Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 15: Automation and Machine Learning

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yuhao Xu, Prairie View A&M University; Bo Zhao; Steve Tung, University of Arkansas; Han Hu, University of Arkansas

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

experiences or ongoing research projects, e.g., Honorsthesis, Honors College Research Grant project, undergraduate research project, etc. While thiscourse was initially developed for mechanical engineers, the machine learning skills andconcepts covered can also be useful for other departments. As such, we have students fromindustrial engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, and electrical engineeringenrolled in this course.Fig. 2 Student enrollment statistics of the Machine Learning for Mechanical Engineers course inFall 2021 and Fall 2022.Fig. 3 summarizes the statistics of students’ responses to survey questions related to theirfamiliarity with general programming in Python and MATLAB before the Machine Learning forMechanical Engineers

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 5: Virtual Learning and Technology Integration

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Matt Gordon, University of Denver; Irvin R Jones, University of Denver

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

. focused on assessing both critical thinking and participation of teammembers in open ended projects [4]. They relied on students self-assessing after carefullyguiding them with focused exercises. They concluded that this method could work but wonderedif it would scale to large groups.The use of oral presentations is common in team projects, but predominantly their use inassessment is for presentation skills (Meseguer-Duenas et al. for example [5]). Presentationskills are another required outcome in ABET [1].For our purposes, we wanted to assess individual knowledge/competence/contribution ratherthan presentation skills and decided to use both an assessment by the students through CATMEand an individual oral exam given in the presence of both

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 6: Curriculum Development and Pedagogical Strategies

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Cassandra Sue Ellen Jamison, Rowan University; Smitesh Bakrania, Rowan University; Mitja Trkov, Rowan University; Wei Xue, Rowan University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

].To address this tension at our university, we are engaging undergraduate engineering studentsacross multiple phases of soft robotics curriculum development. Students are developing softrobotics learning modules as co-designers, which is what is presented in this paper. In the future,they will get to pilot their activities with other students. Once modules are fully developed andpiloted, they will be implemented in courses across our mechanical engineering (ME) curriculumand shared publicly. Overall, our full project will explore the potential for student-generated softrobotics modules to impact the learning and interest in soft robotics of both (a) the studentsdesigning the modules and (b) the students participating in the modules once they

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 14: Curriculum and Course Assessment in and Outside the Classroom

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Morris, Clemson University; John R. Wagner, P.E., Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

in engineering curricula was discussed as early as 2004 by Frame et al.[5], who mentioned that PLM is best introduced in relation to the holistic design of a product,covering its entire lifecycle. Frame et al.’s solution was to include usage of PLM softwarethroughout the undergraduate program of study however, this solution is unable to provide thecontinuity of following a singular product. Another approach is the formation of anextracurricular project group focused on providing undergraduate students with hands-onexperiences using PLM tools in a structured environment that simulates a typical industrialutilization paradigm through providing employee roles, structured workflows, collaborativeprojects, and formalized review processes. This

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 15: Engineering Education Research and Reviews

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Ibrahim Nihad Awartani, University of Cincinnati; Iman Shayegani, University of Cincinnati; David Allen Evenhouse, University of Cincinnati; So Yoon Yoon, University of Cincinnati

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

clearer insight regarding interventions in Staticseducation.Keywords: engineering education, Statics, intervention, systematic reviewI. IntroductionStudents of mechanical, civil, environmental, aerospace, and industrial engineering disciplinesare mandated by the ABET standards to take many common courses laying down the sametheoretical foundation across all disciplines (ABET, 2022). This has been the standard for coursedesign for decades since the advent of pre-requisite courses that lay the foundation for latercourses in the curriculum (Skinner, 1954; Sato et al., 2017). One of those courses is theEngineering Statics course, which is also known by alternative names, such as Statics andDynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Structural Elements and

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 3: Advancements in Teaching Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Mohammad Abu Rafe Biswas, The University of Texas at Tyler; Prabha Sundaravadivel, The University of Texas at Tyler; Aaditya Khanal, The University of Texas at Tyler

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

solutions, multiplestakeholders and no conclusive formulation) or the ability to communicate in a digital environment[1, 2]. Moreover, project-based learning (PBL) has been gaining more traction in engineeringprograms to facilitate student learning experience and professional development. Although designcourses including capstone design have PBL with components of EML, entrepreneurial mindsetbased PBL is quite uncommon in many engineering courses that are not design courses [3].Traditional engineering course projects involve a relatively close-ended problem whereinstructions and information about the project specifications are provided. This can be due toengineering instructors lack of access to curriculum that focuses on problem solving with

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 1: Foundations of Engineering Education

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jenni Buckley, University of Delaware; Amy Trauth, American Institutes for Research; Alexander John De Rosa, University of Delaware

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

task and promote self-regulation to task completion, Azevedo etal.’s research and others [19-21] have shown that the integration of adaptive, pedagogicalscaffolds catalyzes student performance, especially those with low prior knowledge or skill.Distributed scaffolds in project-based learning in the early years of postsecondary engineeringprograms has indicated positive student outcomes related to academic engagement, performanceon key assignments, and development and use of fabrication and prototyping skills necessary forthe profession. Allam et al. [22] found scaffolding in freshman engineering project-basedlearning yielded greater than normal student engagement in all phases of design and in overallproject management. Carpenter et al. [14

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Poster Session

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jiliang Li, D.Eng., Ph.D., P.E., California Baptist University; Jinyuan Zhai, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

, including ceramics, soils and rocks,and the skeleton framework of Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) were introduced.To pique students’ interests, we introduced simple sieve analysis lab tests. This helpsexpanding students’ design concepts not only involving mechanical, electrical, and structuraldesign, but also civil and geotechnical design. ENGR19000 course instructors incorporate tinmelting point laboratory test demonstrations into the course’s curriculum to highlight theimportance of MSE. The tin melting point lab directs students to the material’s phasediagrams as the melting temperature of tin and lead alloys will vary depending on the phaseof the tin and lead, respectively. Almost all four categories of materials (metals, polymers

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 10: Special Topics and Innovative Methods in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Fabian Sorce, Imperial College London; Idris Kevin Mohammed; Kate Ippolito; Marc Masen

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

second year of their studies, thecompulsory design module comprises of a term-long group project in which students have togo through the entire design process from ideation, embodiment design, manufacture,assembly and testing (this group project has previously included gas propelled vehicles,winches, and an electric scooter). This project precedes Design Week which takes place inthe Spring term of the second year. This curriculum leads to an academic year long groupproject in the third year known as DMT (Design, Make and Test), whereby students work insub-teams in the development of a larger, super project (super projects are typically formedof three sub-teams).Design week has been curated to the meet the curriculum requirements, whilst

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 4: Professional Preparation

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Talha Bin Asad, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ; Diana Bairaktarova, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Beyza Nur Guler, University of California, Irvine

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

the effective use of scholarly articlesand engineering standards. The selected group of students performed significantly better andcited more sources compared to their peers without the information. The article notes that theimplementation of appropriate engineering standards has been specified by the American Boardfor Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a key criterion for curriculum assessment.However, additional research is needed to increase the diversity and quantity of engineeringstandards used and reflected in student reports. In order to make engineering standards knowledge more accessible, Phillips et al. [13]proposed a free online program on standardization for product development that offersknowledge ‘beyond the textbook

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 10: Special Topics and Innovative Methods in Mechanical Engineering

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kazi Md Masum Billah, University of Houston, Clear Lake

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

, Timothy W. Simpson, and Nicholas A. Meisel. "Exploring the effects of additive manufacturing education on students' engineering design process and its outcomes." Journal of Mechanical Design 142, no. 4 (2020): 042001.[9]. Williams, Christopher B., and Carolyn Conner Seepersad. "Design for additive manufacturing curriculum: A problem-and project-based approach." 2012 International Solid Freeform Fabrication Symposium, Austin, Texas, (2012).[10]. “Tutorial: GE bracket quick start”, Autodesk.com. https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/?guid=GD-TUT-GE-BRACKET-QS (accessed April, 01, 2024)

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 14: Advanced Pedagogical Techniques

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Patrick Daly, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Mitra Varun Anand, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Curtis Abel, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

-groups hierarchically as subsequent groups have sub-components and physical attributes that are technically measurable by apparatus. Thehierarchical organization stops at the furthest detail available and relevant to the field andtroubleshooter. The systematic approach draws from the problem-solving literature [2], and it iscomposed of recursive tasks in the order of problem description, generate causes, test causes,repair and evaluate. According to Schaafstal et al., ST is field independent as evidenced by itssuccess in electrical, computer, and mechanical related troubleshooting problems separately [3].ST has not been tested or validated against industry norms and practices.The aim of this pilot study is to understand how troubleshooting is

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 11: Integration of Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Lawrence Funke, Ohio Northern University; Maria-Isabel Carnasciali, Merrimack College

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

-source microcontrollers, likeArduino, has marked a revolutionary shift in engineering education and hobbyist projects alike.Figure 1 provides an overview of the prevalence of various controllers over the years based onpublished papers through ASEE. From 2015 to 2021, we see a large increase in the prevalenceof Arduino and Arduino-like controllers. These accessible, versatile platforms havedemocratized the field of embedded systems, enabling students, educators, and DIYenthusiasts to bring interactive projects to life with relative ease. A search through the ASEEpublications (peer.asee.org) reveals over 1000 papers involving Arduino kits published between2002 and 2023 – with higher numbers published by the following divisions: Electrical

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 3: Student Success

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Muzammil Arshad, Texas A&M University; Rebecca R. Romatoski, St. Ambrose University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

picture and approach to the problem.Course StructureThe study performed by Wiebe et al. [2] focused on the development of an online and face-to-face introductory engineering graphics course that presented analysis of student’s usage of onlineresources to augment the instructional support received in class. The study fell short of comingup with a design of a common course structure for engineering and STEM relatedcourses. Similarly, the study performed by He et al. [3] focused on investigating the flexiblehybrid format. The study was performed on a fundamental electrical engineering course. Thisstudy explored other factors such as class attendance impact as well as the study time spent andstudent motivation on the exam performance.Ahn et al. [4

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 7: Assessment and Evaluation in Engineering Education

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jennifer Melanie Bastiaan, Kettering University; Kristy Brinker Brouwer, Kettering University

Tagged Topics

Diversity

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

et al. [3] investigated project-based learning activities in Science, Technology, Engineering,and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in high schools. Specifically, STEM activities were deployedat three high schools in urban, low-income communities in Texas in the US, and the effect of theactivities on student mathematics scores over three years on a standardized test were studied.Students participating in the study were 54% Hispanic and 38% African American, with theremainder made up of White and Asian students. Overall, the student body was 49% male. Thus,the student participants were racially and gender diverse. Interestingly, the lowest performingstudents showed the biggest improvement in mathematics scores after having experiencedproject-based

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 8: Sustainability and Interdisciplinary Learning

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John T Solomon, Tuskegee University; Hang Song, Auburn University; Lauren E. Beckingham, Auburn University; Karen McNeal, Auburn University; Kelly Lazar, Clemson University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

instruction. Two intervention strategies were added to this course as part of the project. Inaddition to lectures, students were grouped and assigned seminars and experimental projectsrelated to renewable energy during the intervention period. Scaled models from HorizonEnergy BoxTM that demonstrate various renewable energy generation are used for the projectexperiments, as shown in Fig. 1. Finally, they collected data, analyzed it, and presented theirprojects. Five to seven student groups, each having four student members, performed experimentson the following renewable energy sources: a) Solar Energy Project In this project, students assembled an electric model car from Horizon Energy Box powered by a solar PV panel. The

Conference Session

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH) Technical Session 13: Lab Experiences

Collection

2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christopher John Greer, The Pennsylvania State University; Devon Eichfeld; Brianne Hargrove; Siu Ling Leung, Pennsylvania State University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

engineering standards, students' prior knowledge, and real-world applicationsFigure 7. Applying the product development process to develop a laboratory course that connects engineering standards, students' prior knowledge, and real-world applications.The two laboratory modules discussed in this paper were part of our department's laboratoryrenovation project. Our team was tasked with designing, developing, and teaching the newlaboratory course to replace the preexisting laboratory course in the previous curriculum. Thecomprehensive details of the project and the complete course design can be found in our earlierpublication [2]. For creating the two laboratory modules presented in this paper, we followed atraditional product development

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 4: Innovation in Engineering Education Methods

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Carmen Maria Muller-Karger, Florida International University; Luis U. Medina Uzcategui, Universidad Austral de Chile

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

Mechanical Engineering, Biomechanics, Motion Analysis, Finite Element Analysis, Mechanical Medical Devices Design. Highly interested in Higher Education Curriculum Design, Academic Leadership, and teaching and classroom innovation. Courses taught: Intro to Engineering, Statics, Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Mechanical Vibrations, Intro to CAD (SolidWorks), Senior Design Project, Numerical Methods, Intro to Biomechanics.Dr. Luis U. Medina Uzcategui, Universidad Austral de Chile Dr. Medina, a Doctor in Engineering holder, currently serves as an academic at the University of Austral de Chile (UACh), specializing in instrumentation, measurement, and mechanical systems dynamics. He is also the coordinator of the Innovation

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 11: Integration of Problem-Solving and Design Thinking

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Michael Foster, George Fox University; Luann Foster

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

(HT) is a required course for students completing the mechanical engineering concentration andis taught annually in the Spring. Students typically take the course during their third-year in theengineering program. In Spring 2024, 30 students were enrolled in HT.In Spring 2009, the instructor began teaching a heat transfer course using a traditional,lecture-based pedagogy. During the following years, the instructor both heard from other facultyand witnessed how electrical engineering students were better prepared to handle the open-endproblems encountered during Senior Design projects. One electrical engineering course inparticular (ENGE 420 Embedded Systems Design, taught by Dr. Gary Spivey) seemed to be themain contributor to student

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 9: Advanced Mechanical Engineering Topics

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Rachel Mok, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cong Li, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Benita Comeau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Emily Welsh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Nicholas Xuanlai Fang, University of Hong Kong; John Liu, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

demonstrate engineering principles.Cong Li, Massachusetts Institute of Technology I am currently working as a systems engineer in the aerospace industry, I contributed to this project as an undergraduate researcher and helped create early versions of the simulation using MatlabDr. Benita Comeau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Benita Comeau teaches a laboratory course on micro/nano engineering, in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a Chemical Engineer by degree, and received her BSE from the Univerisity of Michigan and PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology.Ms. Emily Welsh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ms. Welsh works as an educational technologist

Conference Session

MECH - Technical Session 12: Promoting Student Success and Motivation

Collection

2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Phapanin Charoenphol, Texas A&M University; Arkasama Bandyopadhyay, Texas A&M University

Tagged Divisions

Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)

Dr. Bandyopadhyay’s current projects at TAMU include forecasting of residential electricity demand and implementation of Bloom’s taxonomy-based assessments in undergraduate mechanical engineering courses. In addition to academic research and teaching, she is heavily involved in mentoring graduate students and first-generation undergraduate students in engineering disciplines within and beyond TAMU. ©American Society for Engineering Education, 2024Comparing the impact of individual vs. cooperative Bloom’s Taxonomy-based in-class assignments on student learning in an undergraduate Fluid Mechanics CourseAbstractThis paper explores the effect of individual and small group