Senior Design Projects in Mechanical Engineering: A Guide Book for Teaching and Learning

Preface
Acknowledgements
Contents
About the Authors
Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Short Form Definitions
1 Framework and Syllabus: Introduction to Capstone Projects—A Hidden Gem of Engineering Education
	1.1 What is a Senior Design Project Course?
	1.2 Goal and Objectives
	1.3 Design of the Course Structure
	1.4 Course Characteristics—“Keepin’ It Real”
	1.5 Design Competition
	1.6 Course Learning Outcome Measurement
	1.7 Course Accreditation and Graduate Attributes
	1.8 Syllabus
	1.9 Lecture Schedule
	1.10 Proposals, Project Assignment, and Example Projects
	1.11 Project Team Meetings
	1.12 Project Submission Marking
	1.13 Electronic Document Submission
	1.14 Technical Resources
	1.15 Capstone Design Awards
	1.16 Advice to Students
	1.17 Student Mental Health
	1.18 Summary
2 Project Proposals and Intellectual Properties
	2.1 Introduction
	2.2 The Role of Sponsors
	2.3 Project Cost
	2.4 Institutional Support
	2.5 Industrial Project Sponsorship Motivation
	2.6 Research Project Sponsorship Motivation
	2.7 How to Obtain High Quality Project Proposals?
	2.8 Key Elements in a Good Proposal
	2.9 Soliciting and Working with Sponsors
	2.10 IP Arrangements for Projects
3 Teamwork and Group Dynamics
	3.1 Team Selection Rationale
	3.2 Cooperative Learning
	3.3 What are the Expected Group Behaviours?
	3.4 How to Develop a Plan for Effective Teams in the Senior Design Course?
	3.5 Dealing with Team Conflict
	3.6 Time Management Hints
	3.7 Using a Web-Based Teamwork Support Tool—CATME
	3.8 How Group Dynamics is Managed in the Senior Design Course of Mechanical Engineering?
	3.9 Group Formation
	3.10 Group Meetings
	3.11 Group Involvement
	3.12 Maintaining Student Sanity
	3.13 Group Dynamics Performance Evaluation
4 Design Process and Evolving Phases
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 What is a Design?
	4.3 Design (Product) Quality
	4.4 Product Life Cycle
	4.5 Design Process
	4.6 Typical Mechanical Design Process
	4.7 Why Study the Design Process?
	4.8 Concurrent Engineering
	4.9 Measures of the Effectiveness of the Design Process
	4.10 Effect of Design Process on Cost
	4.11 Effect of Design Process on Product Quality
	4.12 Effect of Design Process on Time to Market
	4.13 Ten Key Design Best Practices
	4.14 Overall Design Project Process
	4.15 Product Discovery
	4.16 Background Research for Product Discovery
	4.17 Accessing Patent Information
	4.18 Conceptual Design
	4.19 Detail Design, Prototyping and Testing
	4.20 Summary
	4.21 Example Project Discovery Assignment
5 Phase 1 Process: Problem Definition, Design Specification
	5.1 About the Course—Capability and Experience
	5.2 Follow the Design Process
	5.3 Why Do We Invest in Design?
	5.4 Why Do We Consider Product Design Process (Qureshi a 2015)?
	5.5 Product Development Cycle
	5.6 Cost Effective Design Process
	5.7 Phase 1 Process within the Product Development Cycle
	5.8 Problem Definition
	5.9 Needs Versus Solutions
	5.10 Market Research
	5.11 Client Interviews
	5.12 Engineering Challenge Appreciation—Gap Analysis
	5.13 Symptoms Versus Root Cause
	5.14 Technical Research
	5.15 What are the Features that a Product Must/Should/Could Have?
	5.16 Design Specifications
	5.17 Work Out Design Specification with Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
	5.18 A Checklist When Completing Design Specifications (Qureshi a 2015)
	5.19 Project Planning and Schedule
	5.20 Requirements for Phase 1 Project Planning
	5.21 Estimate the Time Required to Complete Each Task
	5.22 Peer Review and Training
	5.23 Engineering Cost Estimation
	5.24 Problem Definition Documentation—Report and Appendices
	5.25 Phase 1 Deliverables and Report Requirements
	5.26 Design Success
	5.27 Helpful Tips, Comments, Suggestions
	5.28 A Case Study
6 Phase 2 Process: Concept Generation, Design and Evaluation
	6.1 Phase 2 Introduction
	6.2 Phase 2 Design Success Depends on Work of Phase 1
	6.3 Where to Start? Phase 2 Design Process in Overall Product Development Cycle
	6.4 Learning Steps
	6.5 Learn a “Creative” Teamwork Process in Cycles
	6.6 Brainstorming
	6.7 Brainstorming Hopper
	6.8 Brainstorming and Concept Sketches
	6.9 Major Considerations for Phase 2 Design
	6.10 Functional Analysis
	6.11 Example Function Analysis—Orange Squeezer
	6.12 Create a Morphological Chart
	6.13 Mapping Exercises for Engineering Design
	6.14 Concept Engineering Analysis
	6.15 Conceptual Engineering Calculations
	6.16 Conceptual Analysis Strategies
	6.17 Engineering Analysis: Tasks, Connections, and Iteration
	6.18 Engineering Toolbox
	6.19 Material Selection
	6.20 Conceptual Design 3D Model Representation
	6.21 Proof of Concept—Testing with Effectiveness in Mind
	6.22 Proof of Concept—Advanced Analysis and Testing
	6.23 Proof of Concept—Industrial Design and Acceptable Engineering Models
	6.24 Conceptual Design Analysis—Global “Best Practice”
	6.25 A Case Study—Successful Enterprises Depend on Excellent Creative Design Processes
	6.26 More Interesting Case Studies for Product Development
7 Phase 3 Process: Detail Design
	7.1 Learning Objectives
	7.2 Phase 3 Process Within the Product Development Cycle
	7.3 Preconditions for Successful Detail Design
	7.4 Keeping Your Sanity
	7.5 Detailed Design Contents
	7.6 Detail Calculations
	7.7 What Should Be Completed if Applicable with CAE Engineering Analysis?
	7.8 Complete Design Models
	7.9 Detailed Design Drawings
	7.10 Design Compliance Matrix
	7.11 Project Schedule Review
	7.12 Critical Design Review
	7.13 Did You Get It?
8 Phase 1 Report: Problem Definition, Design Specification, and Project Plan
	8.1 The Cover Letter (Letter of Transmittal)
	8.2 Phase 1 Report (Design Specification Report) Requirement
	8.3 Background to Client’s Business and Design Requirements
	8.4 Design Objectives
	8.5 Marketing and Sales Information
	8.6 Preliminary Manufacturing Cost Estimates
	8.7 Manufacturing Considerations
	8.8 Focus for the Design Space
	8.9 Defining the End of the Project
	8.10 Design Constraints and Customer Requirements
	8.11 Design Specifications to Be Discussed in the Report
	8.12 Governing Design Standards and Regulations
	8.13 Design Specification Matrix
	8.14 Design Specification Matrix Template
	8.15 Project Planning, Scheduling and Critical Path Analysis
	8.16 Report Writing—General Comments
	8.17 Marking Scheme for Cover Letter
	8.18 Marking Scheme for Specification Report
	8.19 Marking Scheme for Specs Matrix
	8.20 Marking Scheme for Project Management
9 Phase 2 Report: Conceptual Design
	9.1 Learning Objectives
	9.2 Conceptual Design Deliverables (25% of the Course)
	9.3 The Cover Letter (Letter of Transmittal)
	9.4 Executive Summary
	9.5 Conceptual Design Report
	9.6 Design Objective(s)
	9.7 Description of Design Concept Candidates
	9.8 Conceptual Design Diagrams, Sketches and Solid Models
	9.9 Design Evaluation
	9.10 Design Evaluation Matrix
	9.11 Conceptual Analyses
	9.12 Project Management
	9.13 Project Schedule Update
	9.14 Project Schedule Review in the Main Body of Phase 2 Report
	9.15 Appendices
	9.16 Marking Scheme for Phase 2 Report
10 Phase 3 Report: Detailed Design
	10.1 Learning Objectives
	10.2 Phase 3—Deliverables (30% of the Total Course)
	10.3 Phase 3 Detail Design Report
	10.4 Report Requirements
	10.5 Detailed Engineering Calculations and Analysis
	10.6 Calculations and Analyses Readability
	10.7 Design Compliance Matrix
	10.8 Detail Design Drawings
	10.9 Example Top Level General Assembly
	10.10 Project Management
	10.11 Peer Review Survey
	10.12 Design Conference
	10.13 Design Posters
	10.14 eCopy Deliverables
	10.15 A Sample Phase 3 Report
	10.16 Example Calculations
		10.16.1 Stress Analysis
		10.16.2 Heating Analysis
	10.17 Phase 3 Submission Marking Scheme
	10.18 Poster Marking Scheme (as Per Winter Term 2014/15)
	10.19 Design Conference Presentation Marking Scheme
11 Research and Information Resources in Mechanical Engineering Design
	11.1 Comprehensive Searching for Engineering Content
	11.2 Selected Databases of Interest to Mechanical Engineers
		11.2.1 IEEE Xplore Digital Library
		11.2.2 SAE Digital Library (1906−)
		11.2.3 Compendex (1884−)
		11.2.4 Web of Science (1900−)
	11.3 Information Research Skills in Industry
	11.4 Engineering Information Sources
	11.5 Textbooks
	11.6 Handbooks
	11.7 Research Journal Papers
	11.8 Research Conference Papers
	11.9 Standards and Codes
		11.9.1 Standards
		11.9.2 Codes
		11.9.3 Standards Sources Available at U of A
	11.10 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights
		11.10.1 Patents
		11.10.2 Patent Sources
		11.10.3 Trademarks
		11.10.4 Copyrights
		11.10.5 Trade Secret
	11.11 Contact Specialists to Obtain Info for Mechanical Engineering Literature
	11.12 The Gateway of Libraries
	11.13 Managing Your References—Using a Reference and Citation Management Tool
	Acknowledgements
12 Industrial Design Part 1: Elements in Product Development—What Makes a Good Industrial Design?
	12.1 Introduction
	12.2 What is Industrial Design?
	12.3 What Do Industrial Designers Do?
	12.4 What Makes a Good Product Design from an Industrial Design (or ID) Point of View?
		12.4.1 Good Design is Innovative
		12.4.2 Good Design Makes a Product Useful
		12.4.3 Good Design is Aesthetic
		12.4.4 Good Design Makes a Product Understandable
		12.4.5 Good Design is Honest
		12.4.6 Good Design is Unobtrusive
		12.4.7 Good Design is Long-Lasting
		12.4.8 Good Design is Thorough Down to the Last Detail
		12.4.9 Good Design is Environmentally Friendly
		12.4.10 Good Design is as Little Design as Possible
	12.5 Industrial Design is About Physical and Mental Experience
	12.6 Design on What’s Going to Happen Rather Than on What’s Something is Going to Look Like
	12.7 Design the Meaning of a Product
	12.8 Product Design with Industrial Design Involved
13 Industrial Design Part 2: Cases in Product Development—What Makes a Good Product Design?
	13.1 Examples of Mechanical Designs with Industrial Design Inputs
	13.2 Case 1: Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Valve Vibrator
	13.3 Case 2: Craniotomy Surgical Tool
	13.4 Case 3: Eco-Car, Aeroshell Body Design
	13.5 Case 4: Fuel Cell/LED Green Construction Lighting
	13.6 Case 5: Neutral Spine Walker
	13.7 Case 6: Cross-Country Sit-Ski for Novice and Leisure Skiers with Lower Body Disabilities
14 Project Planning and Management
	14.1 Real World Practice Introduction
	14.2 Project Planning and Management
	14.3 Design Project Planning and Management for the Course
	14.4 Creating Letter of Intent
	14.5 Workout Project Tasks and the Schedule
	14.6 Critical Path Method for Project Scheduling
	14.7 Gantt Chart
	14.8 A Recommended Project Planning and Management Tool—LiquidPlanner®
	14.9 Finalizing the First Project Baseline Plan
	14.10 Updating Project Plans with Constant Data Login and Updates According to Progress
	14.11 Managing Senior Design Projects Under the Course Framework
	14.12 Summary
15 How to Write Engineering Report
	15.1 Introduction
	15.2 Why Write a Design Report Every Phase in the Senior Design Course?
	15.3 Report Writing: The Plan
	15.4 General Points About Writing a Full-Text Report
	15.5 Report Writing Tips: Writing Contents
	15.6 Report Writing Tips: Grammar, Writing Tone, and Formality
	15.7 Report Writing Tips: Rules of Referencing and Citations
	15.8 Report Writing Tips: Graphics
	15.9 Text? Illustrations? Text + Illustrations?
	15.10 What Would Make This Illustration More Effective?
	15.11 Report Writing Tips: Formatting
	15.12 Report Writing Tips: Editing
	15.13 What is an Appendix?
	15.14 Snapshot of the Project Plan
	15.15 CAD Generated Conceptual 3D Models
	15.16 Conceptual Design Analysis
16 Design Standards and Regulations
	16.1 What Are Standards?
	16.2 What Are Codes?
	16.3 Why Do Engineers Need to Use Standards and Follow Codes?
	16.4 Material Standards and Codes
	16.5 SAE Aerospace Material Specifications
	16.6 Design Standards
	16.7 Industry System Standards
	16.8 Industrial Equipment and System Standards
	16.9 ASME B20.1-2018 Safety Standard for Conveyors and Related Equipment (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.10 ASME Y14.5-2018 Dimensioning and Tolerancing (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.11 ASME A17.1/CSA B44-2019 Safety Code for Elevators and Escalators (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.12 ASME B30.20-2018 Below-The-Hook Lifting Devices (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.13 ASME B30.5-2018 Mobile and Locomotive Cranes (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.14 ASME BTH-1-2017 Design of Below-The-Hook Lifting Devices (ANSI ASME 2020)
	16.15 Standards for Boiler and Pressure Vessel Design and Manufacturing
	16.16 BPVC Section I—Power Boilers (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.17 BPVC Section II—Materials (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.18 BPVC Section III—Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.19 BPVC Section IV—Heating Boilers (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.20 BPVC Section V—Non-destructive Examination (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.21 BPVC Section VI—Care and Operation of Heating Boilers (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.22 BPVC Section VII—Care of Power Boilers (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.23 BPVC Section VIII—Pressure Vessels (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.24 BPVC Section IX—Welding and Brazing Qualifications (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.25 BPVC Section X—Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Pressure Vessels (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.26 BPVC Section XI—Rules for In-Service Inspection of Nuclear Power Plant Components (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.27 BPVC Section XII—Transport Tanks (ANSI ASHRAE 2020)
	16.28 Standards on Standard Machine Elements
		16.28.1 Bearing
	16.29 Manufacturing Standards
	16.30 Other Emerging Categories of Standards and Codes
	16.31 CSA Standards
	16.32 CWC Standards
	16.33 ISO Standards
	16.34 API Standards
	16.35 API Standards for Exploration and Production
	16.36 API Standards for Transportation
	16.37 API Standards for Refining and Marketing
	16.38 API Standards for Fire Protection, Health and Environmental Issues
	16.39 API Standards for Work Procedure Guidelines
	16.40 IHS Markit® Standard Portal
	16.41 Accessing Standards via IHS Engineering Workbench Portal
	16.42 AWS Standards
	16.43 AWS New Publications (AWS Catalog 2020)
	16.44 GPA Standards
	16.45 IEEE Standards
	16.46 ISA—International Society of Automation
	16.47 NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) Standards
	16.48 NFPA Standards
	16.49 TAPPI—Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry
	16.50 The Basic Principles Governing Design Standards and Regulations in Design Engineering
17 Accreditation and Graduate Attributes
	17.1 Who is the CEAB?
	17.2 CEAB Accreditation Information
	17.3 Graduate Attributes (GAs)
	17.4 CEAB Accreditation Criteria
	17.5 Minimum Curriculum Components
	17.6 The Major Documents that Are Required for CEAB Accreditation: CEAB Questionnaire
	17.7 Why the Accreditation Audit Visit?
	17.8 Whom Are the CEAB Visitors Going to Meet?
	17.9 Who Are “They” (CEAB and the Visiting Panel)?
		17.9.1 Investigate the Education Culture
		17.9.2 Graduate Attribute Assessments
		17.9.3 GA Organization and Hierarchy
		17.9.4 Continual Improvement Process (CIP)
	17.10 Information on the Accreditation Full Process
	17.11 Accreditation Units (AUs)
	17.12 Learning Outcomes (LOs)
	17.13 Curriculum Mapping
	17.14 Food for Thought to Faculty Members on CEAB Interviews
	17.15 Words from a Wise Colleague
	17.16 Timeline to Accreditation
Appendix A An Example Syllabus
Appendix B A Sample Project Proposal Template
Appendix C IP Agreement Templates
Appendix D Sample Posters
Appendix E Mental Health Support
Appendix F A Sample Teaching Schedule
Appendix G A Sample Team Charter and a Template
Appendix H CATME Rating Scale
Appendix I Group Dynamics Evaluation Rubrics
Appendix J A Sample Project Proposal
Appendix K Poster of Craniostomy Ventriculostomy Drill
Appendix L EcoCar Aeroshell Proposal
Appendix M Poster of EcoCar Aeroshell
Appendix N Green Lighting Proposal
Appendix O Poster of Green Lighting
Appendix P Poster of Neutral Spine Walker
Appendix Q Poster of Para-Nordic “Sit Ski”
Appendix R Sample Hand Calculations in Traditional Fashion
Appendix S Sample Calculation Sheet Produced with MathCad
Appendix T Catalogue Descriptions of Related Courses
References