Engineering Design - Report Example

Name Professor Institution Course Date Executive Summary This report looks at the evaluation of the work and activities that I have been engaged in during the second semester in engineering design and computer aided design work. In Engineering Design, I was required to work on gaining skills related to use of CAD. I was also expected to work in furthering my skills in areas of mathematics and physics. My oral skills were also to be improved through presentations that were to be carried out through the course. The tasks given in this semester were three. These included the sport shoe testing and design challenge. The main aim of this task was to experiment shock and rebound properties of the running shoes. The maximum height that was measured in every drop was measured to determine the effect of hardness and thickness. From this experiment, the maximum force was experienced when the ball dropped vertically to the load cell. The second assignment was designing a battery charger using the alternative energy. The main aim of this design was to look at alternative sources of energy. The last task in the design was coming up with a model truss bridge. The bridge was to be designed with dimensions of 550mm X 100mm X 100mm, and able to withstand 10Kgs of load at the centre of the structure. This task required teamwork in building the bridge and writing a report. The main difficulty was the timeframe for learning the CAD software and implementing the project. I was able to achieve this and gained a lot of skills. 1.0 Introduction The main aim of engineering design is to gain creative skills to solve problems through devising solutions. By the end of this unit, I had gained a lot of skills which are fundamental in the engineering design. The knowledge of mathematics and physics acted as tools in achieving this. My team work skills were improved to a great extent and I was able to work in any environment by interacting with others. During this time, I was required to gain skills on how to communicate orally, through writing and also drawings. One of the skills that helped me a lot in revising for my report is the reflective journal that I kept. At the beginning of the second semester, we were introduced to the engineering design, lectures commenced in the second week and ended in the eleventh week. The design work that we did during this time was designing the battery charger, building a truss bridge, looking at then design of athlete shoes and model testing which was carried out in the workshop. The tasks were carried out in group work. Throughout the semester, I worked hard to keep track of all events. 2.0 Outcomes There were eight results First outcome “Systematic approach to engineering design” The tasks building and solving required us to use a standard and efficient procedure. This was to help us come up with a high standard end product. The set time in most cases was flexible making it possible to make changes. This helped in that it could fit any challenge that was encountered. The steps followed were; Meeting and planning- the students gave their details to each other and got to identify their teammates. In this gathering, a date was set for the next meeting. Looking at the challenges- the members looked at the designs and identified the challenges expected. Research- every team member looked for the required research in the designs. Meeting-this was an opportunity where the team members met and discussed the way forward. The sessions involved brainstorming and coming up with solutions. Designing- the students started the design work. Using the steps in research design In carrying out the second task, the group followed all the steps. They looked for the best design through research. One of the main sources of the research was by individual members’ contribution and brainstorming. For the battery charger, the same steps were followed. The challenges in this design were first identified and analyzed. The students then brainstormed the best approach of design to come up with the best. The input voltage was converted from 6V to 3V using suitable circuit. During the brainstorming session, the group was able to come up with the best design. In the last design that was chosen, it consisted of a variable resistor parallel to the battery. A diode was put before the battery to prevent the current from backflow. This was all illustrated in the battery charger report. Second outcome “Organising and evaluating information on a range of topics related to engineering design” In every design that I undertook in this course, I did a lot of research to have adequate knowledge of the required design. This is because research worked to help me in gaining valuable insight into the problem at hand. The tasks needed in these designs involved the use of information from the research. I had to use the internet to gain more information. Most of the information required was found on the activity folder and other resources provided. Third outcome “Identifying the technical, environmental, social and economic factors impacting on the solution of the engineering design problems” During the implementation of the design, several issues related to the social environmental and economic factors affected the final solution. These included time frames, selection of the final materials and cost involved. The design used in these tasks can be used in other subjects. The task involved designing a truss bridge that could handle the pressure. This design had to be accomplished by a team and used simple materials. The design was set to test our ability to use the mathematical calculations in solving real life problems. We were arranged into groups, and each group looked at a different design. The team I was assigned to, took the challenge of designing a truss bridge. Fourth outcome “Use computer aided design software to develop and present design solutions” Computer aided design helped a lot in gaining knowledge on design. This software was very beneficial as I was able to gain knowledge on how to design 3D objects and analyse them using it. I was able to carry out all the tasks that were assigned to me based on CAD during the semester. The work that I did with Computer Aided Design (CAD) software made me aware of how to work in a technological engineering. My portfolio shows that I have gained enough understanding on the CAD and how to use it in making engineering designs. Fifth outcome “Communicating effectively with others both orally and in writing or by means of engineering drawings” The course had a lot of tasks which involved writing reports and reflective writings. The reports wrote were mostly formal and related to the tasks that I was undertaking. At the end of course, I was able to write formal reports using the right structure. This is a high skill for an engineer in their day to day activity. The report structure is a vital step in any engineering discipline as it is a tool for communication. For example, in every report, the inclusion of the executive summary acts in guiding the person reading on what is discussed in the body of the report. The reports have a conclusion and a recommendation to enable in revealing the work being done and the final results. The report uses technical terms to describe its findings based on the research. In this report, the technical terms used are based on the context of engineering. When designing a Truss bridge we used terms such as force, bending moments, stress, strain among other technical terms related. The main guidelines avoided the use of informal language and short forms which are used in the informal language. This is because the report is supposed to be professional. The main difference between the weekly journal and the report was on the tone that was used. Sixth outcome “Demonstrate an ability to learn individually and collaboratively in a team environment” In order to get the best outcome in a group, all involved should work together. The personal contribution should also be put into the team so as to make it possible to gain the best results. I did my best in doing the research and combining it with my teammates to achieve the best. I had made a timetable for all my activities that I did during this time. There are several pictures to support this. I also made it a habit to keep in touch with my friends through constant communication. This involved texting them and calling through phone. Through communication, we could set time when we could meet and work on projects. The task of writing the group report was assigned to every group member. I took an active part in report writing as I have indicated in my journal. In my part, I made an effort to make that I did it according to the members’ requirements. I also made it a practice to ask for advice using the available communication channels from my team members. Please refer my reflective journal. Seventh Outcome “Use a personal reflective journal and establish perfections in their usefulness as learners” Kindly refer to the reflective journal page to address you to the reflected journals Eight outcome “Respond to learning situations in a socially and culturally responsible manner” When working in a team, respect and multicultural communication is essential for success. The members come from different backgrounds, races, cultures and religions with a common goal. There are also different tastes and perspectives among individuals in a group. The different opinions given by the group members represented the views in a multicultural setting. This was a high setting that was a representation of a working world. In the setting of the workplace, we are expected to work with people from different nationalities. The relation that we establish with them determines how we perform in the field. The team work demands that we respect each other opinion and refrain from being judgmental. My team was able to work together up to the end through consulting each other and giving each member the required attention. The members had appreciated working in diversity to gain a general objective. The diversity in a group helps in bringing out different ideas which can be combined. The resolution is to work with others and come up with a solution that will help all. The team work requires understanding and looking at every member’s opinion. 3.0 Peer assessment The course included assessing our peers. Peer assessment is a vital tool which can be used to gauge the group performance. The peer assessment involved using the laboratory to make and looking ion the way data was being collected from the experiments that were conducted. This helped in assisting each other in the process. We took the feedback from our peers and used it to improve on our weakness. This was based on the knowledge that everyone had a weakness. 4.0 Grad nomination I have been able to work on new areas that I had weakness before. I lacked some generic skills that were required in the profession and improved on them. I was able to know the importance of each skill that I gained in the field of engineering and different places of work. My overall skills in the field of engineering design have been outstanding in all aspects. Through the important skills that I have gained, I believe that my performance in this course is above average. I have worked very hard on all the projects that I have carried out which supports this claim. These are also proofed by the documents that I have attached in the appendix. 5.0 Conclusion Studying this course has been a great help for me. I have gained valuable skills and traits that will help me in my future work as an engineer. My skills in engineering have matured, and I expect that this is an indicator that I will make a good professional. Working as a team is one of the traits that I have gained. This will work in helping me as I enter into the job later after studies. Read More