Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Avitabile, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Jeffrey Hodgkins, University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

system. This GUI allows the user to vary the resistance andcapacitance and view the resulting time response due to a unit step input. The GUI is shown inFigure 1. Along with the GUI interface, the input parameter selection and output informationcomputed for the first order system are shown. The input parameters can be selected either withmanual entry for specific values or using slider bars for varying the resistance and capacitancevalues. The output of the time constant and settling time are updated as the user selects variousvalues for the RC circuit. Page 11.479.3Figure 1 – MATLAB 1st Order System Characterization – Time Response

Conference Session

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen McClain, University of Alabama-Birmingham

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Many of these software tools are proprietarypackages sold by textbook publishers, such as “Interactive Thermodynamics: IT” [1]. In fact,finding a thermodynamics text that does not come with a software package is difficult. Sometextbooks are now built around using a software or web-based internet package [2]. While manyeducational software packages are available for evaluating thermodynamic properties, evidencethat shows that practicing engineers continue to use these thermodynamic-property softwarepackages after entering the workforce is not readily available.MathCAD, MatLab, and Engineering Equation Solver (EES) are all powerful computational andanalytical packages [3,4,5]. Many schools teach and require the use of a computational tool suchas

Conference Session

Improving ME instructional laboratories

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Layton, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; James Mayhew, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

validate engineering principles encountered in lecture coursessuch as system dynamics or fluid mechanics.From conversations over several years with colleagues from various institutions, we note thatmechanical engineering (ME) laboratory courses like ours often suffer from neglect and a lowlevel of student engagement. In a previous paper [1] we describe a plan to improve ME labs byimproving student engagement and by more closely meeting the learning objectives appropriateto engineering laboratories. The purpose of this paper is to present our accomplishments to datein the measurements course.Prior condition of the measurements courseOur version of Mechanical Measurements is a two credit-hour, junior-level course that meets forone lecture hour and

Conference Session

Incorporating Projects into the Curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gregg Dixon, U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

area for water storage is 4 ft2. No pumps or energy sources other than the sun may be used. You may not add water to your system during the collection period. Page 11.118.2Materials Provided PVC pipe - 6 ft long, approx. 0.5’’ ID, 0.85’’OD Heavy Duty Aluminum foil – 18’’ x 8’ Plastic Bottle – You specify size Pink foam – 2 sheets - 2’ x 5’ x 1” Pink foam - 2’ x 4’ x .25” Clear plastic sheet (heat shrinkable) - 4’ x 4’ Surgical Tubing - 4’, 0.50” OD Solder, glue, fasteners (as needed) Duct Tape – 1/2 roll Plywood - 2’ x 4’ x .25” Black Paint Design Stages Phase I 1. Preliminary design - Produce sketch of proposed system. Identify which

Conference Session

Software and e-learning in the ME curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Benson Tongue, University of California-Berkeley; Eric Lew, University of California-Berkeley

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

unbiased (hopefully), situation-neutral advisor, able toanswer questions across the entire field of mechanical engineering and with great specificity,all without any concern over the time being taken up and without the students having toworry about whether they are going to commit the sin of asking a “dumb question.”5 AWESOME: How it does itA students AWESOME experience begins, not surprisingly, at the AWESOME homepage.From this jumping-off point, users will be able to access a variety of hyper-linked pages whichaddress the specific questions mentioned above. As users with different questions will requiredifferent types of information, the goal of the homepage is to direct users to the answer pagewhich best addresses their questions.Figure 1

Conference Session

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Laura Genik, Wayne State University; Craig Somerton, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Conclusionsand recommendations complete the paperLearning ObjectivesThe authors set the following learning objectives for the topic of air/water vapor mixtures: 1. Students understand the properties for air/water vapor calculations. 2. Students can use the psychrometric chart to determine property values. 3. Students understand the physical processes involved in air processing systems 4. Students can use the conservation of water and conservation of energy equations for air/water vapor mixtures to calculate the performance of devices in an air processing system.These objectives were developed to address the needs of the practicing engineers, backgroundfor thermal design courses, and preparation for the Fundamentals in

Conference Session

Meeting ABET Requirements

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Craig Gunn, Michigan State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

conclusions. ME 391 – Mechanical Engineering ME 412 – Heat Transfer Analysis Design Project Documentation: Formal Report Reading, thinking, and teamwork (1 @ 10 pp. + App., Individual) Memo Reports ( 7 @ 2 - 5 pages App., Individual) Tools: Matlab Tools: MS Word, Excel Page 11.781.6Senior ME 451 – Controls ME 461 – VibrationsYear Laboratory and Project Reports: Laboratory and Project Reports: Laboratory Experiment Written

Conference Session

Software and e-learning in the ME curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Rencis, University of Arkansas; Javed Alam, Youngstown State University; Venkata Seshada Aluri, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

into the visualculture.e-Learning is defined as the mapping of traditional teaching and learning practices to the VirtualLearning Environment (VLE). The three major components of e-Learning are as follows: 1. Client Computer Hardware. This includes desktop and laptop computers and small form factor computing devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) that are all connected to the Internet. 2. Computer Server System. The computers that run the web server and application server software include Learning Management Software (LMS) and Learning Content Management Software (LCMS)7. The implementation of the learning design8,9 is accomplished through the learning design software tools10 that are add-on to the

Conference Session

Improving ME instructional laboratories

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. Perwez Kalim, Wilkes University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

rotational speed N, pumpoperational efficiency also changes, which directly affects the operational costs. As depicted inthe Figure 1 the efficiency of variable speed pumps varies with the changes in flow. It is alsoevident that the variable speed pump is more efficient than the constant speed pump at lower andmid-level flow rates. However, as the flow rate approaches towards the maximum, the differencebetween the efficiencies reduces until they are the same. It is therefore, important to employ asefficient pump as possible for any system. The students were encouraged to consider theseparameters before planning the system. Involving and challenging the students in designing,building and testing the experimental setup placed the responsibility for

Conference Session

Incorporating Projects into the Curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Louis Everett, University of Texas-El Paso

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

implementation of an integratedproject supporting a required “lecture” course on controls. The format for the controls sequence is a “lecture” portion plus a lab. The lab may be takenconcurrently with the lecture or afterward. Approximately 10% of the students take the lab aftercompleting the lecture. Since the lecture/lab can be taken separately, there is more flexibility inhelping students arrange their studies around their work schedules, which is good, but it creates aproblem trying to coordinate the subject matter in the two courses.1 This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. DUE-0411320.Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kelley Racicot, Washington State University; Charles Pezeshki, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

the product to be assessed. Because students are encouraged toverbalize in their own words concepts learned in class, the wiki reinforces learning andserves as a formative assessment tool, or perception check, for students and professors.This case analysis involved collecting feedback from key stakeholders, includingAdvisory Board and Industrial Sponsor interviews, student focus group discussions andassessment surveys. In addition, the wiki itself serves as a summative assessment tool. Adifference approach was used to analyze rater perceptions of actual and expectedperformance. An average improvement score, based on a rubric, was obtained thatminimizes unreliability for small, variable groups like advisory boards.1. IntroductionNew, creative

Conference Session

Innovations in Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amir Rezaei, West Virginia University Inst. of Tech.; Marco Schoen, Idaho State University; Gurdeep Hura, West Viginia University Inst. of Tech.

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering created in new software tools and share the experiencewith other engineering educators to enhance teaching in the classroom. Page 11.769.2I. IntroductionBasic animation and simulation can significantly improve the instructional process relative to thetraditional blackboard approach[1]. Textbook homework problems and examples presented to thestudents on the board during the class period are helpful but even then, a student may havedifficulty visualizing what a mathematical solution to a problem means. Using computationalsoftware equipped with simulation capability during the class period will enhance studentunderstanding of the fundamental

Conference Session

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Mueller, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineeringdepartment's assessment process, the FE Exam is one of the measures that is used to assesswhether or not the program outcomes are being achieved. This new course arose, in part, as anattempt to correct deficiencies identified by student scores on the FE Exam in the areas ofengineering economics and energy conversion. Finally, some of the desired ABET programoutcomes are difficult to develop in students with traditional, required courses. A technicalelective, such as Design and Optimization of Thermal-Fluid Systems, presents opportunities forinteresting, high-quality activities that can be used to develop these important abilities instudents.A thermal-fluid design elective is not necessarily new, and several excellent texts, see e.g. Refs.[1]-[5], have

Conference Session

Improving ME instructional laboratories

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Chastain, Clemson University; Harvin Smith, Clemson University; Mason Morehead, Clemson University; David Moline, Clemson University; John Wagner, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

, microprocessor programming and control is explored through softwarekernel creation and stepper motors. A vertical positioning system with human/machine interface,representative of a passenger elevator with drive motor and operator panel, is created using ascale bench top platform. The third experiment allows students to characterize and regulate thethermal behavior in electronic equipment through the application of thermistors, fans, and heatsinks. One common thread to all experiments is the close collaboration among student teammembers. Finally, to improve the overall course quality, a supplemental assessment tool has beenintroduced to gather student feedback regarding the experiments.1. IntroductionThe senior laboratory in the Department of Mechanical

Conference Session

Innovations in Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Gene Liao, Wayne State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

.1. IntroductionThe planetary gear trains, also known as epicyclic gear drives, are widely used in manyautomotive, aerospace and marine applications. The planetary type mechanism is the most usedmechanical mechanism in conventional automatic transmissions for the majority of passengercars. As an application in automotive automatic transmission, the number of speed ratios isdetermined by the kinematic structure and corresponding clutching sequence of its planetary geartrain.The planetary gear trains are introduced to undergraduate mechanical engineering students in thecourse of Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines. Traditional methods of analyzing planetarygear trains, by means of torque and speed calculations, tend to be slow and cumbersome

Conference Session

Innovations in Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paris von Lockette, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

into the intersection of numericaltechniques, materials science, and programming by removing, as much as possible, theprogramming aspect that causes students the most difficulty: syntax. The course relies heavily onMatlab and the students' ability to think through what a given algorithm should do to aid them inbridging the gap between the three areas. To achieve this, formal graded emphasis was placed onteaching students to think and work through the rote operations of numerical techniques beforeattempting to generate programs. The goal was to generate, as Connolloy put it, a "PriorKnowledge Environment"1 wherein students had thorough prior knowledge of a technique beforetrying to translate that knowledge into programming language to solve

Conference Session

Improving ME education: Broad Topics

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daria Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado-Boulder; Derek Reamon, University of Colorado; Lawrence Carlson, University of Colorado-Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

” engineering skills and the“professional” skills.1, 2 Currently, all engineering programs must implement an on-goingevaluation system that demonstrates that their students have attained program-specifiedobjectives and outcomes.3, 4 However, there are limited reliable assessment instruments, based onrigorous research methods, available for implementation, even for the “hard” skills.For instance, in our mechanical engineering (ME) department, many courses in the curriculumare prerequisites for advanced required courses, and students must earn a C- grade (or better) inorder to take the subsequent course. Proficiency exams were developed in-house beginning in1999 to test student learning in prerequisite courses. The goal was to not only provide

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Scott, University of Michigan; Arnaldo Mazzei, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

equilibrium states and their stability and (v) anumerical simulation of a sweep test (forced motion of a single-degree-of-freedom system inwhich the forcing frequency varies with time), showing that if the sweep rate is too fast, noresonances will be observed.IntroductionThe use of software as a teaching aid in undergraduate mechanical engineering courses has beendiscussed by several authors. A common type used is mathematics software which allows for awide range of applications from basic to advanced engineering courses. MATLAB®,MATHCAD® and MAPLE® [1] are some common examples.In a previous paper [2]one of the authors (Mazzei) discussed his experiences on usingcommercially available simulation software for dynamics teaching and improving learning

Conference Session

Meeting ABET Requirements

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nihad Dukhan, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

survey that theyhad to complete. Both methods showed that the students enjoyed and learned a great dealabout the topic they had to write about. When asked if the assignment would resonatewith them after graduating, they all said ‘yes’, and thus they would take theenvironmental effects as a factor when making engineering decision.1. Introduction The vast and rapid technological change, growing population, the looming energyshortages, and the increasing environmental issues has called for changes in engineeringcurricula to prepare engineering students for the future.Under Criterion 3 titled Program Outcomes and Assessment, item (c), the AccreditationBoard of Engineering and Technology (ABET) states that all engineering programs mustdemonstrate

Conference Session

Incorporating Projects into the Curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Shanzhong (Shawn) Duan, South Dakota State University; Li Qian, South Dakota State University; Teresa Hall, South Dakota State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

concerned. Theengineering design program and manufacturing program at South Dakota State University Page 11.1433.2(SDSU) face a similar challenge.The design curriculum for the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department at SDSU consists ofseveral required courses and technical elective courses as shown in Table 1. ME 240Introduction to Mechanical Design, ME 321 Fundamentals of Machine Design, ME 418 Designof Thermal System, ME 421 Design of Machine Elements, ME 478 and ME 479 MechanicalSystem Design I and II are required courses for all students majoring in ME program. Anothereleven technical elective course such as ME 412 Internal Combustion Engine, ME

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Janna, University of Memphis; John Hochstein, University of Memphis

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

entire semester. (See the text listed in the Bibliography Page 11.328.2for information on the bidding process.) Design teams function like companies and as such, eachgroup chooses a company name and designs a company logo. Titles of projects worked on in Fall2004 are provided in Table 1. Some groups developed web sites for their companies. Moredetailed project descriptions are provided in the Appendix of this paper. Page 11.328.3Table 1. Project titles and company logos. Title # of Engrs Student Designed

Conference Session

Capstone Design Projects in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Wesner, Carnegie Mellon University; Richard Hoff, Carnegie MellonUniversity; Cristina Amon, Carnegie Mellon University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

sponsor a project.AcknowledgmentThe authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the industrial sponsors, students andfaculty coaches over the years this course has been offered as well as the financial support by thePennsylvania Infrastructure Technology Alliance, a partnership of Carnegie Mellon, LehighUniversity, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Economic and CommunityDevelopment. Page 11.712.10References 1. Wesner, J.W., Amon, C.H., Garrett, J., Subrahmanian, E. and Westerberg, A.W., “Carnegie Mellon’s Multidisciplinary Engineering Design Projects Course Serves a Variety of Students and Project Sponsors

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edward Perry, University of Memphis; Jeffrey Marchetta, University of Memphis

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Friction (http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html) • Fluid Mechanics: Frictional Losses through a Pipe (http://www.freecalc.com/fricfram.htm).AssessmentResults of the Index of Learning Styles assessment are given in Table 1 for both courses in thestudy. A score of -11 indicates a strong dependence on the first of the two learning styles in eachpair, while a score of +11 indicates a strong dependence on the second style. Obviously a scoreof zero would indicate the student is equally dependent on both learning styles in the pair.Clearly, the students involved in our study are strongly visual learners who remember best whatthey see rather than what they hear or read. In addition, they are sensing learners who tend to

Conference Session

Innovations in Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Hill, University of Michigan; Dawn Tilbury, University of Michigan

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

implementeddigitally. Although the typical undergraduate curriculum is crowded enough as it is, and studentshave the ability to learn how to deal with these difficulties through elective courses and graduatestudy, it is important that the students come away knowing that these subtleties exist and thatthere are techniques out there for dealing with them. Much of the advancement taking place incontrols education seeks to address these deficiencies through laboratory work and project-basedlearning.1 2 A specific area of control system design and analysis that even many advanced graduatestudents are unaware of is that of discrete event system (DES) control. Discrete event control isoften confused with digital control. Whereas digital control systems

Conference Session

Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Seth Norberg, U.S. Military Academy; Ozer Arnas, U.S. Military Academy; Daisie Boettner, U.S. Military Academy; Michael Rounds, U.S. Military Academy; Phil Root, U.S. Military Academy; Richard Melnyk, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Fluid Mechanics have been required courses in the USMA curriculum forwell over a half century. Through the Class of 1979, all cadets were required to take bothcourses. Beginning with the Class of 1980 only those students interested in furthering theirstudies in engineering took both Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics. All other cadets took anew course, Thermofluid Dynamics (ME304), that covered selected topics in thermodynamicsand fluid mechanics to provide “essential engineering knowledge necessary to understand thecomplex mechanical world of the U.S. Army”.1 Curriculum revision in the late 1980s requiredall non-engineering majors to take a five-course engineering sequence comprised of five coursesfrom one of the ABET-accredited engineering

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Avitabile, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Tracy Van Zandt, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Jeffrey Hodgkins, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Nels Wirkkala, University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

needed to do ? Student views material Professor clearly sees in a disjointed fashion how pieces fit together Figure 1 – Professor vs. Student View of Material PresentedThis is especially true in a senior level Dynamic Systems course where previous material inDifferential Equations, Mathematical Methods for Engineers, Dynamics, Solid Mechanics,Electrical Circuits, Thermal-Fluid Systems, etc. all have relevance to the understanding of thedynamic response of a system.II. IntroductionThe mission for all instructors is to educate their students in the most efficient manner possible.Teaching techniques should challenge, educate and promote innovative thinking from

Conference Session

What's New in Dynamics?

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Peter Avitabile, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Stephen Pennell, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; John White, University of Massachusetts-Lowell; Charles Van Karsen, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

since there is no apparent reason to want toactively retain the information. All professors encounter this problem as depicted in Figure 1. Page 11.204.2 Professor, why didn’t you tell us that the material covered at the beginning of the semester was going to be really important for the work we needed to do ? Student views material Professor clearly sees in a disjointed fashion how pieces fit together

Conference Session

Improving ME instructional laboratories

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ralph Volino, U.S. Naval Academy; Andrew Smith, U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

delivery.EquipmentA list of equipment with approximate costs is shown in Table 1. Table 1. Laboratory Equipment Single cylinder engines (5, $325 each) $1,625 Tool kits (4, $50 each) $200 Water brake dynamometer (1) $2,500 Laptop computer $1,500 Miscellaneous equipment $50 Total Cost $5,875The engines were Briggs and Stratton, Raptor 3 Racing Engines. They were 5 hp, singlecylinder, 4-stroke

Conference Session

Improving ME education: Broad Topics

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kim Shollenberger, California Polytechnic State University; James Widmann, California Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

earlier studies at M.I.T.1 and Georgia Tech2 that addressedstudent perceptions of cheating. This survey was administered in a number of required courses,with multiple sections that are typically offered every quarter at Cal Poly. The goal of this surveywas to determine the incidence rate of solution manual use and student perceptions on the ethicsand educational value of using the solution manuals when working homework assignments.Faculty perceptions were also tabulated using a similar survey. Quantitative results are presentedalong with an assessment of interactions between student perceptions and their use of thesolution manuals.IntroductionCalifornia Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo’s College of Engineeringhas

Conference Session

Meeting ABET Requirements

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Bannerot, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

be used as part of a comprehensive assessment process forProgram Outcomes and ABET EC-2000 Criterion 3. Descriptions of similar processes formechanical engineering programs 2,3, engineering programs 4 and technology programs5-7 havebeen previously described in the literature.ABET Course SyllabiPeriodically the “official” course syllabi for all undergraduate courses are reviewed by thefaculty currently teaching the courses, the topic area coordinators concerned, and theDepartment’s Undergraduate Academic Affairs Committee. Electronic and hard copies aremaintained on file. This activity is the starting point for the course assessment process. Anexample syllabus is shown in Table 1.The Course Surveys and Example ResultsBased on the syllabi for