The modules are available as PDF and AVI files.

Module 1
From 2D Sketches to 3D Objects
• PDF module
• AVI movie
Module 2
Advanced Basics with NX4
• PDF module
• AVI movie
Module 3
More Mating with NX4
• PDF module
• AVI movie

Module 4
A Pump Project
• PDF module
• AVI movie
Module 5
A Vice Grip Project
• PDF module
• AVI movie, part 1
• AVI movie, part 2
Module 6
A Toy Train Project
• PDF module
• AVI movie, part 1
• AVI movie, part 2

Supporting Papers
• R. Pop-Iliev and S. Nokleby. 2007. Digitally enhancing the project-based approach to engineering education. Proc Intl Conf on Engineering Design, Paris. (PDF)

• R. Pop-Iliev and G. Platanitis. 2007. Just-in-time implementation of open-ended take-home miniature design engineering projects. Proc PACE Conference. (PDF paper) (PDF presentation) (AVI movie 1) (AVI movie 2) (AVI movie 3)

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

This module systematically introduces the fundamentals of project management, widely used tools and methods, and management processes that actually occurs in the industrial process. The contents of the module include: essential concepts-, time management-, quality management-, cost management-, risk management-, and maintenance management of project management. Six real cases are presented in Chapter 7 as case study materials. The reasons of the successes and failures of these cases are presented.

The whole module can be downloaded as a zip file (about 3.5MB). It contains 11 PDF files that are live-linked to each other. These should be kept in the same directory.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

This module can be used for self-study learning, as lecture material and background reading, to support further learning (links and references), and to verify one’s level of understanding of usability principles and application (via the review test).

This site is based on a supporting module of the CSS (Children’s Sensory Stimulation) centre project, funded by the Canadian Design Engineering Network and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

As of 26 May 2006, the module is delivered as a website in English and French.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

This CDEN module consists of a collection of design management, analysis and communication tools that can be applied individually or in conjunction with others during the execution of a design project. Following the analogy of a toolbox that contains wrenches and screwdrivers, not all tools are necessary for every project nor are tools always used to their full potential. The key to using the toolbox effectively is to be familiar with the capabilities and limitations of each tool, then apply the tools appropriate to the project to the degree with they offer benefit. The focus of this module is to provide a selection of design tools suitable for use by a first year engineering design class.

The module is provided as a series of PDF files:
1. Introduction to the module
2. Introduction to engineering design
3. Documenting the design process
4. Design criteria checklist
5. Work breakdown and scheduling
6. Failure modes and effects analysis and a sample FMEA chart
7. Prioritization matrices
8. Evaluation matrices

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

Teaching concept evaluation in engineering often utilises engineering based problems. Unfortunately, first year students typically lack the experience and familiarity with the range of engineering methods and topics that are a prerequisite for the introduction of the traditional design process. To compensate for this, many problems tend to be comprised of clear, theoretically based textbook problems centered on formulaic manipulation. As such, these “tame” problems rely on will traveled solution paths that always end up with the same answer providing little value in highlighting the benefit of the traditional design process.

To appreciate the design process it is necessary for students to attack problems where there is no identifiable solution path or where they have no concept of what the answer might be. The problems need to encourage students to nurture their synthesis skills (i.e. their ability to bring together different points of view) rather than their analysis skills, which are already nurtured in the rest of their curriculum. These “wicked” problems are difficult to introduce at the first year level as the students typically lack adequate engineering experience. However, “wicked” problems can still be explored by utilizing the knowledge students have already developed simply to function in the world around them.

Problems that require the understanding of consumer behaviour or moral judgment can easily form “wicked” problems that first-year students can tackle. Therefore, this module consists of two non-engineering problems that provide a solid foundation for concept evaluation. The first is a marketing problem that deals with the survival of small drug stores in the 21st century. The second is a legal problem that requires students to make a moral judgment. To extend concept evaluation further into the traditional models, a new method of introducing design reviews and traditional engineering concept evaluation tools are included. To introduce traditional engineering concept evaluation tools, questions that relate the drug store and legal cases to these tools are introduced.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

The first module introduces the value of successful design to the company, the notion that product design is a risk-management process, the formation of an effective design team and an introduction to the five stages of design.

The second module presents the idea generation stage of the design process. This stage is largely an introduction to marketing, but it is essential to the design engineer because it connects the customer to the engineer’s design process.

Techniques and procedures for identifying, quantifying and assessing market needs and wants, determining the attributes required and desired, estimating market size and the impact of attributes on size, determining necessary functions, and establishing the engineering characteristics of any product that addresses identified needs are introduced. Attribute sensitivity functions and the House of Quality in QFD are presented with practical exercises. The notions of wants, needs, attributes, characteristics, requirements, constraints and specifications are defined. The latter part of idea generation is concerned with finding individual concepts that provide the attributes necessary to meet the needs of the identified market segment. No attempt is made to integrate these concepts into a product because in this stage, possible solutions and not best solutions, are sought. At the end of this stage, concepts are screened using Pugh’s concept screening tool. The module is intended for two weeks of classroom instruction in conjunction with two laboratory sessions, two assignments and a two-week project. The module is intended for 2nd year engineering students. While this material has been taught to 2nd year E&CE students, this module is intended for students in all disciplines.

The third module is presents conceptual design, the second stage of the design process. In this stage, the previously defined concepts are combined, modified, refined and integrated into a sensible, concept-level design or configuration of the product. The module presents various tools for conceptual design including morphological charts, concept sketching, process flow diagrams and others. The conceptual design stage culminates in concept scoring to find the best combination of concepts to take forward to the next design stage.

The three modules are accompanied by selected cases for case-based teaching, assignment problems and laboratory sessions. The modules have numerous examples throughout.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

The systems perspective is that everything interacts with other things. Yet we tend to design our products in isolation from the environment in which they will operate. This module introduces students to one method of performing systems design; that is, designing so as to take into account the interactions of a product with its environments and the interactions between its elements. Systems designing is an important technique especially in large and complex engineering projects, and in trying to develop sustainable technologies.

The module also looks at how to design systems, covering the topics:

• Define the overall system
• Identify inputs and outputs
• Conceptualize solution systems
• Identify subsystems
• Define subsystem flows
• Systems recursion and iteration

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

This module presents main issues surrounding design for the environment. Every product must be dealt in some way at the end of its life. Main approaches (reduction, reuse, remanufacture, recycling, and disposal) are discussed. Each method is explained with respect to cost and environmental impact. Examples and case studies are included. Sustainable design as a method is also discussed. A new tool developed by the authors for qualitative life cycle assessment is presented, with a detailed example.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

The target audience of this module includes students taking introductory courses in design, and students interested in a summary overview of the PDP. The module provides a very general introduction to product development processes and the role of engineering design therein. It is meant to lead into more detailed modules on specific topics. Topics introduced in this module include: definitions of design, stages and gates, concurrent engineering, teamwork and collaboration, technical communications, usability and user-centred design, product lifecycle, end of product life. Furthermore, the process of designing as part of product development is introduced, including: project initialisation, problem analysis, ideation, conceptual design and evaluation, systems design, recursion to subsystems, and detailed design.

[Description and screenshot taken from the wiki page for this module. Materials are used under the terms of a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license.]

Most sustainability problems are system problems (for example, transport or food consumption) and almost insoluble without completely new ways of thinking. To address sustainability issues, which in broad terms are the key issues of our times, designers need to be able to understand design problems in context, envisage and describe better future systems and then design products that could be part of a new improved system.

This resource has been developed at the University of Leeds as part of the Royal Academy of Engineering supported scheme of Visiting Professors in Engineering Design for Sustainable Development and is intended for teachers, tutors, lecturers, academics and researchers. A major aim of the Royal Academy of Engineering scheme is to create transferable case studies.

The resource contains materials needed to deliver and assess a sustainable design project where students research a problem area, envision a future in the problem domain, define a brief for a product that could be part of that future and design a product that responds to the brief. It has been developed as a 100 study-hour project as part of the University of Leeds undergraduate programme in Product Design.

[Description and screenshot taken from the University of Leeds' website for this resource. This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC 2.0 Licence.]

The electronics industry is continually under pressure to maximise profits. To do this, an organisation will strive to reduce development and manufacturing costs and time, produce the best quality products and, therefore, satisfy the customer.

Implementing tools and philosophies to be used during NPI can fulfil these requirements within the NPI process. For the purposes of this study, we will consider three areas that the tools affect:

Quality Engineering Tools. These work throughout various stages to ensure the product is of the best quality.

Product Design Tools. These would be used predominantly during the design functions, to ensure that the right product is specified and designed and to reduce design time and costs.

Manufacturing Tools. These would be used during the manufacturing phases, including process design and prototyping, to reduce manufacturing costs and times.

[Description and screenshot taken from The University of Bolton's website for this topic. This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Licence.]

Polymers are materials composed of long molecular chains that are well-accepted for a wide variety of applications. This unit explores these materials in terms of their chemical composition, associated properties and processes of manufacture from petrochemicals. The unit also shows a range of products in which polymers are used and explains why they are chosen in preference to many conventional materials.
This particular section focuses on design in polymers, specifically the manufacturing and process methods including fabrication, rotationally moulding, vacuum forming, blow moulding and injection moulding.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

The consequences of something breaking can be a pest, or utterly disastrous, as when the pedal drops off one’s bike, but without it, biting and crunching, breaking into crisp packets, pulverizing coal, oil drilling and many other processes would be impossible. The most dramatic failures are catastrophic, but sometimes they can be very gradual even in the most brittle materials. This TLP discusses what determines when a material will break, and whether failure will be catastrophic or more gradual. The emphasis here is on brittle fracture, and although all of this is relevant to metals, the details of ductile fracture are not discussed.

On completion of this tutorial you should understand:
• that materials break by cracking;
• what determines whether a material will crack or not;
• what determines whether cracking is catastrophic or more gradual;
• the concepts of the fracture energy, strain energy release rate, fracture toughness and stress intensity factor.

Questions and links to further reading are also included.

[Description and screenshot taken from the DoITPoMS page for this TLP. (c) University of Cambridge used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

For those interested in ABET accreditation and reaccreditation, it touches on the themes of
(1) professional and ethical responsibility, (2) integrating ethics into design projects, and (3) generating awareness of the social and global impacts of engineering. Students and faculty consulting this module will find the capstone course presentation, background information pertinent to engineering ethics in Puerto Rico, and exercises that help students develop an active and practical understanding of how ethics fits into engineering practice.

The module is available to download as a pdf file and as an EPUB file for viewing in handheld devices. A presentation of this module given in March 2008 at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez is also provided.

Caution: This module is incomplete. Authors plan to add more content shortly.

[Description and screenshot taken from the Connexions page for this module. This work is licensed by William Frey under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.]

Before you start it will be helpful to have an understanding of solute partitioning and the formation of dendrites. The TLP on Solidification of Alloys covers these topics.

On completion of this tutorial you should:
• Understand the meaning of the Biot number, how it affects the temperature profile in a casting, and the resulting microstructure.
• Be able to explain the formation of the microstructure observed in a cast ingot.

• Be familiar with some common methods of casting, their advantages and disadvantages, and be able to choose a suitable process for manufacturing a variety of metallic components.

Questions and links to further reading and websites are also included.

Description and screenshot taken from the DoITPoMS page for this TLP. (c) University of Cambridge used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

There are no specific prerequisites for this TLP, but it would be useful to be familiar with stress and strain, elastic strain and Plastic deformation, Young modulus, E and yield stress, σY. While a basic knowledge of mechanical deformation is assumed, this teaching and learning package covers all the fundamentals of beam mechanics.

On completion of this tutorial package, you should:

• Understand the stress distribution within beams subject to bending or torsion.
• Be familiar with the concepts of the radius of curvature of a section of a beam (and its reciprocal, the curvature), second moment of area, polar moment of inertia, beam stiffness and torsional stiffness.
• Be able to calculate the moments acting in a beam subject to bending or torsion.
• Be able to calculate the deflections of a beam on bending and the angle of twist of a bar under torsion.
• Be able to predict the effect of plastic deformation, at least with simple beam geometry.

Questions and links to further reading and websites are also included.

[Description and screenshot taken from the DoITPoMS page for this TLP. (c) University of Cambridge used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

After studying this unit you will be able to:
• Explain the difference between industrial and engineering design with reference to familiar products; and for specific products explain whether it is the product’s form or its function that enhances its value in the marketplace.
• Understand the concept of a product design specification (PDS), and be able to indicate some to the factors which should be included in producing one.

• Describe the role of marketing in developing the PDS for a product.
• Classify products simply in terms of their basic shape.
• Describe the difference between the hot and cold working of metals and give the advantages of each.
• Indicate which types of manufacturing process are suited to producing different shapes of product.
• Indicate which processes are likely to be used for producing a particular product using a specific material or class of material.
• Describe the advantages and disadvantages of the different classes of manufacturing processes.
• Outline the concept of surface engineering for improving the properties of a component.

The unit looks at the manufacturing process, casting, forming, cutting, joining, making the gearwheel, and surface engineering.

The unit takes on average 20 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

Structural integrity is the study of the safe design and assessment of components and structures under load, and has become increasingly important in engineering design. It integrates aspects of stress analysis, materials behaviour and the mechanics of failure into the engineering design process.
After you have completed this unit you should be able to:
• differentiate between and describe dissolution, degredation and corrosion as they affect the deterioration of structural materials;
• predict electrochemical behaviour between dissimilar metals;
• explain galvanic corrosion in terms of the electrochemical series;
• distinguish between the hoop and longitudinal stresses in a pressure-vessel wall, and specify them in terms of the pressure, wall thickness and diameter of the vessel;
• describe the loads in the various parts of a structure and the most likely load path;
• indicate the procedures needed in practical failure analysis;
• specify the failure mechanisms possible when a nominally ductile material fails in a brittle fashion;
• relate crack formation to the loads on a component, bearing in mind the importance of stress concentrations in the component concerned;
• provide a likely sequence of events involved in the failure of a part made from several different components;
• describe the problem of fretting wear at a bearing joint;
• describe the key circumstances of a particular accident or disaster, and relate the sequence of events to specific causes supported by the relevant evidence.

The unit is split into 3 parts:
[1] Engineering for purpose
[2] Environmental deterioration
[3] Case study: The Silver Bridge

The unit takes on average 20 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

Complex systems have many components – hardware, software, people, machinery, buildings, all of which interact – and many stakeholders with requirements to be met. The essence of systems engineering is that it combines technical, interpersonal and managerial knowledge and skills. By studying this course, practitioners and anyone responsible for or working in the systems engineering environment will gain an understanding of the principles, tools and techniques of a multi-functional approach to increasingly complex systems planning.

The aim of this unit is to answer five questions:
Why is systems engineering important?
What is modern engineering?
What is systems?
What is systems engineering?
What approach to systems engineering does the course adopt?

The unit takes on average 25 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

One example that is investigated in this unit concerns how to devise lighter bicycle frames, and the way to assess the merits of alternative materials from which to make them. There is no single way to move from a problem like this to possible solutions. In fact there are often several ways to set about finding several solutions, but there are a few general factors that are important to the search. First it is important to appreciate the needs from which a problem arises. For the bicycle frame it’s not just a lighter material that is required, but rather it is one that can be deployed to bear specific loads imposed on a fully functional frame. Next it is valuable to understand the challenge well enough to be able to specify the nature of solutions, perhaps using the formal languages of engineering, mathematics, science and problem solving. For example, it is unwise to take part in a discussion on ‘the best materials for bike frames’ without a technical appreciation of both the job a frame has to do and the relevant attributes of the candidate materials. Establishing what you don’t yet know usually starts by recognising how effectively you can tell someone else where the challenges arise. You must be able to communicate with a wide range of people, sometimes ‘calling a spade a spade’, and at other times describing precisely what the word ‘spade’ actually means.

After studying this unit you should be able to:

View solutions as belonging to particular categories, broadly classified as:
innovation by context
innovation by practice
routine

See how external factors affect engineering projects, and appreciate the range of engineering involved in meeting the basic needs of our society.

Recognise and apply a range of problem-solving techniques from each stage of the engineering design cycle, to include the following:
physical modelling
mathematical modelling
iteration
use of reference data
refining an engineering specification.

Identify when models are likely to be useful and when they are no longer valid.

Recognise and distinguish between the following technical terms:
differential equation
simultaneous equation
boundary condition
constraint
finite element analysis (FEA)
mathematical model
physical model
prototype
demonstrator
anthropometric
ergonomic
product specification
functional specification

The unit takes on average 40 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

In order to get the most out of this unit, you need to be familiar with, or at least not worried by, simple mathematics, and recognise some related concepts such as chance and probability. Working through the first self-assessment question (SAQ) will give you an indication of the skills and attitudes involved. If you find you are having a lot of difficulty with SAQ 1, put this unit aside and select a more appropriate unit from the topic list. As well as providing an introduction to models, the unit looks at systems modelling in practice.

After working through these materials you should be able to:
• describe and use a general classification of models
• outline and discuss the process of systems modelling, where models are used as part of a systemic approach to a range of different situations
• recognise that systems models may be used in different ways as part of a process for: improving understanding of a situation; identifying problems or formulating opportunities; supporting decision making

The unit takes on average 4 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from the OU page for this course. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

Kinematics is the study of motion. Statics is the study of forces on stationary objects. Dynamics is the study of forces on moving bodies. These are the analytical tools used by the design engineer. The aims of the course are therefore two fold. Firstly, it aims to teach the basic analytical methods, that is, the fundamental concepts and techniques of solid engineering mechanics. Secondly, it aims, in a limited way, to show the implementation of these methods in engineering design. The limited time available to study the course has meant that the course team have had to lay the emphasis on the analytical methods. The underlying assumption has been that, if students acquired a solid foundation in analysis from this course, then its implementation in design would become apparent both in future courses and in the mechanical engineering that surrounds them every day.

Course materials:
Block 1: Geometry of mechanisms
Unit 1: Mechanisms
Unit 2: Mechanisms 2
Block 2: Statics
Unit 3: Forced and moments
Unit 4: Modelling with free-body diagrams
Block 3: Kinematics
Unit 5: Motion
Unit 6: Velocity diagrams
Block 4: Dynamics
Unit 7/8: Dynamics
Block 5: Acceleration
Unit 9A: Compensation forces
Unit 9B: Acceleration diagrams
Block 6: Structures
Unit 10: Stress analysis
Unit 11: Structural components
Block 7: Energy and momentum
Unit 12/13: Energy and momentum
Block 8: Vibration
Unit 14: Vibration
Block 9: Design study
Unit 15: The mechanics of an electric lift

The unit takes on average 135 hours to complete.

[Description and screenshot taken from OpenLearn page for this material. (c) Open University used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

Having studied this unit you should be able to: recognise that functional artefacts have had input from a designer, with greater and lesser degrees of engineering input; identify that engineering designers work within constraints of finance, materials properties, desired functionality, human factors, etc.; understand that design exploits models of the product being designed, whether those models are physical mock-ups, computer-based models, or mathematical models which explore an element of the product’s performance; understand how models of the design process are formulated, and how they can be applied to understand the development of a particular product or product family; understand design-related terminology such as innovation, context, uncertainty and style.

The learning unit is divided into 7 parts and takes on average 28 hours to complete.

[1] Design and designing
[2] Design and innovation 1: the plastic kettle
[3] Models of the design process
[4] Conceptual design
[5] Concept to prototype
[6] Design and innovation 3: the Brompton folding bicycle
[7] Conclusions

It looks at the terms for classifying forming processes and the characteristic values and basic laws of metal forming including flow stress, plastic strain, plastic flow under combined stresses, flow curves, average flow stress and energy considerations. This lecture is a necessary prerequisite to understand the more specific treatment of metal forming subjects such as forging, impact extrusion and sheet metal forming in the subsequent TALAT lectures 3401 to 3805.

A general background in production engineering and machine tools is assumed.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

The lecture introduces terms, definitions and brazeable alloys and looks at the brazing process and different brazing methods – torch brazing, flux-dip brazing, furnace brazing, and vacuum and controlled atmosphere brazing. The properties of brazed joints and quality control testing methods are also detailed.

Basic knowledge of aluminium alloys designation system, surface treatment and corrosion behaviour is assumed.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

The lecture includes examples of aluminium forgings and covers classification of forms for die forgings, tolerances for aluminium forgings, design rules, dimensional precision of die forgings and designing for material flow and grain structure.

A general understanding of metallurgy and deformation processes is assumed.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

It also helps to understand the effects of material and loading parameters on fatigue; to appreciate the statistical nature of fatigue and its importance in data analysis, evaluation and use; shows how to estimate fatigue life under service conditions of time-dependent, variable amplitude loading; how to estimate stresses acting in notches and welds with conceptual approaches other than nominal stress; and provides qualitative and quantitative information on the classification of welded details and allow for more sophisticated design procedures. Background knowledge in materials engineering, design and fatigue is required.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

It also introduces the design analysis process with methods of verification and partial safety factors; describes the characteristic of loads and load combinations on structures; introduces the subject of load and resistance factors in the verification methods; and describes the basic structural design properties of aluminium alloys versus steel. Some background and experience in structural engineering and design calculations; basic understanding of the physical and mechanical properties of aluminium is assumed.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

It aims at generating interest in and a common understanding of the product development process; informing about the basic principles and terminology used in connection with systematic design in order to facilitate the use of the four product design examples presented in this course (see TALAT lectures 2102.01, .02, .03 and .04). The lecture is recommended for those situations, where a brief, general background information about aluminium is needed as an introduction of other subject areas of aluminium application technologies. This lecture is part of the self- contained course “Aluminium in Product Development”, which is treated under TALAT lectures 2100.

[Description and screenshot taken from TALAT page for this material. (c) European Aluminium Association used under the terms of their CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.]

The resources here include the lecture hand out (zip file) which includes embedded tutorial questions, some powerpoints for structuring lectures , flash animations to step through modelling process for electrical circuits and a large data base of CAA developed on webct (here provided in zip files for quiz 1 and quiz 2). The files import into webct and self extracts. The lecture notes also contains a brief overview on usage for lecturing staff.

The main focus is on electrical and mechanical systems, but there is also some discussion of dc motors, fluids and heat as well as an introduction to time series modelling. The main emphasis is on why modelling is important and how to go about doing this from first principles (e.g. Kirchhoff’s laws, Newton’s Laws, etc.). Given the focus is on new students arriving at University, there is no attempt to develop models beyond second order.

These were developed at the University of Sheffield and authored by J. A. Rossiter from the Department of Automatic Control and Systems Engineering.

[Description and screenshot taken from the Open Engineering Resources Project page for this resource. (c) The University of Sheffield used under the terms of their CC BY 2.0 license.]

The course offers a holistic view of the aircraft as a system, covering: basic systems engineering; cost and weight estimation; basic aircraft performance; safety and reliability; lifecycle topics; aircraft subsystems; risk analysis and management; and system realization. Small student teams retrospectively analyze an existing aircraft covering: key design drivers and decisions; aircraft attributes and subsystems; and operational experience. Oral and written versions of the case study are delivered. For the Fall 2005 term, the class focuses on a systems engineering analysis of the Space Shuttle. It offers study of both design and operations of the shuttle, with frequent lectures by outside experts. Students choose specific shuttle systems for detailed analysis and develop new subsystem designs using state of the art technology.

Guest lecturers include Aaron Cohen, Dale Myers, John Logsdon, Tom Moser, J. R. Thompson, Bass Redd, Allen Louviere, Henry Pohl, Robert Seamans, Bob Ried, Walter Guy, Robert Sieck, Sheila Widnall, Philip Hattis, Christopher Kraft, Wayne Hale, Anthony Lavoie, Peter Young, and Gordon Fullerton. This course was administrated by shuttle astronaut and MIT Professor Jeff Hoffman and Professor Aaron Cohen, who was the Space Shuttle Orbiter Project Manager. Guest speakers provide the majority of the content in video lectures, discussing topics such as system design, accident investigation, and the future of NASA’s space mission.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The Blender 3D Design course is intended to offer students an introduction to the world of computer generated 3-D modeling and animation. As an introductory course, it provides a basic understanding of the skills and techniques employed by 3-D designers in a wide range of applications. The course will explore basic mesh modeling, applying textures and materials to 3-D objects, lighting, animation and rendering. It should provide a good basis for further independent study in architectural, engineering, and theatrical modeling and game design. It is self-paced, meaning that you can pick and choose the Learning Units, Video Tutorials or PDF tutorials as you see fit. The sequence of Learning Units are a suggested path of learning Blender but users are welcome to use this material in any way that suits theirr purposes. There are 2 progressive levels of study in this course: Beginning Level and Intermediate Level. Learning Units 1 through 12 comprise the Beginning Level Course and Learning Units 13 through 24 comprise the Intermediate Level Course (Note: The Intermediate level Course is currently under development.)

To take this course, you must have access to a personal computer on which you can download all of the required software (free) and execute all of the required assignments. Please note that the course as presented here does not contain the full content of the course as taught at Tufts. The included content is based on material the Tufts faculty and instructors choose to include, as well as factors such as content preparation, software compatibility, and intellectual property and copyright restrictions. Tufts are working on a replacement OCW Blender course, which will reflect the new 2.5x version of Blender. It will include additional learning units, new video and PDF tutorials, and different projects.

[Description and screenshot taken from Tufts OCW page for this course. (c) Tufts University used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course is a core requirement for the Masters in Engineering program, designed to teach students about the roles of today’s professional engineer and expose them to team-building skills through lectures, team workshops, and seminars. Topics include: written and oral communication, job placement skills, trends in the engineering and construction industry, risk analysis and risk management, managing public information, proposal preparation, project evaluation, project management, liability, professional ethics, and negotiation. The course draws on relevant large-scale projects to illustrate each component of the subject. Outside professionals will give seminars relating their experiences and knowledge. Topics discussed will include getting work, responding to requests for proposals, project evaluation, management conflict resolution and negotiation. There will be a presentation and discussion on professional ethics for engineers, with a corresponding class exercise. Other assignments in this section are the “Chase an Engineer” exercise and profiling an industry company.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .xls.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course introduces the fundamentals of machine tool and computer tool use. Students work with a variety of machine tools including the bandsaw, milling machine, and lathe. Instruction is given on MATLAB®, MAPLE®, XESS™, and CAD. Emphasis is on problem solving, not programming or algorithmic development. Assignments are project-oriented relating to mechanical engineering topics. The course revolves around students building and ‘racing’ their own Stirling engines, which is covered in greater detail in the projects section.

This course was co-created by Prof. Douglas Hart and Dr. Kevin Otto.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

According to the United States Agency for International Development, 20 million people in developing countries require wheelchairs, and the United Nations Development Programme estimates below 1% of their need is being met in Africa by local production. This course gives students the chance to better the lives of others by improving wheelchairs and tricycles made in the developing world. Lectures will focus on understanding local factors, such as operating environments, social stigmas against the disabled, and manufacturing constraints, and then applying sound scientific/engineering knowledge to develop appropriate technical solutions. Multidisciplinary student teams will conduct term-long projects on topics such as hardware design, manufacturing optimization, biomechanics modeling, and business plan development. Theory will further be connected to real-world implementation during guest lectures by MIT faculty, Third-World community partners, and U.S. wheelchair organisations.

Topics covered during the course includes wheelchair biomechanics and ergonomics, design for human use, manufacturing processes and strategies, product design, material science, mechanics of materials and welding, human-powered machines, hand-cycle designs and racing.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .xls, .mp4 and .rm.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course.
(c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This class is jointly sponsored by the MIT Museum, Massachusetts Bay Maritime Artisans, the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Center for Ocean Engineering, and the Department of Architecture. The course teaches the fundamental steps in traditional boat design and demonstrates connections between craft and modern methods. Instructors provide vessel design orientation and then students carve their own shape ideas in the form of a wooden half-hull model. Experts teach the traditional skills of visualizing and carving your model in this phase of the class. After the models are completed, a practicing naval architect guides students in translating shape from models into a lines plan. The final phase of the class is a comparative analysis of the designs generated by the group.

Special software is required to use the video lectures in this course: .rm. These videos are also available from VideoLectures.net.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The course presents a systematic approach to design and assembly of mechanical assemblies, which should be of interest to engineering professionals, as well as post-baccalaureate students of mechanical, manufacturing and industrial engineering. It introduces mechanical and economic models of assemblies and assembly automation at two levels. “Assembly in the small” includes basic engineering models of part mating, and an explanation of the Remote Center Compliance. “Assembly in the large” takes a system view of assembly, including the notion of product architecture, feature-based design, and computer models of assemblies, analysis of mechanical constraint, assembly sequence analysis, tolerances, system-level design for assembly and JIT methods, and economics of assembly automation. Class exercises and homework include analyses of real assemblies, the mechanics of part mating, and a semester long project. Case studies and current research are included.

Specific objectives for students include: understanding a systematic approach to analyzing assembly problems; appreciating the many ways assembly influences product development and manufacturing; see a complete approach that includes technology, systems engineering, and economic analysis; and get a feeling for what is technologically feasible.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The course focuses on the use of mathematical models to assess interactions between humans and the natural environment. By the end of the course, students should be able to formulate and use mathematical models to assess human impacts on the environment and assess the economic value of natural resources.
This course provides a review of physical, chemical, ecological, and economic principles used to examine interactions between humans and the natural environment. Mass balance concepts are applied to ecology, chemical kinetics, hydrology, and transportation; energy balance concepts are applied to building design, ecology, and climate change; and economic and life cycle concepts are applied to resource evaluation and engineering design. Numerical models are used to integrate concepts and to assess environmental impacts of human activities. Problem sets involve development of MATLAB® models for particular engineering applications. Some experience with computer programming is helpful but not essential.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The unit contains text, images and videos and aims to provide an understanding of invention, design, innovation and diffusion as ongoing processes with a range of factors affecting success at each stage. You will gain an understanding of the factors that motivate individuals and organisations to invent, and the creative process by which individuals come up with ideas for new inventions and designs, and you will gain an understanding of the obstacles that have to be overcome to bring an invention to market and the factors that influence the successful diffusion of an innovation into widespread use. A bibliography is also provided.

The unit is divided into three parts. (1) looks at the technological products in your home or at work and considers their development history and their impact on the lives of the users, then the key concepts associated with the process of invention, design, innovation and diffusion are defined. (2) considers what motivates individuals and organisations to invent in the first place and how individuals come up with ideas for new designs and inventions. (3) examines how technical, financial and organisational obstacles have to be overcome in order to bring an invention to the market. Once on the market a number of factors influence how well an innovation will sell.

The unit takes on average 55 hours to complete.

This course explores the basic questions of architecture through several short design exercises. Working with many different media, students will discover the interrelationship of architecture and its related disciplines, such as structures, sustainability, architectural history and the visual arts. Each problem will focus on one of these disciplines and one exploration and presentation technique. Students will create additions to modernist structures, guest houses that operate off the grid in remote locations, places to experience art, and finally a project that will combine aspects of these projects into a community project in the Boston Seaport Area.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The course introduces the principles of user interface development, focusing on three key areas. (1) Design: how to design good user interfaces, starting with human capabilities (including the human information processor model, perception, motor skills, colour, attention, and errors) and using those capabilities to drive design techniques: task analysis, user-centered design, iterative design, usability guidelines, interaction styles, and graphic design principles. (2) Implementation: techniques for building user interfaces, including low-fidelity prototypes, Wizard of Oz, and other prototyping tools; input models, output models, model-view-controller, layout, constraints, and toolkits. (3) Evaluation: techniques for evaluating and measuring interface usability, including heuristic evaluation, predictive evaluation, and user testing.

Any number of Java® development tools, such as the Java® Development Kit or Eclipse®, can be used to compile and run the .java files in this course.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

It aims to inform consumers of design (i.e., all of us) about this crucial characteristic of design. The unit is derived from the OU course T211 on Design and Designing, but as well as stimulating interest in areas of concern for producers of design it might also provide an introduction to engineering, manufacturing and business studies.

The unit contains text, images, exercises and videos covering the principles of user-centred designing, inclusive design, ergonomics and human factors, user research techniques, interaction design or making usable products, and looking at users interaction with products. A bibliography and further reading list is also provided.

The unit takes an average of 12 hours to complete.

This class provides an introduction to quantitative models and qualitative frameworks for studying complex engineering systems. Also taught is the art of abstracting a complex system into a model for purposes of analysis and design while dealing with complexity, emergent behavior, stochasticity, non-linearities and the requirements of many stakeholders with divergent objectives.

The class project for Spring 2007 is concerned with designing a system for transporting and storing spent nuclear fuel (SNF). This is an important problem in contemporary society. Nuclear power plants and research facilities around the United States have been producing SNF – as a byproduct of the production of electric power – a quite toxic substance, for some years. Until now, most SNF has been “temporarily” stored on site at the nuclear facilities. The nuclear power plant operators want that material removed. The current plan is to relocate it from about 130 sites around the country to a below-ground repository, thought to be geologically stable, at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The course will address the many complex system design questions, moving towards developing design alternatives using systems thinking principles, which are critical for understanding and approaching complex sociotechnical systems of the type described here.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .xls.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course covers topics in surface modeling: b-splines, non-uniform rational b-splines, physically based deformable surfaces, sweeps and generalized cylinders, offsets, blending and filleting surfaces; and solid modeling: constructive solid geometry, boundary representation, non-manifold and mixed-dimension boundary representation models, octrees. Other topics also covered are: non-linear solvers and intersection problems, robustness of geometric computations, interval methods, finite and boundary element discretization methods for continuum mechanics problems, scientific visualization, variational geometry, tolerances, inspection methods, feature representation and recognition, and shape interrogation for design, analysis, and manufacturing.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course teaches creative design based on the scientific method through the design, engineering, and manufacture of a detailed inlaid tile. This is an introductory lecture/studio course designed to teach students the basic principles of design and expose them to the design process. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to the terminology and concepts that underlie all forms of visual art; which – in many ways – forms the basis for the design of all physical objects. Along with learning mechanical skills, thinking both critically and visually, and working with different media, the students will consider how the arts grow out of and respond to particular cultural contexts and ideas; and how these thinking patterns can be applied to virtually all types of design.

The focus of this course is to learn the Peer Review Evaluation Process (PREP) by creating inlaid tiles that are of deep significant meaning to the team members that create them. The homework projects will help teams of three students to design and build their tile projects whose elements are manufactured by students on an abrasive waterjet machining centre from digital solid models of the tiles that the teams create. At the end of the course, the tiles will be exhibited in the student art gallery.

Students will also be introduced to a number of different solid modeling and design tools. In addition to commercial professional design tools such as SolidWorks® and CorelDRAW®, the students will be introduced to a new design environment where the objects in the design can be parameterized algorithmically.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course introduces you to modern manufacturing with four areas of emphasis: manufacturing processes, equipment/control, systems, and design for manufacturing. The course exposes you to integration of engineering and management disciplines for determining manufacturing rate, cost, quality and flexibility. Topics include process physics, equipment design and automation/control, quality, design for manufacturing, industrial management, and systems design and operation.

Class objectives are: internalize the attributes along which the success or failure of a manufacturing process, machine, or system will be measured: quality, cost, rate and flexibility; provide exposure to a range of current industrial processes and practices used to manufacture products in high and low volumes; apply physics to understand the factors that control the rate of production and influence the quality, cost and flexibility of processes; understand the impact of manufacturing constraints on product design and process planning; apply an understanding of variation to the factors that control the production rate and influence the quality, cost and flexibility of processes and systems; understand the role of control in processes and systems, especially in view of the presence of noise (variation); and provide exposure to a range of manufacturing system constraints.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The course contains intensive coverage of precision engineering theory, heuristics, and applications pertaining to the design of systems ranging from consumer products to machine tools. Topics covered include: economics, project management, and design philosophy; principles of accuracy, repeatability, and resolution; error budgeting; sensors; sensor mounting; systems design; bearings; actuators and transmissions; system integration driven by functional requirements, and operating physics. There is an emphasis on developing creative designs, which are optimized by analytical techniques applied via spreadsheets. This is a projects course with lectures consisting of design teams presenting their work and the class helping to develop solutions; thereby everyone learning from everyone’s projects.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .xls.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

The course considers the growing popularity of sustainability and its implications for the practice of engineering, particularly for the built environment. Two particular methodologies are featured: life cycle assessment (LCA) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The LCA methodology is a rigorous, quantitative approach to environmental impact evaluation that tallies the impacts of products throughout their lifetimes; it has been used successfully in a number of industries (particularly packaging and manufacturing) but less frequently in the built environment. The LEED rating system awards points to projects for achieving specific goals considered relevant to sustainable design, and rates built projects according to the total number of points achieved. The fundamentals of each approach will be presented. Specific topics covered include water and wastewater management, energy use, material selection, and construction.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

For students and teams who have started a sustainable-development project in D-Lab (SP.776), Product Engineering Processes (2.009), or elsewhere, this class provides a setting to continue developing projects for field implementation. Topics covered include prototyping techniques, materials selection, design-for-manufacturing, field-testing, and project management. All classwork will directly relate to the students’ projects, and the instructor will consult on the projects during the weekly lab time. There are no exams and teams are encouraged to enroll together.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .rm.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

In this course, students work in small teams of 5-6 members to design and prototype new toys. Students work closely with a local sponsor, an elementary school, and experienced mentors on a themed toy design project. Students will be introduced to the product development process, including determining customer needs; brainstorming; estimation; sketching; sketch modeling; concept development; design aesthetics; detailed design; prototyping; and written, visual, and oral communication. At the end of the course, students present their toy products at the Playsentations to toy designers, engineers, elementary school children and the MIT community.

For more information about this course, see the 2.00B website.

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .mov, and .mp4.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course introduces you to modern manufacturing with four areas of emphasis: manufacturing processes, equipment/control, systems, and design for manufacturing. The course exposes you to integration of design, engineering, and management disciplines and practices for analysis and design of manufacturing enterprises. Emphasis is on the physics and stochastic nature of manufacturing processes and systems, and their effects on quality, rate, cost, and flexibility.

Topics include process physics and control, equipment design and automation/control, quality, design for manufacturing, industrial management, and systems design and operation. The group project requires design and fabrication of parts using mass-production and assembly methods to produce a product in quantity.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]

This course is a first subject in engineering design. A major element of the course is design of a robot to participate in a challenge that changes from year to year. This year, the theme is cleaning up the planet as inspired by the movie Wall-E.

From its beginnings in 1970, the 2.007 final project competition has grown into an Olympics of engineering. See this MIT News story for more background, a photo gallery, and videos about this course.

After taking this course students should be able to: generate, analyze, and refine the design of electro-mechanical devices making use of physics and mathematics; describe and list uses in mechanical systems of common machine elements including fasteners, joints, springs, bearings, gearing, clutches, couplings, belts, chains, and shafts; apply experimentation and data analytic principles relevant to mechanical design; and communicate a design and its analysis (written, oral, and graphical forms).

Special software is required to use some of the files in this course: .zip, .sldprt, .xls, .swj, .sldasm, .rpt, .xlo, .igs, .rm, .ord, and .dxf.

[Description and screenshot taken from MIT OCW page for this course. (c) MIT used under the terms of their CC-NC-SA license.]