Effective Approach to Teaching Stress and Deformation Analysis in Mechanical Engineering Design

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Strength Of Materials ◽  
Dynamic Stresses ◽  
Mechanics Of Materials ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
Engineering Mechanics ◽  
Theoretical Mechanics

The undergraduate course, Design of Machine Elements has been offered by the University of Connecticut’s Mechanical Engineering Department for many years. It has been one of the most difficult courses for students to follow and understand, and also for the faculty to teach. A strong basic knowledge of mathematics, theoretical mechanics and the mechanics of materials is required for students to take this mandatory course and to fully follow its contents. To understand entirely the concepts of Design of Machine Elements, students should be acquainted with the history of the strength of materials. Being aware of the importance of such a course the ME faculty has worked to establish outstanding structural engineering teaching and research methods, and to create a departmental nucleus of intensive development of engineering mechanics research and development. The efforts described in this paper have facilitated the teaching and learning of the mechanics of materials and consequently the Design of Machine Elements as well. To accomplish these in both teaching and practical problem solving the instructor must use the unconventional approaches and students must put a great deal of effort into learning the material. It is important for students to have a general knowledge of mathematics and theoretical mechanics, but as this is a foundation of the course, the instructor should review and clarify the specific assumptions of engineering mechanics and strength of materials. One of the pedagogical challenges to be overcome, which is faced by both instructors and students, has always been to connecting the basic theorems and application procedures of engineering mechanics to their practical use in designing machine elements and in calculating static and dynamic stresses and deformations. The concept of avoiding stress concentrations by properly designing the shapes of machine frames and parts should also be emphasized. Transforming plane stresses and deformations into three-dimensional representations and calculations should also be considered. Since machine elements are usually in motion, a dynamic approach to stress and deflection analysis is important as well. After introducing the analysis of dynamic stresses and deformations, the instructor should cover the concept of fatigue, which is the next crucial step. The instructors’ approaches and the unconventional methods they use to familiarize students with such complicated concepts are discussed in this paper. An analysis of representations of stresses and deformations and fatigue analyses of different machine elements are also considered. This paper connects to some approaches previously presented in earlier papers as well as in courses, books and discussions by outstanding engineering mechanics theoreticians, including UConn faculty, especially Dr. Roman Solecki. The paper concludes by recommending effective teaching approaches to complicated machine design concepts and summarizing the lessons learned. This paper is a companion piece to the IMECE 2015 50776 [1].

Starting on the Right Track: Introducing Students to Mechanical Engineering With a Project-Based Machine Design Course

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron M. Dollar ◽  
Amy E. Kerdok ◽  
Solomon Gilbert Diamond ◽  
Paul M. Novotny ◽  
Robert D. Howe
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Cnc Machining ◽  
Engineering Science ◽  
Student Interest ◽  
Strength Of Materials ◽  
Reverse Engineer ◽  
Cad Models ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
The Right

Over the past four years, we have redesigned Harvard’s introductory mechanical engineering course to introduce the principles, practices, and pleasures of mechanical engineering in an accessible format. The main goals of the course are to provide experience in the design process, demonstrate the connection between engineering science and design early in the curriculum, and build student enthusiasm for engineering, serving to attract and retain students. Unlike most introductory mechanical engineering courses, we cover strength of materials and machine elements, material usually presented much later in the curriculum, in order to provide tools for the students to quantitatively evaluate their designs. By providing just enough of this background knowledge to allow for analysis of designs, we demonstrate the connection between engineering science and design early in curriculum and motivate in-depth coverage of these topics in later courses. The laboratories for the course build enthusiasm for engineering by incorporating exciting design projects and introducing students to some of the most attractive mechanical engineering tools. Students learn 3-D solid modeling with CAD software, create prototypes from CAD models using manual and CNC machining, and reverse engineer common consumer products. Using these tools, students build their own hardware prototypes for both a cantilever beam catapult and a model all-terrain-vehicle. These exercises, carefully chosen to reinforce the strength of materials and machine elements concepts, culminate in design contests that enhance the visibility of engineering within the larger university community and increase student interest in the field.

Design Projects in a Mechanical Engineering Technology Curriculum

1995 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Alan Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Engineering Project ◽  
Engineering Technology ◽  
Lawn Mower ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
Design Projects

Abstract Design oriented “capstone” courses for senior students have enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years. However, incorporating design projects as part of lower level laboratory courses is not as widely practiced. This paper discusses the authors’ experience using design projects in four freshman/sophomore level mechanical engineering technology courses. In a mechanics of materials course, the students have been required to design a structure for an overhead granary, and a device to upright a large electrical transformer. In a fluid power course, students have been required to size and select components and create a schematic for a small machine. In a machine elements course, students have designed a commercial lawn mower and a ribbon printing machine. Students in a production drawing class have designed and produced a set of working drawings for a stamping die, and have worked with a machine elements class as the documentation personnel on a concurrent engineering project. The projects all require problem definition, data research and collection, analysis of the required components, minimum sizing verses commercially available parts, and a schematic or full set of drawings. The desired outcomes are an increased level of interest, involvement, and to help the students make the transition between theory and practice. Graduates of technology programs are involved in design after either an associate degree or a bachelors degree. These graduates will either assist engineers in the design process; or, be responsible for their own designs. The technologist must understand how the theory is applied to the solution of design problems. Design projects are utilized as a means of applying the theory learned in the courses and exposing the students to real life problem solving. This paper will discuss some of the above named projects; how they are presented, how the students are involved, and the results. Some of the lessons learned will be presented. Reports are a major part of all the design projects. This paper will discuss how progress and final reports are utilized in these projects.

Problem Solving in Design of Machine Elements in Mechanical Engineering

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zbigniew M. Bzymek ◽  
Steven S. Hinkle ◽  
Zoila E. Jurado Quiroga
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Engineering Problem ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Legal Responsibility ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Concept Generation ◽  
Machine Elements

The Design of Machine Elements course is one of the most difficult and complicated courses in the Mechanical Engineering program. It requires inventive concept generation, the knowledge of geometrical design, and basic knowledge of stress and deformation analyses. On those three elements, the machine elements design philosophy is established and further developed. The course material has to be chosen carefully since the time constrains will allow to cover design of only few essential machine elements. The material is covered by lectures, textbook readings, homework problems, and design projects. In addition to the textbook content the course contains five special elements: Idea Generation, Safety Considerations, Design of the Day (DoD), a Designer’s Liability study, and three projects including Final Project – Shaft Design. In the Idea Generation project, students generate an idea of machine or mechanical device. The Safety Consideration project is done by inspection and documentation of unsafe elements on campus. The Shaft Design Project had students design a shaft system under given constrains. In DoD students present existing advanced machines chosen using different sources or their own industrial internship experience. The Liability assignment addresses the designer’s legal responsibility in case of a defective product that caused an injury or accident. The material taught in the course is larger than conventional machine element design course. The elements added that are beyond the structural analysis bring better understanding of engineering problems during the Senior Design course and later during engineering practice. They allow the students to connect the theory with the real world of engineering challenges. This gives students more satisfaction during the learning process and cognitive benefits during engineering practice. The unconventional inventive design approach of the teaching team (course instructor and GTA) to problem solving is based on many years of instructor’s experience in teaching of engineering problem solving and design. The learning pattern in which students work in teams, both in problem solving and in design exercises, also helps to conduct the course. Thanks to all these elements the learning experience of the course is unique and engaging despite the high level of difficulty associated with it.

Research of machining forces and technological features of cast PA6, POM C and UHMW-PE HD 1000

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-143
Author(s):  
Robert Keresztes ◽  
Gabor Kalacska
Keyword(s):  
Injection Molding ◽  
Cutting Force ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Cutting Process ◽  
Engineering Practice ◽  
Serial Production ◽  
Machining Forces ◽  
Engineering Plastics ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
Cutting Processes

Nowadays parts made of up-to-date engineering plastics are used more and morein mechanical engineering practice. These machine-elements are produced most frequentlyby injection molding or by one cutting process. The injection molding technology are usedgenerally for great number of pieces, in case of serial production while cutting processes arepreferred to piece (unit) or smaller number production.We used lathe and measured the main- and feeding-directional cutting force at differentengineering polymers (cast PA6, POM C and UHMW PE HD 1000). The analysis made canbe well used in practice.

scholarly journals International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics[ICMEAM 2021], 13 November, 2021

2021 ◽  
Vol 1210 (1) ◽  
pp. 011001
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Structural Mechanics ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Hainan Province ◽  
Applied Mechanics ◽  
International Conference ◽  
Mechanics Of Materials

1. About ICMEAM2021 Yaseen Academy organized the 2021 International Conference on Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (ICMEAM 2021), which was planned to be held during 12-14 November, 2021 at Sanya, Hainan Province, China. Due to the restrictions caused by Covid-19, the participants joined the conference online via Tencent Meeting at 13 November, 2021. The Conference looks for significant contributions to all major fields of Mechanical Engineering, Structural Mechanics and Mechanics of Materials in theoretical and practical aspects. The aim of the conference is to provide a platform to the researchers and practitioners from both academia as well as industry to meet and share cutting-edge development in the field.

Combined Mechanical Engineering Materials Lecture and Mechanics of Materials Laboratory: Cross-Disciplinary Teaching

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Nowak
Keyword(s):  
Biomedical Engineering ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Soft Tissues ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Tensile Shear ◽  
Engineering Programs ◽  
Mechanics Of Materials ◽  
Engineering Materials ◽  
Selection Of

We have developed a course combining a Mechanical Engineering Materials Laboratory with a Materials Science lecture for a small combined population of undergraduate Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering students. By judicious selection of topic order, we have been able to utilize one lecture and one laboratory for both Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering students (with limited splitting of groups). The primary reasons for combining the Mechanical and Biomedical students are to reduce faculty load and required resources in a small university. For schools with medium or small Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering programs, class sizes could be improved if they could include other populations. The heterogeneous populations also aid in teaching students that the same engineering techniques are useful in more than a single engineering realm. The laboratory sections begin with the issues common to designing and evaluating mechanical testing, followed by tensile, shear, and torsion evaluation of metals. To introduce composite materials, wood and cement are evaluated. While the Mechanical Engineering students are evaluating impact and strain gauges, the Biomedical Engineering students are performing tensile studies of soft tissues, and compression of long bones. The basic materials lectures (beginning at the atomic level) are in common with both Mechanical and Biomedical student populations, until specific topics such as human body materials are discussed. Three quarters of the term is thus taught on a joint basis, and three or four lectures are split. Basic metal, plastic and wood behavior is common to both groups.

A Gear-Chain Based Transmission for the Machine Elements Design Laboratory

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Azzouz ◽  
Guy Bernard
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Planetary Gear ◽  
Vehicle Performance ◽  
Vehicle Loading ◽  
Engineering Department ◽  
Variable Transmission ◽  
Machine Elements ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Engine Components

This project describes the collaboration of two instructors, one from the mechanical engineering department and one from the mathematics department with a group of mechanical engineering students to build and analyze a new type of transportation transmission. Current transmissions have torque limitations when working at various vehicle loading conditions. The ideal vehicle transmission is a continuously variable transmission that delivers optimum torque at any loading condition. The motivation for this research project is to design a new transmission that would increase the number of gear ratios using a chain element, and consequentially, increasing the number of available torques to achieve better overall vehicle performance. The new transmission consists of two planetary gears systems linked by a chain. It includes multiple inputs and outputs with the possibility of using one of the outputs to drive other engine components. The system is currently investigated for all possible gear ratios and usable torque configurations. The gear ratios are determined using Willis’s formula for planetary gear systems. All possible gear combinations are investigated and their gear ratios mathematically determined. A prototype was designed and built. It is being automatized, currently.

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