Transcript Innovations in mechanical engineering design and

Innovations in mechanical engineering
design and professional skills teaching
at University of Birmingham
Mozafar Saadat
School of Mechanical Engineering
University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
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Contents
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5.
Design and Professional Skills (DPS) teaching at Birmingham
Expected Learning outcomes and goals of DPS
Innovations in teaching method
Analysis and discussions of the change
Conclusions
i. Benefits to students
ii. Benefits to the University
iii. Benefits to industry
University of Birmingham
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MEng/BEng Mechanical Engineering programme
structure at Birmingham
Year 1
Design and
Professional Skills 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Applied Mechanics
Engineering
Science
Thermo-Fluids
Engineering
Science
Mathematics
Individual
Engineering
Project
Design and
Professional Skills 2
Design and
Professional Skills 3
Manufacturing /Business
Optional Theme
University of Birmingham
Engineering
Science
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Aim
Freshers
Engineering Science
Mathematics
Design
MEng / BEng
Mechanical Engineering
Programme
Generic and
Professional Skills
Highly prepared
Mechanical
Engineering
Graduates for
Industry
Resources
University of Birmingham
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Professional Skills Elements
•
Study Skills
–
–
–
–
–
•
Study Skills +
Engineering Skills +
Professional Skills +
Engineering Science
Engineering Skills
–
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–
•
Technical report writing
Oral presentation
Enquiry-based learning
Information search
Group working
Drawing
Standards
FMECA
CAE
etc.
Good Product Design
Professional Skills
–
–
–
–
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Project management
Business innovation
Sustainability
Law
Health and Safety
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Year 1
(DSP 1)
Year 2
(DSP 2)
Year 3
(DSP 3)
2005-06
2006-07
- Professional Skills (Part 1)
- Group Project: Product Design
Specification
2007-08
- Professional Skills (Part 2)
- Professional Skills
- Group Project: Detailed
Design
2008-09
Professional Skills through:
Group Project: Product Design
Spec., Conceptual Design
2009-10
(Projected)
Group Project: Product Design
Specification, Conceptual and
Detailed Design
Group Project: Detailed Design
University of Birmingham
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Professional Skills teaching
2006-07 Programme
Team Building residential course at Coniston – Report
All Lectures:
Project Management lectures – Individual Assignment
Business Innovation – Individual Assignment
Sustainability – Individual Assignment
Health and Safety - Individual Assignment
Design Project over three semesters – Written Report and Presentation
University of Birmingham
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Professional Skills teaching
2007-08 Programme
Team Building residential course at Coniston – Report
All Lectures:
Project Management lectures – Assignment
Business Innovation – Assignment
Sustainability – Assignment
Health and Safety - Assignment
University of Birmingham
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Professional Skills teaching
2008/09 Programme
Lectures:
Project Management
Residential Course
at Coniston:
Team-Building
Sustainability
Law
Integrated Professional Skills and
Conceptual Design Group Project
Lectures:
Business Innovation
Health & Safety
Production of a single major report a
University of Birmingham
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Design and Professional Skills teaching at University of Birmingham
Semester 1
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Semester 2
Engineering Skills and Study Skills feeding into small
group design Projects and a Design and Build project
Computer Aided
Geometric Modelling
Team-Building
at Coniston
June
Workshop
Practice
Professional Skills Feeding into a
Group Conceptual Design Project
Engineering Science feeding into a major group, detailed design project
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Comparison of students performance in applying Professional
Skills in group projects for different teaching methods
80
60
40
Various teaching methods
University of Birmingham
3rd Year (Old
System)
0
2nd Year
(Old System)
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New 2nd
Year
Professional Skills
Performance
100
Data: 36 design
groups involving
245 students over
three years
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Benefits to Students
• Deeper and much more practical learning of professional skills through a
real project
• Increased level of enquiry-based learning
• Higher, more enthusiastic participation in group work
• Reduction of six smaller, unrelated assignments to one major integrated
project
• Higher quality of design output, leading to better marks
• Higher level of preparation to conduct Year 3 group design project
University of Birmingham
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Benefits to the University
• Decreased number of assignment administration and marking
(Assignments number reduced from 6 to 1)
• A more co-ordinated and responsive approach to design teaching
• Increased efficiency in the management of the module
• Decreased level of student enquiries due to complications of disjointed
teaching elements
University of Birmingham
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Benefits to Industry
• Recruiting more highly prepared mechanical engineering graduates with
more practical and relevant knowledge of engineering science applied to
design activity.
• Engaging with graduates with increased ability and alertness to integrate
and perform more efficiently within an enterprise.
• Reduced cost of training, hence assigning graduates to more critical tasks
more quickly.
University of Birmingham
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Conclusions
• Teaching of mechanical engineering Design and Professional Skills has
been rationalised considerably at the University of Birmingham.
• Professional Skills teaching have been integrated successfully with the
design project.
• Students have shown increased enthusiasm through their group work,
leading to better quality of output.
• New graduates are expected to offer tangible, more practical capabilities
in design development and process.
• BP have now sponsored mechanical engineering Design and Professional
Skills modules at University of Birmingham .
University of Birmingham
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