An Introduction to Engineering Design

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate verbal, visual and written communication skills to communicate design information effectively to different audiences using a range of delivery methods.
• Demonstrate the use of drawing by hand throughout the design process to develop and communicate ideas.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce basic engineering drawings.
• Demonstrate basic skills in applying computer aided design in developing and defining engineering design solutions.
• Select relevant computer programming methods and tools and integrate them within a design process.
• Understand the role of computer aided design within an engineering design process.
• Apply computer programming knowledge to develop algorithms for the solution and visualisation of engineering design tasks.

Engineering practice

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand how to make safe and effective use of manufacturing facilities within the School of Engineering to produce rigs or prototypes with available resources.
• Demonstrate skills in basic workshop practice.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Understand the role of communication skills within an engineering design process.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the roles, responsibilities and characteristics required to be an effective team member in a high performing team.

Design

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply creativity, design thinking and design principles to develop innovative engineering design solutions.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply all stages of design process methodology to develop design solutions.

Economic, legal, social, ethical and environmental context

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Understand the influence of human, social, cultural and environmental factors in developing sustainable design solutions.

Engineering analysis

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply numerical analysis, calculation, estimation, and experimentation to evaluate designs.

Design process:

Design process methodology.

Ideation techniques and concept development.

Design review and critical thinking.

Evaluation and verification through numerical analysis, calculation and experiment.

Historical and contemporary case studies in design thinking and development.

Human and environmental design parameters:

Human factors - needs, wants, interaction, comfort and inclusivity.

Sustainable design – economic, social and environmental consequences.

Ethical design thinking and responsible design values.

Designing for equality, diversity and inclusion.

Communication:

Verbal, visual, and written communication.

Audience and delivery contexts.

Hand drawing, sketch modelling and basic graphic design software processes.

Effective graphical communication of data.

Basic engineering drawing skills.

Computer Aided Design:

Basic CAD modelling processes for building, analysis and visualisation.

Parametric modelling.

Computer Programming:

Basic Python programming functionalities, i.e.: functions and control flow; lists, loops, strings, dictionaries and arrays.

Code structure and style, i.e. file input/output; modules and classes; PEP8 compliance.

Applications using NumPy, SciPy and MatPlotLib, i.e. numerical operations; graph plotting.

Teamworking:

Strategies for effective teamworking.

Practical experience in leadership and followership roles and peer-to-peer learning.

Manufacturing:

Introduction to the School of Engineering manufacturing facilities and safety considerations.

Skills in basic workshop practice, including sheet metal, MIG welding, turning and milling, electronic soldering.

Prototyping of models for demonstration and analysis.

Teaching and learning methods

This module focuses on a series of practical design activities set throughout the academic year, supported by lectures, workshops, self-paced activities and design tutorials to introduce supporting skills and theory. These activities involve a mix of individual, and group-based tasks.

You learn by doing with a particular focus on identifying your own educational needs to direct your own learning. Personal reflection, self-paced and peer-to-peer learning play an important role in this.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal