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

analyses, using ANSYS, will also be conducted toextend the students’ understanding into more complex systems. The learning methodology is agreat experience for students to learn numerous heat transfer concepts in the limited timeavailable in a one quarter course. The purpose of this paper is to explain the details of thisteaching methodology and discuss the educational outcomes obtained in our heat transfercurriculum. Page 22.930.2IntroductionThis paper documents an initial heat transfer project that incorporates analytical, numerical(finite element), and experimental analyses to enhance students’ understanding of conductionand convection. Three

Conference Session

Simulations and Visualizations

Collection

2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Claudio Luiz Curotto, Federal University of Parana, Brazil; Kurt C. Gramoll, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Page 25.481.1 c American Society for Engineering Education, 2012 Dynamics Simulation using Server Cluster TechnologyAbstractLearning Dynamics through Computational Experiments (LDCE) is a method that can achievebetter results in basic engineering Dynamics courses. This method is a Problem Based Learning(PBL) approach, where students seek for knowledge by developing projects during the course.Projects include one or more experiments through which students can learn how a dynamicsproblem works. They are able to modify parameters and retrieve graphical and numerical results.Their primary task is to develop the theoretical basis of the problems and compare the numericalresults with those produced by the

Conference Session

Why Industry Says that our Engineering Students Cannot Write

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William K. Durfee, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Benjamin Adams, University of Minnesota; Audrey J. Appelsies, University of Minnesota; Pamela Flash, University of Minnesota

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education/Engineering & Society, Mechanical Engineering

, for example that by graduation students must know and canapply basic principles of thermodynamics.At graduation, undergraduate students in mechanical engineering should be able to: 1. Apply knowledge of physics, mathematics, and engineering in their writing 2. Record and analyze activity related to laboratories and design projects 3. Visually represent designs and explain salient features of a part or concept 4. Synthesize and summarize key points 5. Strategize and demonstrate engineering project metrics such as productivity, costs and time to completion 6. Analyze the audience and create a document that meets the needs of the audience 7. Represent themselves professionally 8. Explain, discuss, and demonstrate

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Assessment

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Randall D. Manteufel, University of Texas, San Antonio; Amir Karimi, University of Texas, San Antonio

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

attained. The resultsof these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement ofthe program. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) completed a successful ABETreaccreditation of its mechanical engineering programs in fall 2010. The program is preparingfor the next ABET accreditation visit in fall 2016. The assessment instruments have beenrevised and the process streamlined for greater efficiency. A set of assessment tools wasenhanced and used to evaluate student outcomes. The assessment tools included homeworkassignments, project reports, exam results, and student surveys/interviews. For each subject inthe curriculum, the course objectives are re-evaluated by the faculty on a regular basis to ensurethat

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer II

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Nicholas van Bloemen Waanders, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Mechanical Engineering; Andrew Kean, California Polytechnic State University; Brian P. Self, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

fromthe MEA. Because the original goal was to help students understand the difficult concepts inmodeling processes this reflection has shown us that there is at least 63% of students reached thatgoal. These questions are from the students’ point of view and must be taken as such. Even withthe drawbacks, this method of analyzing MEAs has shown that the majority of students arelearning the hard concepts in addition to teamwork and other engineering skills.IntroductionStudents most benefit from a group project when they are able to learn from their work. Mostgroup projects have learning objectives that are meant to teach the students specific concepts. The

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 7

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Olivier Putzeys P.E., University of Maine; Masoud Rais-Rohani P.E., University of Maine; Serge Raymond Maalouf, University of Maine

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

attendance ischecked in every class with considerable penalty for unexcused absences. The course was taughtin two separate sections by two instructors.Summary of activitiesThe weekly activities listed in Table 2 are described in more detail in this section.Week 1 - A presentation was given to introduce students to mechanical engineering as adiscipline and the numerous career opportunities in the field. Students were also introduced tothe Department of Mechanical Engineering, including faculty members, research areas, thecurriculum, minors, advising resources, student clubs, and previous Capstone projects. Theassociated assignment asked students to write a short report (using Word) in which they (1)explain their choice of ME as a major, (2) select a

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 5

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. M. Mizanoor Rahman, University of West Florida

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

the lead robotics instructor for the Center for K-12 STEM education, and leaded the implementation of a large NSF-funded project entitled “DR K-12: Teaching STEM with Robotics: Design, Development, and Testing of a Research-based Professional Development Program for Teachers”. During that time, Dr. Rahman received license from the New York City Department of Education to conduct robot-based K- 12 STEM education research in different public schools across New York City, trained about 100 public school math and science teachers for robot-based K-12 STEM education, and reached more than 1000 K-12 students across New York City. He then worked as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Tuskegee University

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashland Brown, University of the Pacific; Kris Wood, University of Texas; Kristen Kaufman, Grad Student Universiy ot Texas; Daniel Jensen, United States Air Force Academy; Joseph Rencis, University of Arkansas; Christina White, Columbia University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. He received a B.S. from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1980, a M.S. from Northwestern University in 1982, and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in 1985. V-mail: 479-575-4153; E-mail: jjrencis@uark.edu.Christina White, Columbia University CHRISTINA WHITE is a doctoral candidate in the Curriculum and Teaching Department at Columbia University. Her research focus is in engineering education with particular emphasis in both engineering diversity and humanitarian design projects. She earned a M. Ed from The University of Texas at Austin in Special Education. Contact: ckw.columbia@gmail.com

Conference Session

Computer Modeling/CAD in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2016 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aneet Dharmavaram Narendranath, Michigan Technological University; Prathamesh Prashant Deshpande, Michigan Technological University; Madhu Kolati, Michigan Technological University; Datta Sandesh Manjunath, Michigan Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

and the analytical solutions and methods to make good FEMpre-processing decisions. An exposure to analytical methods also allows students to designexperiments/technology and to analyse and interpret results and data obtained effectively. To dothis, a project is introduced in designing an orifice plate (standard flow measuring device) throughthe use of a commercial FEM package (the Hyperworks suite) with result validation obtainedfrom analytical solutions from the Theory of Elasticity (the Biharmonic equation is used).Our university is an ABET accredited university. The exercise described in this paper is inaccordance with ABET’s 2015-2016 criteria for accrediting engineering programs. ABET’scriteria states “The curriculum must require

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: Fluid Mechanics

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Kamau Wright, University of Hartford; Ivana Milanovic, University of Hartford; Tom A. Eppes, University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

forward an overview of our effort tointroduce and grow the digital transformation and IBL in the mechanical engineering (ME)curriculum.At the University of Hartford, the first computational skills are obtained in a graphiccommunication course and an engineering computer application course taken by all engineeringmajors in the freshmen year. The former incorporates AutoCAD, and the latter consists ofcomputer programming, data science, and tools for solving problems (MATLAB, MS Excel). Formechanical engineering majors, another computer-aided design (CAD) course withSOLIDWORKS and ANSYS is encountered in the junior year. Most ME capstone projects aresourced from and sponsored by local industry and have at least one component that requiressimulations

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 7

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert J. Rabb P.E., The Citadel; Ronald W. Welch P.E., The Citadel; William J. Davis P.E., The Citadel; Deirdre D. Ragan, The Citadel; Jason Geathers, The Citadel

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering upper class female and a female faculty member. Student pairingsare made based on at least two commonalities, such as involvement in ROTC, the HonorsProgram, or student athletics. Similarly, each female freshman is linked with a femaleengineering faculty member if she is not her academic advisor. Currently, the freshman femalepopulation has a 100% retention rate in engineering compared to less than 70% at the same timea year ago.Student Competitions. Engaging all students, especially freshmen, in team-based projects andcompetitions has been shown to increase student retention and success [3]. Each engineeringdepartment has annual competitions (concrete canoe, steel bridge, mini-Baja, ethics, robotics). Itis clearly important for team

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jacob Chapman; Sanjivan Manoharan, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

the airfoil (unlikeFowler or Slotted Flaps), thus reducing the mechanical complexity. The study was constructed insuch a manner that exposed the student to the comprehensive problem solving cycle which aidedin enhancing the critical thinking skills. The student’s performance was tracked throughout, andat certain places questions were asked to force the student to think out of the box. At theconclusion of the study, the student was highly appreciative of the project as it appliedfundamental concepts to solve real world challenges, sharpened the critical thinking, andmotivated the student to further engage in research by pursuing graduate studies.Introduction Sharpening the critical thinking ability of an undergraduate student remains a

Conference Session

Improving ME education: Broad Topics

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Renuka Thota, University of Louisiana-Lafayette; Suren Dwivedi, University of Louisiana-Lafayette

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

2006-2180: IMPLEMENTATION OF PRODUCT REALIZATION CONCEPTS INDESIGN AND MANUFACTURING COURSESRenuka Thota, University of Louisiana-Lafayette Renuka Thota is originally from India and is currently a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She received her Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India in 2004. Her research interests include Artificial Intelligence, Product Realization and Integrated Product and process developmentSuren Dwivedi, University of Louisiana-Lafayette Dr. Suren N. Dwivedi currently serves as a Professor and project director of Manufacturing in the Mechanical in University of

Conference Session

Improving Mechanics & Structural Modeling Courses

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Praveen Malali, Old Dominion University; Pooja Bais, Old Dominion University; Robert Choate, Western Kentucky University; Sushil Chaturvedi, Old Dominion University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Senior Project Design course sequence. Prior to teaching at WKU, he was a principal engineer for CMAC Design Corporation, designing telecommunication, data communication and information technology equipment.Sushil Chaturvedi, Old Dominion University Sushil K. Chaturvedi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Old Dominion University. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1975, and has been with Old Dominion University since 1978. Page 15.1288.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2010 Uncertainty Analysis and Instrument Selection using

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Amy C. Bradshaw, University of Oklahoma; Zahed Siddique, University of Oklahoma; Patricia Lea Hardre, University of Oklahoma; Farrokh Mistree, University of Oklahoma

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2011-2058: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING TO SUPPORT AN INNOVA-TION DISPOSITION WITHIN ENGINEERING EDUCATIONAmy C. Bradshaw, University of Oklahoma Amy C. Bradshaw is an Associate Professor of Instructional Psychology & Technology at the University of Oklahoma. Her scholarly interests include visuals and visual communication for learning and instruc- tion; complex problem solving; social and cultural implications of technologies; critical pedagogy; and educational philosophy. Current projects explore the overlaps (and gaps) between mental imagery, higher order thinking, and complex problem solving.Zahed Siddique, University of OklahomaPatricia Lea Hardre, University of Oklahoma Dr. Hardre is an Associate Professor of

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Technical Session: The Art of Education

Collection

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Nicholas DiZinno, New York University; Yona Jean-Pierre, New York University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Tandon School of Engineering. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Philosophy from the Uni- versity of Rochester and her Master of Science in Mathematics from NYU Tandon School of Engineering. She manages the FITL Center, which encourages and promotes innovative teaching strategies and tech- nologies for learning. The Center provides faculty with training on new classroom technologies, access to technologies and resources, opportunities for research and design, and collaboration on educational and technological projects. Ms. Jean-Pierre has taught Mathematics, Problem- Solving and Academic Success Seminars at Polytechnic University and Columbia University. In addition to her experience in academia

Conference Session

Manufacturing and Machine Component Design

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ali R. Mohammadzadeh, Grand Valley State University; Salim M. Haidar, Grand Valley State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

cause serious errors in shafts' deflection resulting from eccentric and nonaligned gearsmounted on the shaft. This manufacturing defect induces loads that depend on the rotating speedof the shaft, which, in turn, causes dynamic deflections that are speed-sensitive and could fallbeyond the allowable limits of deflection at the shaft's operating speed. The authors addressedthis potential manufacturing defect issue in a Machine Design class as a term project, which alsorequired students to transfer and apply content knowledge from their dynamics and vibrations’courses to come up with a viable design for the system in question. The authors and the studentstogether believe that this project rendered important engineering education objectives in

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Benson, Arizona State University; Haolin Zhu, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Paper ID #12366Student Reflection, Self-Assessment and Categorization of Errors on ExamQuestions as a Tool to Guide Self-Repair and Profile Student Strengths andWeaknesses in a CourseDr. David Benson, Arizona State University Dr. David Benson is a Senior Lecturer with the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. Dr. Benson develops and teaches classes in ”Introduction to Engineering” and project-based classes such as EPICS and Global Engineering.Dr. Haolin Zhu, Arizona State University Haolin Zhu is a faculty lecturer in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State Univer- sity. She

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Laboratories I

Collection

2011 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard J. Ruhala, Southern Polytechnic State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

purchasing the computer board andsoftware that accompanies the lumped mass apparatuses (which in this case was primarilydeveloped for controls laboratory experiments), a world-class analyzer (that also requires a PCand includes computer software for instrumentation) was purchased so that the sensors andanalyzer can be used by students and faculty for research projects. This created hybrid vibrationmeasurement apparatuses that combine the best combination of turnkey and custom systems.Another advantage with the hybrid approach is that the analyzer can also be used for acousticalmeasurements. A disadvantage is that the PC software that controls the analyzer is not userfriendly, and requires substantial setup time by the instructor. The laboratory

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids, and Heat Transfer-Part I

Collection

2010 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Simin Hall, College of Engineering at Virginia Tech; Catherine Amelink, Virginia Tech; Sam Conn, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

AC 2010-361: A CASE STUDY OF A THERMODYNAMICS COURSE:INFORMING ONLINE COURSE DESIGNSimin Hall, College of Engineering at Virginia Tech Dr. Simin Hall is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech and Polytechnic Institute. Her applied research in education is focused on cognitive processes and motivational factors in problem solving in computationally intensive courses such as engineering using online technology. Prior to joining ME at Virginia Tech, she completed a collaborative research project between the Department of Engineering Education at Virginia Tech, College of Engineering at Texas A&M, and Department of Sociology at University

Conference Session

Improving ME Instructional Laboratories

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Samuel Yang, Troy High; Mariappan Jawaharlal, California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Purpose Sensor Board for Mechatronic ExperimentsIntroductionIn the past decade most undergraduate engineering programs have adopted mechatronics in someform into their mechanical engineering curriculum. However, due to their multidisciplinarynature, mechatronics courses1-3 across the programs vary significantly. Some courses focus onmicroprocessors and programming, some on sensors and others on controls. There are alsomechatronics courses based on robotics. There are also mechatronics capstone design projects.At Cal Poly Pomona, mechatronics is offered in all these flavors depending upon the course andthe instructor. Experience indicates that students who are involved in mechatronics projects arethe ones who had some prior exposure in this field

Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Constantin Ciocanel, Northern Arizona University; Suzanne Pieper, Northern Arizona University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering at the OhioState University redeveloped the freshman engineering classes into a combined course withhands-on laboratory elements2. Teamwork, project management, report writing, and oralpresentations were the main parts of this program.Another recent study3, focused on the classroom-based pedagogy of engagement, recognizedactive and collaborative learning as better ways for students to learn by being intensely involvedin the educational process. These learning methods can further be implemented by encouragingstudents to apply their knowledge in many situations. The study attempts to highlight thesuperiority of problem-based learning over subject-based learning by contrasting the twoapproaches in Figure 1. Problem based learning (PBL

Conference Session

Student Learning and Assessment

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andre Butler, Mercer University; William Moses, Mercer University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Method of Assessment to Examine Experimental Design in Mechanical Engineering LaboratoriesStudents in the mechanical specialization at Mercer University are currently required to take twogeneral mechanical engineering laboratory courses—one in the third year of the curriculum andthe other in the fourth year. The first of these courses begins with seven or eight single periodlaboratories in which the students are directed to complete a well-defined set of procedures andperform simple analyses. In an effort to more formally introduce experimental design into thelaboratory experience, this course ends with a three project sequence in which students areprovided with an experimental objective (e.g., determine the coefficient of

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Technical Session 3

Collection

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Pattabhi Sitaram, Baker College, Flint, Michigan; Anca L. Sala, Baker College, Flint

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

literature. It is well known that a semester system has many advantages over a quarter system [7], [8].The benefits of a semester system are its reduced student cognitive load each week, betterstudent engagement both inside and outside the classroom, smooth student transfers, and bettertiming of students’ availability for internships and employment. Most of our students have daytime jobs, thus with the shortened contact hours each week in the semester system, there is lesslikelihood of student and faculty burnouts; and enhanced opportunities for project basedlearning, group exercises, field trips, and subdivision of projects into several phases in designoriented courses.Why is our college converting to semesters? • Aligns our academic calendar

Conference Session

Delivery Methods in Mechanical Engineering Courses

Collection

2013 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raghu Echempati, Kettering University; Anca L. Sala, Baker College, Flint

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Page 23.569.5welcomed the opportunity to complete some of the work for the course in a remotelocation at a time of their choice. The class met face-to-face for six weeks and online forfour weeks out of the 10-week quarter as shown in Table 1. The first in-class meetingtook place during the first week of school to discuss in detail the format and all therequirements of the course. The final two weeks the class also met in-class so thatstudents were able to completethe laboratories and the final design project. In betweenthese weeks the class met every two weeks face-to-face,and every two weeks online.Table 1. Schedule of Hybrid Mechatronics CourseWeek Class Format Topics1 In-class Introduction to Mechatronic

Conference Session

Improving ME instructional laboratories

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

S. Perwez Kalim, Wilkes University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

efforts of severalstudent teams in fluid mechanics laboratory class. The main objectives of the project wereclearly articulated to all participating students. The process began with the assignment of distinctand different tasks to each team in the beginning of the semester. As a group they were requiredto design and build a modular pump experimental setup from scratch, and test the system tovalidate the engineering principles, determine the pump performance parameters and plot itscharacteristics. The collaboration and time management among all teams were overseen by theinstructor and a teaching assistant. Finally, the requirements of submission of a project report onthe designed system and its presentation by each team at the end of the semester

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division Poster Session

Collection

2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

J. Alex Birdwell, Northwestern University; Michael Peshkin, Northwestern University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

 student  email  requests,  or  to  expand  on  a  lecture  topic  for  which  there  wasn’t  sufficient  time  in  class.    Videos  can  also  be  recorded  while  preparing  a  course  with  the  intent  to  complement  the  classroom  content.    At  Northwestern  University,  all  first-­‐year  engineering  students  take  a  project  design  course  that  covers  engineering  graphics,  among  other  topics.    A  series  of  videos  were  developed  to  provide  additional  instruction  and  examples  on  how  to  construct  these  sketches.    One  video  camera  was  mounted  to  view  a  table  from  above  while  one  instructor  sketched  a  model  truck.    Concurrently,  a  second  instructor  used  the  Lightboard  to  discuss  any

Conference Session

Meeting ABET Requirements

Collection

2007 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Ward, California State University-Chico

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Student Learning Outcome F Student Learning Outcomes Course Measurement Matrix (Items 1-7 direct embedded measures) 1. ENGR 200 - Engineering Graphics II 2. ENGR 325 – Engineering Design 3. ENGR 310 – Numerical Methods 4. ME 238A –Design Project I 5. ME 238B –Design Project II 6. ENGR 420 – Thermal-Fluid Systems 7. ENGR 495 – Lifelong Development for Engineers 8. Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (EIT) 9. Senior Exit Survey (Indirect Assessment)10. Alumni Survey (Indirect Assessment)11. Alumni Employer (Indirect Assessment)It is clear that EC2000 driven program assessment will not disappear from engineeringaccreditation criteria. Overall, comprehensive program improvement has been measured

Conference Session

Machine Design Related

Collection

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access

Authors

Edward James Diehl P.E., University of Hartford

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

inthe previous semesters. Often, their challenges seem to stem from spatial visualization issues,including the inability to draw different views of a three-dimensional object or identify differenttypes and forms of stresses acting on a stress element.ME 470 builds upon ME 370 and focuses on different machine components and includes adesign project that runs throughout the semester where students must apply what they’ve learnedin both courses. Students have often heard of the components in ME 470 and may have seenthem before, but typically most have not held them in their hands or observed them closely.Many of the details of selecting or designing each component are tied into concepts from ME370, but there are many other details specific to the

Conference Session

Mechanics of Materials

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vince Prantil, Milwaukee School of Engineering; William Howard, East Carolina University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

] compiled a subjective assessment of common mistakesin finite element analysis routinely performed in many industrial sectors. After 5 years ofcollecting anecdotal evidence in both teaching undergraduates and advising capstonedesign projects, we found this list to be nearly inclusive of the most common and moreserious errors encountered by novice users of the finite element method. Here, we addseveral additional mistakes commonly observed in the classroom and in capstone designnumerical analyses and present the augmented list in Table 1. While it may come as nosurprise that novice users commit many, if not all, of these errors, they appear toroutinely and repeatedly encounter a particular subset of them. TABLE 1. COMMON MISTAKES IN