Module overview
This module follows on from FEEG1001 Design and Computing where students focus on the design of functional parts. In FEEG2001 students address the design of a system consisting of a number of interacting parts which may include mechanical and electrical parts, sensors, actuators and real-time computational devices.
Students work within a group to practically apply their knowledge to design, build and test an artefact in response to an engineering brief within a proactive and competitive environment. Particular focus is placed upon the ability to work as an effective team and realise a coordinated and well-resolved engineering system.
In semester 1 design and computational skills are extended in preparation for a challenging design project in semester 2, in which teams of five students will respond to one of the following briefs:
- A robot, for example that will compete in the Eurobot international contest.
- A responsive system that senses and responds to some environmental stimuli.
- An instrumented fixed wing unmanned flying vehicle wing and control system.
- An instrumented multirotor unmanned flying vehicle and control system.
- An instrumented pseudo-satellite and control system.
- An active hi-fi loudspeaker unit with digital crossover.
The testing of the final artefact has great importance and is supported by the use of internationally recognised acoustic facilities, for the loudspeaker design and by participation in inter-group demonstrations for the UAV, multirotor, Eurobot and responsive system designs.
This module is linked to FEEG2006 Engineering Management and Law where the management of the group design project is assessed. This supports the development of effective management and group working skills within the context of designing and delivering a challenging engineering project.
External consultants, visiting professors and subject experts in Acoustic, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering have been consulted in the design of this module. This has ensured a high educational standard and industry relevance.
Linked modules
Pre-requisites: FEEG1001 and FEEG1002 and FEEG1004
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Design - Produce successful system designs through individual and team working.
- Design - Examine a systems design critically and identify potential improvements.
- Computing - Decompose a model of an engineering system and its processes into smaller tasks that can be solved sequentially (by a computer).
- Computing - Be able to design real-time algorithms to control systems.
- Computing - Understand the concepts behind software engineering and design decisions in modelling software.
- Design - Communicate a systems design idea/concept graphically.
Subject Specific Practical Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Computing - Use the Arduino Integrated Development Environments [IDE], or MATLAB Simulink.
- Design - Ensure that part geometry and tolerances are consistent with functional/process/standards constraints.
- Computing - Produce and interpret simulations of system performance.
- Design - Prepare geometry data for prototyping processes or systems modelling.
- Computing - Interface sensors and actuators to a real-time processor.
- Design - Produce and interpret 2D & 3D geometry and datasets.
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Computing - to develop understanding of (compiled) programming principles.
- Computing - How to interface an algorithm with hardware devices or other software modules.
- Computing - The characteristics of and an ability to model a range of hardware devices, sensors and actuators.
- Computing - To understand how to solve system design problems by integrating algorithms, actuators, sensors and mechanical parts.
- Computing - How to design and build a system from component parts either physical or simulated.
- Computing - To understand the concepts of real-time computing.
- Computing - How to select the right hardware devices or analysis techniques to meet a system design challenge.
- Computing - Critically analysing results.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Design - Understand the definition of a “system” of parts and how parts interact to meet functional requirements.
- Computing - Analyse computer programs to understand their structure.
- Computing - Identify types of problems to pick the right solution strategy whether computational or physical.
- Generate innovative designs for systems and components to fulfill the needs of a project brief.
- Computing - Design and implement small computer programs independently.
Syllabus
SEMESTER 1
- Design (weeks 1-12):
- Design theory (4 lectures)
- Manufacturing and Design for Manufacturing (1 lecture)
- PID Controllers (2 lectures)
- Structural Analysis (4 lectures)
- Engineering Design and Drawing - good practice (1 lecture)
Computing (weeks 1-6):
- The Arduino microprocessor Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- Analogue/digital conversion
- Communicating with sensors (infra-red, ultrasonic)
- Control of motors and servos
Computing (weeks 7-11, Aeronautical, Mechanical and Space Systems Engineering):
- Further Arduino applications
- Additional sensors (pressure, accelerometer, GPS)
- Computing (weeks 7-12, Acoustical Engineering)
- High level computing efor design
- Real-time signal processing with the Arduino Due microcontroller
SEMESTER 2
Group Design Project (weeks 1-12)
- The Design, Build and Test of an engineering system, working in teams and realised through one of the following design briefs
- UAV
To design a wing system capable of maximum speed range to suit a small flying vehicle and design a flight controller using a Simulink model of the aircraft.
- Eurobot
To design a ground vehicle that is capable of a degree of autonomous behaviour and designed to carry out a strategic set of tasks using sensors and actuators.
- Multirotor
To design a multirotor that is capable of a degree of autonomous behaviour and designed to carry out a task.
- GimSat
To design a pseudo-satellite that is capable of a degree of autonomous behaviour and designed to carry out a set of tasks.
- Responsive System
To design a responsive system that senses and responds to the characteristics of its local environment, including the proximity of moving objects, unique to its specified location.
- Loudspeaker
To design an active loudspeaker with digital crossover (incorporating additional taught material on computational aspects of loudspeaker design).
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
This module will be delivered through a combination of the following:
1. Lectures for the delivery of new material and concepts.
2. Practical sessions where students will tackle a set of design or computing tasks.
3. Workshop sessions for students to work in groups and develop design proposals.
Demonstrators/ academic staff will be available to answer questions and provide feedback during practical and workshop sessions.
The teaching pattern is summarised below.
SEMESTER 1
DESIGN
- Lectures on formal design theories (weeks 1-12).
o Design theory
o Manufacturing and Design for Manufacturing
o PID Controllers
o Structural Analysis
o Engineering Design and Drawing - good practice
- Computer-based Design Tutorials (weeks 5-11).
o Manufacturing (1 session)
o Structural Analysis (4 sessions)
COMPUTING
o Lectures, computer-based practical classes and homework exercises to introduce the Arduino microcontroller and programming system. All students study the following topics:
o Introduction to the Arduino IDE programming environment
o Simple Arduino circuits
o Simple Arduino programming
o Connecting Sensors to the Arduino
o Controlling actuators and other periphery from the Arduino
Acoustical Engineering students transfer to the acoustical engineering specific computer-based sessions from week 7. All other students continue with additional Arduino sensor and actuator exercises.
All students take part in an assessed midterm Arduino exercise.
- Acoustical Engineering specific computer-based sessions followed by 45 min optional drop-in advice sessions (Acoustical Engineering only). (weeks 7-12)
o FE modelling for acoustical systems design
o Optimization of acoustical systems
o Multiphysics: coupling electrical, mechanical and acoustical systems.
One 2-hour lecture to introduce the group design project briefs.
SEMESTER 2
GROUP DESIGN PROJECT:
- Computer-based optional drop in advice sessions (Acoustical Engineering only). (weeks 1-6(18-23))
- Workshop sessions (weeks 1-11(18-32)) associated with the group design project within the Design Studios/Workshops: (Including an introductory project briefing session and a 1 x 15min Interim Design Review).
Workshop sessions are reserved for working on the group design project within the Design Studios/ Workshops. Informal consultation opportunities with staff members are provided each week mainly within this time. Some sessions will clash with other timetabled activities. These clashes have been allowed for and groups are to arrange alternative times to meet and manage their time accordingly. Groups can use the Design Studios/ Workshops in addition to timetabled sessions, during open access times.
- Test session to test the performance of the group design project prototype.
Note: The date of this event may vary between design projects.
Testing of the UAV and Multirotor projects is subject to weather conditions.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lecture | 14 |
| Follow-up work | 12 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 36 |
| Completion of assessment task | 64 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 24 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Software - Available on managed University computers. • SolidWorks (Student version also available to download for use on personal computers). • MATLAB • Arduino
Textbooks
Norris, D (2014).. Build your own quadcopter: power up your designs with the Parallax Elev-8. McGraw-Hill Education.
Kossiakoff, A. Sweet, W. Seymour, S S. Biemer, (2011).. Systems Engineering Principles and Practice (Wiley Series in Systems Engineering and Management). 2nd ed. New-Jersey: Wiley-Blackwell..
Mccomb, G (2011). Robot Builder's Bonanza. 4th ed.. McGraw-Hill Professional.
Margolis, M (2012).. Make an Arduino-Controlled Robot: 1st ed. Maker Media.
Gudmundsson, S (2013).. General Aviation Aircraft Design. Butterworth-Heinemann.
James Leake and Jacob Borgeson (2012). Engineering Design Graphics : Sketching, Modeling, and Visualization. Wiley.
Colin Simmons, (2020). Manual of Engineering Drawing: British and International Standards. Elsevier.
Abbott, I. Doenhoff, A (1960). Theory of Wing Sections. Dover Publications Inc..
Newell, P, Holland, K (2006).. Loudspeakers for Music Recording and Reproduction. Focal Press.
B S I Standards (2007). Engineering Drawing Practice. A Guide for Further and Higher Education to BS 8888: 2006, Technical Product Specification (TPS). British Standards Institution.
Gomaa, H (2000). Designing Concurrent, Distributed and Real-time Applications with UML. Addison Wesley.
Banzi, M (2011). Getting Started with Arduino. 2nd ed.. Maker Media..
Raymer, D (2012).. Aircraft Design a Conceptual Approach. 5th ed. American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
Antonsson, E; Cagan, J (2001). Formal Engineering Design Synthesis. Cambridge University Press.
Margolis, M (2012).. Arduino Cookbook. 2nd ed:. O'Reilly Media..
Otto, K. Wood, K (2000).. Product Design. New-jersey: Prentice Hall.
Tzivaras, V (2016).. Building a quadcopter with Arduino. Packt Publishing.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Group marks are awarded to students for exercises (except exercise 2). However, individual student marks can vary within a group should the assessors deem that there have been unequal contributions from the students within the group. All students are to complete a Group Assessment Form to comment on their and other group member’s contributions. A moderation meeting involving the project tutors and members of the Design Panel will be held at the end of semester 2 to moderate assessments.
This module is coordinated with the co-requisite module FEEG2006 Engineering Management and Law. A proportion of the marks for FEEG2006 will be awarded for management practice associated with the Group Design Project of this module.
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Interim Design ReviewSummative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Computing exercise | 10% |
| Design Report | 40% |
| Design | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Design project | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal