Conference Session

Design Project Based Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Robert Choate, Western Kentucky University; Kevin Schmaltz, Western Kentucky University; Joel Lenoir, Western Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Page 13.282.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 Centrifugal Pump Test Bed: A Senior Capstone ProjectAbstractA centrifugal pump test bed was designed, built and tested for the undergraduate mechanicalengineering thermal fluids laboratory at Western Kentucky University. This project was fundedthrough the Undergraduate Senior Project Grant Program sponsored by the American Society ofHeating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) and is primarilyintended for instructional situations.The project was executed over a two-semester Mechanical Engineering Senior Project designsequence, with a three-member student team planning the project design during the fall semesterand executing the project

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Greg Kremer, Ohio University-Athens

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Engineering Department Risk Assessment ProcessUsing the fundamentals of risk assessment, along with the guidance from the literatureconcerning academic and campus risks, we embarked on our own risk management process. Arisk assessment is the obvious first step in a risk management approach, and even on its own it isvery important because it can allow potential dangers that previously were known to only a fewpeople to be brought to the awareness of others. The risk management approach often used inbusiness and industry combines the assessment with appropriate management plans to eliminateor control the risks. The risk management approach is not just a one-time event - if fullyembraced it can change the way an organization plans and conducts their

Conference Session

Accreditation Issues

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Hakan Gurocak, Washington State University-Vancouver

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

increased load. However, it is not very different than what afaculty typically does to teach a course. There are three basic requirements to implement thisapproach: (1) At the beginning of the semester make a course plan including assessment, (2)Break down grading along course outcomes on the assignments/exams using a grade box, and (3)Enter scores into grade spreadsheet for each course outcome.II.1. Course planFaculty need to plan which assignments/questions will be used to assess each course outcomethroughout the semester. For that reason, at the beginning of the semester a course plan similarto the one shown in Table 2 is developed. The plan shows topics to be covered, whenassignments would be given and which outcomes would be measured

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Willis, Southern Methodist University; Paul Krueger, Southern Methodist University; Alice Kendrick, Southern Methodist University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

interests are unsteady hydrodynamics and aerodynamics, vortex dynamics, bio-fluid mechanics, and pulsed-jet propulsion.Alice Kendrick, Southern Methodist University Alice Kendrick is professor of advertising in the Temerlin Advertising Institute at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Her research in advertising account planning, message content, and educational issues has appeared in journals including Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Services Marketing, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Advertising Education and Southwest Mass Communication Review. Her commentary and results of her work have also been featured in The Wall Street Journal

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patricia Campbell, Campbell-Kibler Associates, Inc; Eann Patterson, Michigan State University; Ilene Busch-Vishniac, McMaster University; Tom Kibler, Campbell-Kibler Associates, Inc

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

already been found to increase women’s recruitment and retention at CarnegieMellon in computer science6 and at Drexel in engineering7.As part of an National Science Foundation-sponsored project to change the undergraduate MEcurriculum to make it more attractive to a diverse student community, the use of “real life”applications to teach fundamental ME concepts was explored. A series of applications-basedlesson plans—covering concepts in solids, fluids, and design—were developed by ME facultymembers from eight participating universities and tested in terms of their impact on students andon participating faculty. The participating colleges and universities were Johns HopkinsUniversity; California State University, Los Angles; Michigan State

Conference Session

Accreditation Issues

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Biney, Prairie View A&M University; Raghava Kommalapati, Prairie View A&M University; Michael Gyamerah, Prairie View A&M University; Annamalai Annamalai, Prairie View A&M University; Pamela Obiomon, Prairie View A&M University; Xiaobo Peng, Prairie View A&M University; Mohan Ketkar, Prairie View A&M University; Nripendra Sarker, Prairie View A&M University; Ravindra Iyengar, Prairie View A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

criteria were developed for this outcome.For each performance criteria, detailed guide for assessing the performance criteria were alsoprovided. The five performance criteria developed for this outcome, are based on1. Ability to define the problem This performance criterion is assessed by determining if students are able to (i) identify the customer and the needs, (ii) identify and list the design objectives, and (iii) identify the design constraints.2. Ability to plan the project This performance criterion is also assessed by determining if students are able to (i) define the design strategy and methodology, (ii) identify and break down work into tasks and subtasks, and identify the personnel and deliverables for each, (iii) develop a

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erik De Graaff, Delft University of Technology; Wim Thijs, TU Delft; Peter Wieringa, TU Delft

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

where the students are responsiblefor planning their own research. A team of staff members supports their efforts, including twostaff members from the faculty of Technology Policy and Management (TPM) who provideexpertise on research methodology. Page 13.1041.2 During a semester small groups of students (2-4) have to work on a research assignment. Atthe start of the project the students have to indicate their preference for the availableassignments, drawn up by the staff. The groups are assembled, based on their choice of topic.In the opening session each group is handed out a project brief containing a description of aresearch topic including a

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Schmaltz, Western Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering department (the complete Department of Engineering mission statementis found at http://www.wku.edu/engineering/depmiss.php): …to produce, as its graduates, competent engineering practitioners…(who have) a foundation of basic science, mathematics, and engineering knowledge, combined with practical knowledge and experience in applying existing technology to contemporary problems. … Program curricula will be project- based. Students will have sufficient opportunity to engage in project activities to support development of a clear understanding of engineering practice… Page 13.1107.14A Professional Component Plan has been created for

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Smith, University of Southern Maine

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

them the vertical mobility which they needed toadvance in their employment. Providing engineering education for these two populationsbecame the raison d’etre both for the electrical engineering major and for theforthcoming mechanical engineering program.Onset of the Mechanical Engineering Program – The mechanical engineering program,like its predecessor electrical engineering, was initiated by demand from local industry. Asurvey taken in 20012 showed strong industrial support for such a program. At the sametime, a state bond issue provided monies for the expansion of the technology center, thebuilding in which the existing engineering program was housed. The department thenbegan the formal process of planning a mechanical engineering

Conference Session

Design Project Based Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Vernon Ulrich, Grove City College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

during the semester. 2. Be reasonable – meaning that it contains a realistic amount of work for the student. 3. Fit in with the objectives of the other team members in that it represents something the student plans to work on to help meet the goals of the team. 4. Be measurable – both the faculty member and the student know when the objective has been completed. 5. Specify any constraints on the resources available to the student. 6. Have a completion date. (Objectives without completion dates can be procrastinated forever.) 7. Contain a weighting percentage. Students are expected to weight the importance of each of their objectives compared to the others. The weighting percentage should

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer - I

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Kean, California Polytechnic State University; Ronald Miller, Colorado School of Mines; Brian Self, California Polytechnic State University; Tamara Moore, University Of Minnesota; Barbara Olds, Colorado School of Mines; Eric Hamilton, U.S. Air Force Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

engineering task. Moore and Diefes-Dux 7provide more information about the framework and development of engineering content MEAs.The problem statement introduces students to the task. It is written in such a way as to make thestudents define for themselves the problem a client needs solved. The students must assess thesituation and create a plan of action to successfully meet the client’s needs. The problem solvingsession requires that a group of students go through multiple iterations of testing and revisingtheir solution to ensure that their procedure or algorithm will be useful to the client. By carefullycrafting each MEA, students are given just enough information to make informed decisionsabout when the client’s requirements have been met. One

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to ME Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Roman Taraban, Texas Tech University; Edward Anderson; Curtis Craig, Texas Tech University; Jacob Fleming, Texas Tech University; Alli DeFinis, Texas Tech University; Ashlee G. Brown, Texas Tech University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

for patterns (interconnected knowledge) instead of single facts or elements Changes the way the problem is being represented (especially if reaches obstacle in solution) Retrieves memorized equations Uses fundamental relations to generate equations Considers whether solution plan is reasonable Guesses the solution and then checks the answer Monitors solution progress If stuck, uses heuristics, perseveres, brainstorms If stuck, guesses, quits Uses broad experience to evaluate resultsThe Gray, Costanzo

Conference Session

Design Project Based Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Charles Forsberg, Hofstra University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

instructor provided the locations of the diffusers and also the location ofthe fan. Figure No. 1 shows the required location of the fan and the required locations ofthe five diffusers. The possible duct routings are shown as dashed lines. The studentshad to size and route the ductwork from the fan to the diffusers. At first, it was planned Page 13.129.2to temporarily support the ducts from the ceiling. This proved to be unfeasible due tolack of suitable ceiling supports. Therefore, it was decided to support the ducts on chairsin the aisles and other open areas of the room. Some experiments in the room are onmovable carts, and these were allowed to be moved

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Anca Sala, Baker College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

using examples and exercises available on thesoftware CD, we were ready to create and analyze our own motions. The recording of thestudents’ motions in class was an exciting activity involving team work and also fun. One teamwas typically made of the student using the camcorder, the volunteer performing the motion, andthe student responsible for the scaling information. The first time the course was taught we usedonly one camcorder, which restricted our motions to motions which can be analyzed in 2D. A 3Dmotion requires two camcorders recording the motion from two perpendicular directions, withthe two movies needing to be synchronized for the analysis. The process to create the files in thiscase is more difficult, so we planned to go through it

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to ME Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Richard Bannerot, University of Houston

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. ‚ Limit human interaction with the device, preferably eliminating it completely during the testing phase. ‚ Have deliverables submitted regularly throughout the time period of the project. (Spread the pain.) ‚ Have one or more “tests of concept” scheduled (so the team experiences the difficulty in taking a concept from the drawing board to the prototype before the final testing). ‚ Plan several meetings with each team and force all team members to participate in the discussion; assign a team deliverable for each meeting, e.g., Gantt chart, task assignments, test results, the current prototype, etc.More information41 is available on the development of these outcomes and guidelines.The testing part

Conference Session

Approaches to Active Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Emilia Bratschitsch, Joanneum Univeristy of Applied Sciences; Annette Casey, Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Department of Automotive Engineering,; Michael Trzesniowski

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

team of juniorsis composed. This means that the only persons who continuously are involved in the FS-projectare the faculty advisor and the supervising experts, Figure 1. To be successful in the very shorttime for planning, engineering, manufacturing, testing and preparing for the contest, the studentsmust develop special knowledge transfer methods. Page 13.1040.3From the kick-off meeting to the winner's rostrumIn the second phase of MS-PBL the students have to use not only a broad spectrum of technicalknowledge and engineering tools, they are also able to apply the trained capabilities andexperiences colleted in the first phase of MS-PBL1,2.The

Conference Session

Approaches to Active Learning

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Linsey, Texas A&M University; Austin Talley, University of Texas at Austin; Kristin Wood, University of Texas at Austin; Daniel Jensen, U.S. Air Force Academy; Kathy Schmidt, University of Texas at Austin

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

, ready-to-use product. The PHLIpS’s purpose is to be a quick and effective methodfor professors to streamline the development process for creating active learning activities fortheir classrooms. This paper briefly presents the method and then details a controlledexperimental evaluation of the PHLIpS Method and supporting tools such as the flip book whichcontains short guidelines of each step. A between-participants experiment was used to measurethe method’s effects. Participants were students in a graduate engineering class. Many planned toteach after graduation and most had experience as teaching assistants. Outcome measuresincluded a post-session opinion survey and measures related to the concepts generated. ThePHLIpS Method was found to be

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirstie Plantenberg, University of Detroit Mercy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

decisions such as starting your own business or consulting. Onlylicensed professionals are allowed to offer their services to the public and sign and seal plans forthe public. These requirements and high standards help protect the public's safety and welfare. The licensure procedure and requirements varies slightly from state to state, but ingeneral, the following four steps must be completed before you may apply for a professionalengineering license (as listed by the NCEES[3]).Step 1) FE Exam: An applicant must take and pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam. The student must have at least a senior standing to take the FE exam. Once an

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yaomin Dong, Kettering University; Arnaldo Mazzei, Kettering University; Paul Zang, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

course project. Each project team sets up a“configured project” including Roles, States, Approval Process, Library and Cataloge. Eachteam member is responsible for several parts design and/or analysis. The design and PDM partsof the project have been discussed by the authors in a previous work [1]. In order to meet theengineering specifications, the wiper system design must be validated for functional performanceand safety. Here the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the wiper system will be used as a virtualprototyping and design tool.IntroductionComputer Aided Engineering, often referred as CAE, is the use of computer technology inengineering tasks such as design, analysis, simulation, manufacture, planning, and diagnosis.CAE includes, but is

Conference Session

Statics and Dynamics: What's New?

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Scott Danielson, Arizona State University; Robert Hinks, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

permit them to exercise control overthe components of their skills test. For instance, if a skill is not taught in their class, theinstructor will be able to exclude that skill from their version of the assessment tool. The overalllength of the assessment tool will be controllable as the instructor will be able to select thenumber of skills probed (the current plan is to develop questions for the top 24 skills shown inTable 1). PROBLEM #9 Shown below are 3 free-body diagrams for (1) the upper handle/jaw, (2) lower jaw, and (3) the lower handle of these pliers. Take a moment to study these FBD’s. FBD (1) FBD (2) FBD (3) The force applied to the handles of these pliers is 150 N, as shown

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer - II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

David Benson, Kettering University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

questionscould anticipate student troubles, align the content with student interests and connect the studentswith the material. The development of the progressive reading log still faces several challenges and thereare a number of areas for improvement. The first being a direct assessment of both the local andlong-term influence of the reading log on student learning. To address this, a coordinated effortwith other sections, taught by different faculty, is planned so that pre- and post-assignmentquestionnaires can be distributed to probe student understanding of concepts and evaluate studenttextbook use. Another focus area for the development of the reading log is the transition to theself-constructed reading logs. Within the reading log format

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to ME Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ashland Brown, University of the Pacific; Joseph Rencis; Daniel Jensen, U.S. Air Force Academy; Chuan-Chiang Chen, Tuskegee University; Essam Ibrahim, Tuskegee University; Vladimir Labay, Gonzaga University; Paul Schimpf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

number of engineering schools have, or are planning to, add FEanalysis to their curriculum1-5,10, but this is not happening quickly enough to meet the demand offirms competing in the global economy. The finite element exercises developed in this work willprovide a valuable resource to engineering instructors throughout the world and can be access24/7.Our NSF funded Course, Curriculum, and Lab Improvement (CCLI) proof-of-concept project isaimed at developing FE tutorials or learning modules that can be easily implemented in“traditional” undergraduate engineering courses. The FE learning modules are developed toprovide students with preliminary hands-on experience in FE method applications in engineeringproblem modeling. The models include problem

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Frassica, University of South Carolina; Jed Lyons, University of South Carolina; Philip Voglewede, Marquette University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

. Page 13.57.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2008 A METHOD TO UTILIZE A TISSUE ENGINEERING LABORATORY IN A CONTROL THEORY COURSEAbstractA carefully planned control theory course is capable of tying together many topics encounteredin an undergraduate engineering curriculum. Some challenges are presented though whenteaching such a course. Traditional control courses tend to be highly conceptual and includetopics difficult for students to grasp1. To show students the real-world relevance ofmathematical modeling and control theory, a biomedical research experimental laboratory wasintroduced into the course. Students were required to design a control system to operate aperistaltic pump for nutrient supply

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Poster Session

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brian Novoselich, United States Military Academy; Bobby Crawford, United States Military Academy; Erica Young, United States Military Academy

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

planning the delivery of thisremote education course, assumptions were made that all students would have some form ofInternet access and that they would be spending the majority of their time studying at their homeuniversity and minimal time (mainly weekends) traveling throughout the host nation. This was apoor assumption.Design of Course PresentationPresentation of the ME350 course provided a unique set of challenges based on the locations andexpected Internet connectivity of the students. In addition, the short time available to developcourse content provided more challenges. Based on an assumption of poor or intermittentInternet connectivity, it was determined that course presentation should entail minimalbandwidth requirements to ensure all

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

for the importance of boundary conditions and analyzing a problem with more than one element type or mesh. • Students report a new found skepticism for the results of a single, preliminary finite element analysis.While this makes an admittedly modest dent in the list of finite element mistakes mostcommonly made, we feel it is a good place to start. The philosophy that we shouldaddress the problems that exist in preliminary instruction, is, we feel, well-founded. Tothis end, in a new curriculum revision to be implemented at the Milwaukee School ofEngineering in the fall quarter of 2008, there are plans to introduce a required secondcourse in finite element analysis. With an eye toward preparing students for the types ofanalysis

Conference Session

Trends in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Aleksandra Vinogradov, Montana State University; Carolyn Plumb, Montana State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

Survey.References1 “Transforming America’s Scientific and Technological Infrastructure. Recommendations for Urgent Action,”Report on Reports II, Project Kaleidoscope, 2006. (http://www.pkal.org/documents/RepotonReports.pdf)2 Bok, D., “Our Underachieving Colleges,” Princeton University Press, 2006.3 “Educating the Engineer of 2020,” Report of the National Academy of Engineers, The National Academic Press,Washington, D.C., 2001. (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309096499/html)4 “Investing in America’s Future,” NSF Strategic Plan, FY 2006-2011, NSF 06-48, Sept. 2006.5 Shuman, L. J., Besterfield-Sacre, M, and McGourty, J., “The ABET “Professional Skills” – Can They Be Taught?Can They Be Assessed?” Journal of Engineering Education, Vol. 94, No. 1, 2005, pp. 41

Conference Session

Improving Mechanics & Structural Modeling Courses

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Raghu Echempati, Kettering University; Enayat Mahajerin, Saginaw Valley State University; Anca Sala, Baker College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

: Table 1: Assessment of Final Examination Problem # CLO Descriptor Ave. score % 1 Matrix Operations 91.7 2 Modeling and solving electrical circuit problems 78 3 Improper Integrals 64.5 4 Numerical differentiation 70Analysis and action plan on Final Exam:The student performance on Problem 1 was “Excellent”. The success in understanding matricesand matrix operations was due to comprehensive workshop sessions using MATLAB®, which isan excellent environment for matrix operations and students benefited from the

Conference Session

Thermodynamics, Fluids and Heat Transfer - II

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Andrew Gerhart, Lawrence Technological University; Philip Gerhart, University of Evansville; Robert Fletcher, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

and I wish that I had been aware of the amount of information that would be covered in the course before I planned out my semester. I suffered in other courses as well as this one trying to keep up.”One student wanted an additional credit hour to adequately cover the current material, plus onemore credit hour to add more material: “There is way too much information to cover in 3credits. I think the class should be (5) five credits and cover more material.” Another studentsuggested an additional course in thermodynamics: “I think an ‘intro’ course might be morebeneficial than an extra credit hour to accommodate all the material covered. An extra credithour for examples is a plus too, but there is still way too much

Conference Session

Outstanding Contributions to ME Education

Collection

2008 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Stephen Turns, Pennsylvania State University; Laura L. Pauley, Pennsylvania State University; Sarah Zappe, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering

on an active-learning exercise, I found that many more students raised theirhands when I asked a question. In previous semesters, student participation in class was oftenpoor. To increase student participation in the past, I prepared simple questions to ask during thelecture, but asking these questions did not significantly improve student participation. Addingactive-learning components in Fall 2007 required some planning before class, but not any morethan I had done previously in preparing questions to ask the class. The resulting studentparticipation, however, was greatly improved when I added the active-learning exercises. Theauthors encourage others to also try these simple techniques to improve student participation andstudent learning