Computer Applications to Problem Solving in Some Engineering Technology Courses

Use of computers and the Internet in our teaching a nd learning has proved to be very effective for both students and instructors. The author is c urrently using Desire2Learn (D2L) to teach various Engineering Technology (ET) courses includi ng Statics, Design of Machine Elements and Vibration. Typically, he solves numerical prob lems related to the equilibrium of particles and rigid bodies, design of shafts, pulleys and gea rs, and free and forced vibration of mechanical systems. Recently the author developed some Excel programs to solve problems in the class as hand calculations are time consuming. These progra ms can be easily modified to solve several other problems in a particular course or area. In the class some problems are solved using hand calculations to teach the principles and methodolog y and additional problems are solved using the Excel programs. In Statics the students learn to calculate the position vectors and their magnitudes, the unit vectors, and the force vectors . They are also taught to formulate and solve the force equilibrium equations. In Design of Mach ine Elements the students learn to design shafts and belt drives for different types of loads considering the cross section, and shape, size, stress and material factors. In Vibration the stud ents study undamped and damped vibrating systems. They learn to solve problems for the given mass, stiffness, damping factor and initial conditions using Excel and graph the oscillatory mo tion. In 2010 fall the author used the Excel programs in Statics and Vibration and will use them in Design of Machine Elements 2011 spring. The programs were developed in Excel because the so ftware is available at all of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) computers. Also, students can afford to buy it for their home computers or laptops. Tests will be given in a computer lab so that the students can use Excel to solve problems and submit them electronica lly. Tests will be designed to accommodate those students who like to do hand calculations onl y. The author helps the students work in teams and develop their own Excel programs. He has found that for a given problem Excel takes about one-fifth of the solution time required for h and calculations. In Vibration and Design of Machine Elements the author has been assigning indi vidual data for the take-home part of the tests and the final exam so that the students get t he experience of working independently. Excel makes grading very easy particularly in such course s. The use of Excel programs for problem solving and D2L for course management helps us comp ly with the ABET recommendation regarding computer applications in our teaching and learning. They also address some of the ABET’s a-k criteria including the ability to solve problems in their major field and team work.