Incorporating an engineering standard for a team design project in simulation-based design course

Xiaobin Le; Gloria Guohua Ma

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: ME Division 6: Innovative Simulation and Extended Reality Techniques
Tagged Division: Mechanical Engineering Division (MECH)
Page Count: 14
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--56773
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/56773
Download Count: 2

Paper Authors

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Xiaobin Le Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Professor, Ph.D, PE., Department of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA 02115, Phone: 617-989-4223, Email: Lex@wit.edu, Specialization in Computer Aided Design, Mechanical Design, Finite Element Analysis, Fatigue design and reliability design.

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Gloria Guohua Ma Wentworth Institute of Technology

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Gloria Ma is a Professor in the Mechanical Engineering program at Wentworth Institute of Technology. She is actively involved in community services of offering STEM workshops to middle- and high-school girls. Her research interests include dynamics and system modeling, geometry modeling, project based engineering design, and robotics in manufacturing, artificial intelligent in Manufacturing, and engineering education.

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Abstract

Mechanical engineering programs equip students with a wide range of skills and abilities. Some of the most important include the ability to conduct mechanical design, adhere to engineering standards, and verify that designs meet the required specifications. Many tasks for mechanical engineers in the industry involve addressing complex mechanical design challenges. The first essential skill for engineering students is the ability to carry out mechanical design. Most mechanical design products are created to serve society and customers. Numerous engineering standards, such as those established by ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), are in place to protect both society and customers, as well as maintain the reputation of the engineering profession. When conducting mechanical designs, students must understand and follow these standards. Thus, the second key skill for engineering students is the ability to comprehend and comply with relevant engineering standards. After completing a design, engineers must demonstrate that it meets the design requirements, which includes determining stress, strain, and the factor of safety. It is well known that calculating stress, strain, and the factor of safety for real components is challenging, if not impossible, due to complex shapes and loading conditions. However, this can be achieved through FEA (Finite Element Analysis) simulations. Therefore, the third critical skill for mechanical engineering students is the ability to perform FEA simulations. This paper presents a team design project that integrates all three of these skills in a simulation-based design course. The simulation-based design course is a required, 15-week course in our mechanical engineering program. It is a 2-4-4 credit course, consisting of a 2-hour lecture and a 4-hour lab, totaling 4 credits. The course primarily focuses on using FEA simulations to determine stress, strain, and the factor of safety of mechanical components and assemblies under static loads. In week 10, students are assigned a major design project titled "Analysis of Bolted API Flange and Gasket." This is a team project with 2 to 4 members per group. The project involves connecting a tank, rated for 5000 psi, to a piping system using an API-rated flange. Each team is given a different flange configuration based on the innermost diameter. The project has four main tasks: (1) Students are asked to study the API-6A standard, which governs the design of flange connectors, and are encouraged to search for additional information online. (2) Teams will design the flange connectors according to their assigned configuration. This includes selecting materials, determining dimensions based on API-6A standards, and creating SolidWorks models of the components and assembly, followed by part and assembly drawings. (3) The primary function of a flange connector is to deliver high-pressure petroleum, such as at 5000 psi, through the connection without leakage. Students must run an FEA simulation to verify that their design will prevent leakage. (4) Finally, each team will write a technical report summarizing their work. This paper will present the project’s implementation, feedback from students, and the results of student surveys regarding the project.

Citation
Format

Le, X., & Ma, G. G. (2025, June), Incorporating an engineering standard for a team design project in simulation-based design course Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . 10.18260/1-2--56773

TY - CPAPER
AB - Mechanical engineering programs equip students with a wide range of skills and abilities. Some of the most important include the ability to conduct mechanical design, adhere to engineering standards, and verify that designs meet the required specifications. Many tasks for mechanical engineers in the industry involve addressing complex mechanical design challenges. The first essential skill for engineering students is the ability to carry out mechanical design. Most mechanical design products are created to serve society and customers. Numerous engineering standards, such as those established by ASME (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers), are in place to protect both society and customers, as well as maintain the reputation of the engineering profession. When conducting mechanical designs, students must understand and follow these standards. Thus, the second key skill for engineering students is the ability to comprehend and comply with relevant engineering standards. After completing a design, engineers must demonstrate that it meets the design requirements, which includes determining stress, strain, and the factor of safety. It is well known that calculating stress, strain, and the factor of safety for real components is challenging, if not impossible, due to complex shapes and loading conditions. However, this can be achieved through FEA (Finite Element Analysis) simulations. Therefore, the third critical skill for mechanical engineering students is the ability to perform FEA simulations. This paper presents a team design project that integrates all three of these skills in a simulation-based design course.
The simulation-based design course is a required, 15-week course in our mechanical engineering program. It is a 2-4-4 credit course, consisting of a 2-hour lecture and a 4-hour lab, totaling 4 credits. The course primarily focuses on using FEA simulations to determine stress, strain, and the factor of safety of mechanical components and assemblies under static loads. In week 10, students are assigned a major design project titled &quot;Analysis of Bolted API Flange and Gasket.&quot; This is a team project with 2 to 4 members per group. The project involves connecting a tank, rated for 5000 psi, to a piping system using an API-rated flange. Each team is given a different flange configuration based on the innermost diameter. The project has four main tasks: (1) Students are asked to study the API-6A standard, which governs the design of flange connectors, and are encouraged to search for additional information online. (2) Teams will design the flange connectors according to their assigned configuration. This includes selecting materials, determining dimensions based on API-6A standards, and creating SolidWorks models of the components and assembly, followed by part and assembly drawings. (3) The primary function of a flange connector is to deliver high-pressure petroleum, such as at 5000 psi, through the connection without leakage. Students must run an FEA simulation to verify that their design will prevent leakage. (4) Finally, each team will write a technical report summarizing their work.
This paper will present the project’s implementation, feedback from students, and the results of student surveys regarding the project.

AU - Xiaobin Le
AU - Gloria Guohua Ma
CY - Montreal, Quebec, Canada
DA - 2025/06/22
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Incorporating an engineering standard for a team design project in simulation-based design course
UR - https://peer.asee.org/56773
DO - 10.18260/1-2--56773
ER -