Industry Sponsored Design Competition: Opportunities And Challenges For A Capstone Senior Design Project
- Conference
- Location
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Chicago, Illinois
- Publication Date
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June 18, 2006
- Start Date
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June 18, 2006
- End Date
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June 21, 2006
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Design in Engineering Education
- Page Count
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8
- Page Numbers
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11.755.1 - 11.755.8
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--1340
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/1340
- Download Count
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470
Paper Authors
Betsy Aller Western Michigan University
Dr. Betsy M. Aller has a Ph.D. and M.S in Rhetoric and Technical Communication from Michigan Technological University. She coordinates senior capstone design and teaches technical communication and industrial management courses in the Department of Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering at Western Michigan University. Dr. Aller’s research interests include professional development of students in the engineering workplace, assessment and evaluation of ABET criterion and STEM-related experiences for women and minorities.
Alamgir Choudhury Western Michigan University
Alamgir A. Choudhury is an assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing engineering at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. He earned his MS and PhD from NMSU(Las Cruces) and BS in mechanical engineering from BUET (Dhaka). His interest includes computer applications in curriculum, MCAE, mechanics, fluid power and instrumentation & process control. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio and affiliated with ASME, ASEE, SME and TAP.
James Kamman Western Michigan University
Dr. James Kamman is an Associate Professor of Mechanical & Aeronautical Engineering at Western Michigan University. He has Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. in Applied Mechanics from University of Cincinnati. Prior to working at WMU, Dr. Kamman developed computer models to test the open-loop and closed-loop performance of towed marine systems for the US Navy. He also designed and participated in at-sea, open-loop, and closed-loop performance tests of these systems. His research interest includes multibody system dynamics, numerical modeling and control.
Jorge Rodriguez Western Michigan University
Jorge Rodriguez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and a Research Associate of the Human Performance Institute at Western Michigan University. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison and his M.B.A. from Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ. Dr. Rodriguez teaches courses in Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing, Mechanical Design, Biomechanics and Finite Element Analysis. His research is in the field of computers in engineering, particularly in machine design, systems modeling, and biomechanics.
Mohammed Elsamawal Western Michigan University
Mohammed Elsamawal is a graduate student in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Western Michigan University. He received his BS in mechanical engineering from Omdurman Islamic University and currently pursuing a Masters in Manufacturing Engineering. His proficiency is in machine shop fabrication and maintenance of tractor and automotive system.
Michael Desjardins Western Michigan University
Michael Desjardins is an undergraduate student of Engineering Graphics and Design Technology at Western Michigan University. He was a team member of the hydraulic bicycle design project and represented Western Michigan University in Parker Chainless Challenge in 2005. Currently he is working as a design engineer with Mann+Hummel in Kalamazoo, MI. He is proficient in IDEAS, Pro-E and CATIA for design and analysis.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Industry-sponsored Design Competition: Opportunities and Challenges for a Capstone Senior Design Project
Abstract. Industry-sponsored product development competitions pose both opportunities and challenges for senior design projects in engineering and engineering technology programs. Capstone design faculty recognize the value of industry-sponsored projects for involving students in genuine practice of the design process, and participating in major competitions can result in substantial resources, supportive sponsors, and enhanced motivation for students. However, such competitions may also impose timing, process, materials, fabrication, and performance constraints that are not always encountered in a more typical capstone design project. This paper discusses a Western Michigan University senior design project that was part of a national hydraulic bicycle design competition sponsored by Parker Hannifin Corporation. Innovative product design based on specified design criteria led students through each step of a complete design process, and the design project eventual ranking in the national competition. Incorporating long-term performance criteria of a product at an early stage of the design cycle was beneficial, and this experience is discussed. However, the team encountered a number of challenges in working through the many constraints of the competition. Because such competitions typically work from a corporate rather than an academic timeline, prototyping, design refinement, fabrication of the final product, and a performance-based competition may be overwhelming for a two-semester project. Variability of the design team, integration of multiple design concepts in the final design, component fabrication, and performance issues related to selection of available industrial components in lieu of specified components in the design are also discussed. All of these specific conditions affect the implementation method of a traditional engineering design process and must be addressed by senior design faculty. Thus, while industry-sponsored competitions offer exciting potential for capstone design projects, it is important that faculty, students, and sponsors recognize and respond to the constraints and challenges they are likely to face in successful completion of these projects.
Introduction Capstone design faculty increasingly seeks corporate sponsorship and involvement in senior projects, recognizing the value for students in responding to “real-world” needs, expectations, and constraints1. Motivation for students is enhanced when they see themselves solving a genuine problem for a real client2, 3, and interaction with sponsors exposes students to demands and requirements not typically encountered in usual lab settings. Both this motivation and the rigor of project requirements can be heightened when the industry-based senior project is part of a larger competition4 . This paper discusses one such project, undertaken for Parker Hannifin Corporation’s national competition for design of a hydraulic bicycle by a senior team of four
Aller, B., & Choudhury, A., & Kamman, J., & Rodriguez, J., & Elsamawal, M., & Desjardins, M. (2006, June), Industry Sponsored Design Competition: Opportunities And Challenges For A Capstone Senior Design Project Paper presented at 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois. 10.18260/1-2--1340
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