at the top of the carousel, but no longer requires the user to trigger the ejector mechanism manually. Students tested the new mechanism to ensure it was not only efficient, but also worked properly. The stresses on each individual part were calculated for the first design iteration to ensure the new design would not yield or fail over time due to fatigue. The project and its challenges are described in this paper, as well as the students’ contributions to the design of the Karousel mechanisms, switching it from a purely mechanical to a mechatronik solution.

scholarly journals Analisis Kebutuhan: Pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris Berbasis Padlet di Teknik Mesin Universitas Islam Riau

GERAM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72
Author(s):  
Fauzul Etfita ◽  
Sri Wahyuni
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
English Language ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Teaching Materials ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Academic Year

Teaching materials are a set of tools or facilities that contain materials, methods and evaluations used by teachers or lecturers in learning. So far, the teaching materials released by several developers have rarely been in accordance with the needs of Mechanical Engineering students, where some of the teaching materials available still use general English. In this study, in order to compile an appropriate teaching material, researchers have conducted a needs analysis. Needs analysis is a fundamental aspect for English language lecturers for specific purposes (ESP) in identifying information or the main needs of students and investigating areas of student shortages. In line with this statement, this research is a case study design that aims to determine the needs of mechanical engineering students in learning English through Padlet at the Faculty of Engineering in the 2019-2020 academic year. The data in this study were collected from researcher observations, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with 40 students and two English language lecturers in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The results revealed that speaking and writing are the main focus of English skills in the Mechanical Engineering department and listening along with reading are the next English skills needed than others.

scholarly journals DEVELOPING OF PERSONAL LEADERSHIP LEARNING MODEL FOR VOCATIONAL SCHOOL STUDENTS

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-80
Author(s):  
Dana Rizki Nur Adnan
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Learning Model ◽  
School Students ◽  
Initial Product ◽  
Leadership Model ◽  
Model Research ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Qualitative Descriptive ◽  
Personal Leadership ◽  
Development Approach

This study was aimed at developing and investigating the feasibility of the personal leadership learning model for vocational students in the Mechanical Engineering Expertise Program. The personal leadership learning model used in this study is a learning model adapted from Scouller's personal leadership model. The subjects in this study were students of class X of the Mechanical Engineering Department of 2017/2018 and the teachers, while the object of research was the personal leadership model. Research and development approach was used in this study with the development procedure including data collection and analysis, initial product development, validation, product testing, revision, and final product. The data were gathered by interviews, observations, and survey. The data then were analyzed using qualitative descriptive method. The results of the study produce a personal leadership learning model which is declared by material experts and expert learning models, as a feasible and applicable model. Personal leadership learning model is effective in improving students' activity, especially in asking or giving opinion.PENGEMBANGAN MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PADA SISWA SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEJURUANPenelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan dan menguji kelayakan model pembelajaran personal leadership untuk siswa SMK Program Keahlian Teknik Pemesinan. Model pembelajaran personal leadership yang digunakan dalam peneltian ini merupakan model pembelajaran yang diadaptasi dari model personal leadership menurut Scouller. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas X Jurusan Teknik Pemesinan 2017/2018 dan Guru SMK, sedangkan objek penelitian adalah model personal leadership. Pendekatan penelitian dan pengembangan (Research & Development) digunakan dalam penelitian ini dengan prosedur pengembangan mencakup analisis dan pengumpulan data, pengembangan produk awal, validasi, uji coba produk, revisi, dan produk akhir. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara, observasi, dan survei. Data dianalisa dengan menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menyatakan bahwa model pembelajaran personal leadership yang dikembangkan dinyatakan sangat layak oleh ahli materi dan ahli model pembelajaran, serta dinyatakan dapat diterapkan dalam proses pembelajaran oleh siswa dan guru. Model pembelajaran personal leadership efektif dalam meningkatkan aktivitas siswa, terutama dalam aktivitas bertanya atau berpendapat.

scholarly journals Mechanical Engineering Department technical review

1982 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.B. Carr ◽  
L. Abrahamson ◽  
R.M. Denney
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Technical Review ◽  
Engineering Department

Incorporating 3D Printing to Bridge Two Introductory Courses in Mechanical Engineering

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onur Denizhan ◽  
Meng-Sang Chew
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Material Selection ◽  
Introductory Courses ◽  
Senior Year ◽  
Early Start ◽  
Lehigh University ◽  
Senior Design ◽  
Fundamental Understanding ◽  
Engineering Drawings

Abstract A course in Computer Graphics using SolidWorks™ is one of the very first courses that a Mechanical Engineering major would take within the department at Lehigh University. In this course, students learn the basics of engineering graphics with a view towards engineering design. Such a course gives students an overall view of not just the mechanics of creating engineering drawings using SolidWorks, but also one of understanding the consequences of their drawings as they affect tolerances, material selection, fabrication processes as well as the viability of their designs. The very next introductory mechanical engineering course is a laboratory dealing with engineering measurements, data acquisition and testing. This article reports on the use of a 3-D printing exercise to bridge these two somewhat very different courses with different objectives, thereby giving students an early start into understanding the process of design; from a concept to its design and fabrication, and finally, testing and analysis of data. Moreover, it gives a fundamental understanding of the use of 3-D printing that many students would end up using for their Senior Design course in their senior year.

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