Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tim L. Brower, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

analyze the amount of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico from the April2010 BP Deepwater Oil Spill.Since PIV is an optical method of visualization, it is ideally suited to the highly visual subject ofteaching fluid mechanics. The device used in the fluid mechanics course is manufactured byInteractive Flow Studies, LLC, called Educational Particle Image Velocimetry1 (ePIV), as shownin Figure 1. Figure 1. Educational Particle Image Figure 2. Typical inserts used in the ePIV. Velocimetry (ePIV) device. Vendor supplied shapes.The ePIV device utilizes fluid seeding techniques for flow visualization. A closed loop watersystem is seeded with neutrally buoyant particles with diameters ranging between 10 and

Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald Wroblewski, Boston University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

conceptslearned in previous semesters to find those needed to move ahead. The idea of CoherentApplication Threads is more forward looking, providing waypoints that not only remind studentswhere they’ve been, but more importantly where they may be going.CATs are engineering applications that meet several selection criteria: (1) they are system-levelapplications that encompass at least four different mechanical engineering core concepts; (2)their key elements are readily accessible through analysis of core concepts in introductory levelcourses; and (3) they are topics of current interest ideally connected to department research thrustareas and concentrations. CATs can be implemented through a variety of activities: lecturemodules, projects, homework

Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David H. Jonassen, University of Missouri, Columbia; Sanjeev K. Khanna, University of Missouri

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

particular because they feltthat how the various scores were weighted did not appropriately reflect what they had spentthe most time on. There were also concerns over group grades versus individualcontributions. Implementation of PBL in the Course MAE 3200 Engineering MaterialsSupported by a NSF grant (DUE-0836914), we have designed, developed, and initiallyimplemented a PBL version of MAE 3200, Engineering Materials. The initialimplementation of the course for purposes of research was a traditional lecture courseenrolling 62 students in the fall of 2009. That version of the course introduced conceptswith instructor lectures following the textbook (Callister, 2007). Topics covered are shownin Table 1. The course is taught by two instructors

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel Dickrell, University of Florida

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

these capabilities, it was necessary to construct laboratory experiences that were bothscientifically non-trivial and individually accomplishable. Since the USB DAQ device had fourchannels of analog signal acquisition capability, transducer selection was based around low cost(12 seats per laboratory section), robustness (12 sections per week), and analog DC voltageoutput. Mechanics of materials oriented experiments were designed around these transducertypes: linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) for displacement measurement,conditioned and amplified strain gauges and load cells for strain and force, and thermocoupleswith converters for temperature.Modular bench top experimental frames, shown in Fig.1, were conceived and fabricated

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Arif Sirinterlikci, Robert Morris University; Tony Lee Kerzmann, Robert Morris University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

hands-on experiences are animportant part of their education1. In order to facilitate hands-on learning in the engineeringprograms at Robert Morris University, basic mechanisms have already become an integrated partof the introductory courses of ENGR 1010 - Introduction to Engineering and ENGR 2160 -Engineering Graphics. Freshman engineering students become familiar with the motion ofmechanical systems. The students have been asked to construct a crank mechanism, such as anoscillating lever with a connecting rod. Three of the many mechanisms that were constructed inthe Introduction to Engineering course are shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Student built wooden mechanical systems

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew Spenko, Illinois Institute of Technology; Jamal S. Yagoobi, Illinois Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

into Engineering EducationAbstractIn 2009 and 2010, the Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Department at the Illinois Instituteof Technology held two workshops titled: “Integrating Innovation into Engineering Education.”Participants included representatives from NSF, national laboratories, universities, and industry.The focus of the workshops was to understand how to teach innovative thinking at theundergraduate level. Three specific questions were addressed: 1) what defines innovation in thecontext of engineering; 2) what skill sets are necessary for innovative thinking; and 3) how caneducators teach those skill sets in order to foster the innovative thought process. The results ofthese discussions are presented in this paper.1

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions: Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bobby G. Crawford, U.S. Military Academy; Daisie D. Boettner, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Page 22.917.2Description of the Thermal-Fluid Systems CoursesThe lesson content of both 40-lesson courses is shown in Table 1. A review of the first course inthe sequence (ME 311) shows content in the areas of the fundamental properties, the ideal gasequation of state, hydrostatics, conservation principles, cycle analysis, the 2nd Law ofThermodynamics, the Rankine cycle, internal flow, vapor compression refrigeration cycles, andtotal air conditioning. This clearly represents a thorough mix of fluid mechanics andthermodynamics topics that have been traditionally taught in separate courses. The second course(ME312) continues this practice, including exergy, reciprocating internal combustion enginecycles (Otto and Diesel cycles), combustion

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raghu Echempati, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

not necessarily true formany students. To partially address this deficiency, few instructors: 1. Draw sketches of components on the board, use textbooks and internet resources to show them the pictures and videos of components either in good condition or those that have failed during normal operations or in service. 2. Bring real components (whether failed or in good condition) as educational aids to the classroom. This is not always possible as some components may be heavy to carry. Page 22.924.6 3. Divide students in small groups and bring each group in to a laboratory that contain machinery (for example pumps

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John M Mativo, University of Georgia; Natasha Smith, University of Southern Indiana

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

solve the problem at hand?These questions have been raised by different generations. In his treatise on Ethics, Aristotleconcluded “activity in a certain thing gives a man that character … dispositions are attainedthrough actually doing things (250 BC)1.” In other words, students gain such skills through thepractice of doing things. The authors investigated how unstructured “open” exercises (a uniqueapproach to learning using unstructured, multidisciplinary assignments) helped students cementtheir knowledge of concepts in Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Heat Transfer. AThermo-fluids laboratory course required for Senior and Junior Aerospace and MechanicalEngineering students was selected for this study. Students were asked to provide their

Conference Session

Mechatronics in the Curriculum

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yang Cao, University of British Columbia

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

students to operate. Learning robotics without accessing to an actual robotic systemhas proven to be difficult for undergraduate students. For instructors, it is also an obstacle toeffectively teach fundamental robotic concepts. Virtual robot simulator has been explored bymany researchers to create a virtual environment for teaching and learning. This paper presentsstructure of a course project which requires students to develop a virtual robot simulator. Thesimulator integrates concept of kinematics, inverse kinematics and controls. Results show thatthis approach assists and promotes better students‟ understanding of robotics.1. IntroductionRobotics course is a very common and important course for electrical and mechanicalengineering students

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

N.M. A. Hossain, Eastern Washington University; Martin W. Weiser, Eastern Washington University, Engineering and Design Department; Hani S. Saad, Eastern Washington University; Jason K. Durfee, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

different heat transfer projects are conducted in the course. These projectsare designed to demonstrate the fundamental heat transfer concepts once they have been coveredin the lecture. We have found in previous courses that conducting experiments and solving theequations for devices that they can handle increases the students’ understanding. We use 3different methods to solve the equations for 2 reasons, (1) some students relate better to each ofthe methods and (2) by the time it has been done 3 times most students will finally understandwhat is being done. This first project deals with a one-dimensional (1D), steady state heattransfer conduction and convection problem, which is solved analytically, numerically andfinally experimentally. This is

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Susan Conrad, Portland State University; Timothy James Pfeiffer P.E., Foundation Engineering, Inc.

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

on the following questions:1) In what ways, if any, do practitioners’ sentence structures and use of active vs passive voice reflect concerns of engineering practice? In other words, do the practitioners just use standard English that could be used in any formal written communication, or are aspects of engineering practice integrated into the grammar of their texts?2) To what extent and in what ways do students’ sentence structures and use of active vs passive voice differ from the practitioners’? To what extent do differences demonstrate neglect for concerns that are important in engineering practice?We answer these questions with an analysis of reports and technical memoranda (tech memos)written by civil engineering practitioners

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey A. Donnell, Georgia Institute of Technology; Betsy M. Aller, Western Michigan University; Michael Alley, Pennsylvania State University, University Park; April A. Kedrowicz, University of Utah

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

still needs to be learnedabout the specific deficiencies in communication skills of entry-level engineers. One step thatcould be taken is for engineering departments to conduct longitudinal studies about how welltheir instruction on writing and oral communication prepares students for later classes, forinternships and co-ops, and for employment. Departments at different institutions shouldconsider adopting a core of common survey questions so that survey results can be compared.Another recommendation is that when incorporating writing into a course, engineeringdepartments should consider the following two questions: 1. What communication skills do we want students to acquire? 2. How can technical assignments be designed to help students

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kathryn Mobrand, University of Washington; Jennifer A Turns, University of Washington

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

engineering education and technical and professional communication,4 the role ofcommunication in the work life of engineers is becoming more complex and far reaching. Weneed to help our students prepare for the challenges associated with this expanded role.The exploratory study reported here investigates students’ conceptions of the communication ofengineers by analyzing the content of portfolios created by five undergraduates in a studiosetting. Responses to selected survey items were also analyzed. We found that each of thestudents discussed or otherwise acknowledged (1) the situated nature of communication, (2) theways in which communication can be empowering, and (3) the importance of familiarity with abroad range of communication activities for

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Wayne E. Whiteman, Georgia Institute of Technology; William J. Wepfer, Georgia Institute of Technology; Jeffrey A. Donnell, Georgia Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

resultsshow that the Teaching Practicum class is well received and valued. A retrospective look at thecourse and lessons learned are offered.Background and MotivationSince the early 1990s, the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech hasrequired all Ph.D. students to complete three semester credit hours of a Teaching Practicumduring the course of their doctoral studies. In the Teaching Practicum, students work closelywith a faculty member in all aspects of teaching a course. This includes the preparation anddelivery of a limited number of lectures, learning the basics of course design, and administeringstudent assessments and evaluations. The course text is Teaching Engineering, by P.C. Wankat& F.S. Oreovicz.1 A typical syllabus

Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jeffrey G Marchetta, University of Memphis; Edward H. Perry, University of Memphis; Carol Stephens, Norwich University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

final exam represented 35% of the total course grade. Theperformance of students on the final exam in the control group and study group are compared. Inaddition, the results for both courses are compared to assess whether the differences in weightingincreased student performance on the final exam.ResultsThe students incoming GPA and hours earned for control groups and study groups in both thedynamics and thermodynamics courses are shown in Tables 1 and 2. In comparing the control Table 1. Comparison of incoming student GPA (4 point scale) for both the control and study groups in both courses Thermodynamics Dynamics Control Group

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott Duncan, Valparaiso University; Mark M. Budnik, Valparaiso University; Jeffrey Will, Valparaiso University; Peter E. Johnson, Valparaiso University; Shahin S. Nudehi, Valparaiso University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

the Valparaiso University Capstone Senior Design course to address all four of thesechallenges.1. IntroductionNumerous publications have emphasized the importance of technical communications skills inthe field of engineering. Results of a 1999 survey from engineering graduates who have been inthe workforce from three to five years showed that "64 percent of these engineers' overall worktime is spent on some form of communication"1. In a 2005 study based on a focus group of 50individuals representing both academic and non-academic engineers, communicationcompetency ranked as the second most important engineering attribute, behind only technicalcompetency2. ABET also recognizes the need for engineers to develop communication skills

Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Eric Constans, Rowan University; Jennifer Kadlowec, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

, withmathematics and basic science courses predominating. All discipline-specific design coursescame later in the curriculum, beginning in the second semester of the sophomore year. The oldand revised first semester of the first year is shown in the table below. Table 1: Original and Updated First Semester Freshman ME Curriculum Semester-hours are shown in right hand columns 1996-2009 2010 and beyond1 Calculus I 4 Accelerated Calculus I 42 Adv College Chem I 4 Adv College Chem I 43 College Composition I 3

Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Firas Akasheh, Tuskegee University; Denny C. Davis, Washington State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

completion issignificantly influenced by the student’s motivation and self-regulatory capabilities.In recent years, the effectiveness of homework at the university level, in fact across the board,has come under serious questioning 1, 11. College instructors, while re-emphasizing the validityand the value of homework as a learning tool, acknowledge the existence of a large gap betweenthe performance of students on homework assignments and that on examinations containingcomparable or even the same problems. Furthermore, studies continue to point out a general lackof good conceptual understanding of the main concepts of physics and mechanics in their field ofstudy among undergraduate students12, 13. This indicates that the desired outcome of the

Conference Session

Engineering Mechanics Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roman Taraban, Texas Tech University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

and procedural skill, and,importantly, to ultimately develop students with a firm grasp of conceptual principles and theability to think analytically and critically about problems in a domain. Within current instructional practices, it is not always clear how to define proficiency orexpertise in undergraduate problem solving. Research has shown that engineering curriculaorient students to final solutions, not necessarily to the process followed in order to achieve thesolution.1 Relatedly, feedback from instructors is often oriented toward the accuracy of the finalsolution and not the strengths and weaknesses in students‟ conceptualizations of problems.1 Thepresent work attempts to develop a measure of definiteness of what it means to be a

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Rex Maixner, U.S. Air Force Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Project DetailsThe scenario presented to students is that a solar distillation unit is proposed for a southernCalifornia seaside location (nominally Vandenburg Air Force Base), and that the students aretasked with ascertaining the feasibility of such a proposal. The project consists of three parts: 1. Solar tracking and intensity calculations for the site on a specified date (nominally 21 June). Page 22.1310.3 2. Transient thermal modeling of a prototype solar distiller to ascertain fresh water production as a function of time, with extrapolation up to a full-scale unit. Insolation is provided from results obtained

Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lynn Albers, North Carolina State University; Laura Bottomley, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

reinventing the world every day. So conventions arethe source of great comfort, even if this is at the expense of thought.” [1] This has neverbeen more evident than when observing university students. They are so used to routineand feeling that if they complete a checklist and receive a good grade that they havelearned. Perhaps they have learned the material but they haven’t learned how to think.From observation, students treat classes as something on a to-do list with the rewardbeing a degree when they have checked off all items on the list. Within the scope of aclass, students find great comfort in their to-do list of 10-12 weekly homeworks, 3 tests,maybe a project and then a final exam. All items are treated as part of a to-do list. Whenhomeworks

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matthew A. Carr, U.S. Naval Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2011-784: REDISCOVERING RECIPROCATING STEAMMatthew A. Carr, U.S. Naval Academy Commander, US Navy PhD, PE Permanent Military Professor Nuclear Submarine Officer Member - The Newcomen Society for the History of Engineering and Technology Page 22.1227.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2011 Rediscovering Reciprocating Steam A Fresh Look at Historical Steam Power (Reciprocating Steam 101)introductionThe purposes of this article are: (1) to describe the most significant steam engines from the earlyperiod of steam power

Conference Session

Active and Project-Based Learning

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lauren A. Rockenbaugh, University of Colorado, Boulder; Daria A. Kotys-Schwartz, University of Colorado, Boulder; Derek T. Reamon, University of Colorado, Boulder

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering Education, 2011 Project-Based Service-Learning and Student MotivationAbstractWe know from motivation theory that enhanced motivation in students is positively correlatedwith engagement and active learning, interest, and value. We know less about the types ofinstructional strategies and curricular interventions that work to enhance student motivation in atypical engineering course. Grounded in motivation theory, the purpose of this research is toevaluate how the context of project-based service-learning affects aspects of student motivation(particularly interest and engagement) in a required undergraduate Mechanical Engineeringcourse.Our research aims to answer: 1) How does project-based service learning affect

Conference Session

Design Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Daniel D. Jensen, U.S. Air Force Academy; Kristin L. Wood, University of Texas, Austin; Joseph J. Rencis, University of Arkansas; Ashland O. Brown P.E., University of the Pacific; Christina Kay White, Columbia University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

in anactive learning environment. Page 22.1121.3 1Introduction In the quest to improve engineering education, the active learning methods must bedesigned, assessed, and implemented effectively. Even though active learning is frequently usedin other disciplines, these pedagogical techniques have not yet been fully developed inengineering curriculum, especially within core courses [1-3]. For this current work, we consideractive learning to be anything that goes beyond the traditional model of students passivelylistening to a lecture. Hands-on activities, problem based learning, interactive

Conference Session

Capstone Courses and Design Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Bobby G. Crawford, U.S. Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

department was the integration of graded requirements amongst the three programs.Each team had its own mechanical engineering faculty advisor, and the multi-disciplinary teamincorporated faculty advisors from the electrical engineering and computer science programs.Advisors attempted to synchronize courses milestones and minimize duplicate gradedrequirements. Despite this effort, multi-disciplinary team members on an end-of-course surveystrongly disagreed with the statement “Departmental submissions were standardized.” Due tothis, standardization was a priority for year three and accomplished before cross enrolling cadets.Advisors allocated the remaining Year 1 funding not directly spent on airplanes toward programimprovements as shown in Table 1

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions: Mechanical Engineering Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patrick W. Pace, University of Texas, Austin; Kristin L. Wood, University of Texas, Austin; John J. Wood, U.S. Air Force Academy; Daniel D. Jensen, U.S. Air Force Academy; Brian K Skibba, Air Force Research Laboratory

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

limited by the field oftechnology and the engineer’s or design team’s understanding of the field. Without sufficientunderstanding of an emerging technical field, ideation may be hampered by reinventing theproverbial wheel or by a lack of knowledge of the underlying physical principles and state oftechnology. When starting to solve design problems, designers may not fully benefit fromideation methods alone due to problems such as design fixation [1-6]. Pursuing flawed designsor designs that will underperform existing solutions may likewise occur from the lack ofunderstanding of the field. Existing research examines supplementing the ideation process as well, such as seekingand using analogies, fostering creativity and examining

Conference Session

Design Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James M. Widmann, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Brian P. Self, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; Lynne A. Slivovsky, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo; J.Kevin Taylor, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Page 22.1079.4  A testing phase in which design requirements are verified and necessary modifications are made.Deliverables for this class include a Design Requirements Document, a Design Report andCritical Design Presentation and Review with the project sponsor, a Final Project Report andhardware demonstration through a tradeshow-style Senior Design Expo. Student workload istypically high due to the open ended nature of the projects, the amount of detail work necessaryand the iterative nature of the design process. Upon completion of the class, students should beable to: 1. Apply a formal engineering design process to solve an open-ended, externally supplied engineering design problem. 2. Work effectively on an

Conference Session

Capstone Courses and Design Education

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Nihad Dukhan, University of Detroit Mercy; Mark Schumack, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. The paper attempts to determine if there is a lack of thermal-science projects in capstone courses and if so what the reasons are. A third purpose of thepaper was to probe the feelings of non-thermal faculty teaching capstone towards thermalprojects, and whether or under what conditions they would be willing to offer morethermal design projects in the future. The paper also poses a few general questionsregarding the role of thermal sciences in capstone design and suggests a strategic way forimplementing more thermal science capstone projects.IntroductionMechanical engineering emerged as a field during the industrial revolution in Europe in the 19thcentury.1 Thermal sciences is a term usually given to a group of mechanical

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew L. Gerhart, Lawrence Technological University; Philip M. Gerhart P.E., University of Evansville

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

physical understanding of energy, fluid mechanics, andheat flow are difficult to grasp. The students have observed solid mechanical kinematics anddynamics first-hand all of their lives, but energy, fluid flow, and heat flow are sometimes notreadily visualized.With this in mind, a useful method to explain the concepts is via everyday/familiar/folksyanalogies. This paper contains a sampling of some analogies that can be used to teach thermalfluid concepts as varied as entropy, the no-slip condition, velocity profiles & boundary layers,numerical marching solutions for heat flow, and more. The authors also offer advice for creatingand using your own analogies, and intend to encourage the reader to add to the growing list ofteaching analogies.1