Newly Introduced Capstone Design Course for Mechanical Engineering Technology: Lessons Learned From Two Cohorts and Two Types of Projects

This paper demonstrates the experience of teaching newly introduced capstone design course for two consecutive Mechanical Engineering Technology graduating cohorts at the authors' School of Engineering and Technology. The newly introduced capstone design course was taught for the first cohort utilizing one internally sponsored project assignment for the entire cohort, while the second cohort experienced five different project assignments three of which were industry supported, and the remaining two projects were internally supported. The paper highlights the methodology of delivering the capstone design course during both years and compares and contrasts design experiences between internally and externally sponsored capstone design projects. It will be shown quantitatively, in this study, that industry sponsored projects provided better opportunities for students to receive real-life project experience while introducing a different level of challenges for faculty and school. Classes were divided into teams and the team-based assessment used is also captured in this work. Assessment instruments embedded into the capstone design course are also discussed and level of success is demonstrated in view of ABET a-k outcomes emphasized throughout the course. The paper concludes with recommendations to continuously improve industry-sponsored capstone design projects with an emphasis on Mechanical Engineering Technology cohorts. Overview of the Capstone Design Course This capstone course was approved through the curriculum system of the School of Engineering and Technology in 2013. The course is a one-academic semester course usually offered during spring semester and is offered as a required course for Engineering Eechnology undergraduate programs. The programs include Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET), Product Design and Development, and industrial engineering technology majors. The first cohort went through this new course in the spring of 2014. The second cohort was in the spring of 2015. Although the class is a mix of all technology majors, MET constituted more than 80% of the students due to enrolment distribution in the School of Engineering and Technology. As a standard capstone Emad Tanbour, Ph.D. tanbo1ey@cmich.edu Molu O. Olumolade, Ph.D. olumo1mo@cmich.edu Oumar R. Barry, Ph.D. barry1o@cmich.edu assessment course, this newly introduced course was aimed at assessing the following learning outcomes: 1. Analyze an industrial-based problem, 2. Describe and apply decision-making processes appropriate to industrial problems. 3. Apply and exhibit an understanding of tooling design, prototyping, process planning, production planning and control, quality control, safety, and project management with regard to an industrial project. 4. Develop an effective working relationship with team members with different technical backgrounds and with an industrial client to determine how to solve problems. 5. Synthesize solutions to industrial problems in order to develop designs and build prototypes. 6. Develop technical reporting skills (oral and written) as they apply to the industrial environment. 7. Develop a systems approach to solving industrial problems. 8. Demonstrate ability to incorporate standards and industry compliance requirements in the engineering design process. 9. Demonstrate understanding of ethics in engineering and technology practice. 10. Demonstrate ability to apply sustainability analysis to engineering design. The above learning outcomes were mapped against ABET a-k for ETAC criteria of 2014-2015 cycle and recently revised for the 2016-2017 cycle criteria by the MET assessment committee with the School of Engineering and Technology (SET). Course Curriculum Focus Skills The curriculum of the capstone course is developed to satisfy assessment of the level of success of the technology programs in satisfying ABET ETAC a-k criteria that are not assessed thoroughly by other program required courses. Although the list of learning outcomes are assessed during the course delivery, the following major areas of earned skills are emphasized and assessed in reference to best practice research 3, 4,5, : 1The process of design of mechanical components and assembly as it is applied to an industry sponsored project 2Practical application of taking a design project from concept to production 3Ability to work in teams 4Oral and written technical communication skills 5Safety, sustainability, engineering ethics and applying standards during the design process In spring 2014, the entire cohort was assigned one design project. Class was divided into teams and each team was working on the same design project assignment. The teams were asked to design and prototype a metal work bench vise. The above five areas of skills were assessed and teams used SET machine shops to prototype the projects. The experience of industry sponsored projects was not available due to the fact that there was little time between approving the course into the curriculum and offering it that spring. Due to the one project assignment, assessment process undergone a standard course experience and no external feedback (third party) assessment of the success was possible. During spring of 2015, five projects were assigned three of which were industry sponsored. The other two projects were internally assigned with one assigned to SAE Formula 1 car and the other was assigned to Baja team of SET. The three industry sponsored projects were tapped from regional manufacturing companies. The breakdown of the five projects were as follows: Internally assigned: 1SAE Formula 1: This project aimed at designing pillow blocks for main bearing on the SAE Formula 1 car. 2Baha car: Design, prototyping and testing of the suspension system Industry sponsored: 1Redesign of a knife grinding machine for wood chipping equipment 2Design of diecast aluminum office table’s legs 3Reverse engineering methodology for perforate and expanded sheet metal Course Management Approach: The capstone course was managed using the following approach: During spring of 2015, the class met twice a week for two hours sessions dedicated to team related project tasks and one time a week for class related lectures and course management. Industry sponsored project teams were engaged in biweekly teleconference with the sponsoring company, and when possible, on-site visits were facilitated at least for sponsors within reasonable driving distance from SET. The weekly breakdown of tasks for the class are listed in table 1 and the following are major definitions of assessment instruments that were embedded into the course: Project Journal: The maintenance of a bound design project journal is a requirement of the course by each team member. Teamwork (Peer-assessed): At least twice in the semester students are requested to complete a written evaluation of team members’ performance. Project Portfolio: This is an ongoing maintenance of a project portfolio. Records of team meetings, and updated plans for upcoming work are maintained in the portfolio, and are reviewed in project meetings with the instructor and industry’s sponsor. Standard contents of the portfolio reflects all proceedings of the team work on the project. Such proceedings include weekly design review meeting notes, conceptual ideas and sketches, diagrams or pictures of the design progress throughout the project, weekly project progress one-page reports, Gantt charts, intermediate and final reports, presentations and all relevant project planning, communications, and execution documentation. Formal Documents: Throughout the semester, Formal Documents are required by each team. Such documents should be formatted with professional style and carry a team logo, a cover page, and serve as a building block towards the preparation of the Team’s final report. Professional technical writing styles are observed in these Formal Documents. Final Project Poster: Each project team prepares a final project poster to be submitted and exhibited during week 16. Guidelines and templates for the poster are provided during the course lectures. Professional Topic Assignment: Two professional topics assignments are given to each student. Assignments targets three areas of learning outcomes which are: Safety and engineering ethics, sustainability and using standards in mechanical design. Table 1: Weekly Schedule of Course Delivery Week Activity Comments Week One Introduction to IET 499 Assignment of Team and Projects Ethics in Engineering and Technology Rough Gantt Chart For the Project Possible Meeting/teleconferencing with Industry Sponsor (if applicable) Rough Gantt Chart due by Wednesday 5 PM Week Two Standards and Compliance in Engineering Design Team Status Review and Project Plan, Refinement of Problem Statement, Refinement and formalizing of requirements Bi-Weekly Design Review meeting/teleconference with industry sponsor Start building project portfolio binder Bring project journal bound notebook Bi-weekly review with industry sponsor is to be completed before Wednesday 4PM Weekly one page progress report due Wednesday 4 PM Week Three Sustainable Engineering Design Status Review and Process Coaching Formal Documents Submission: Design Problem Statement Conceptual and Detail Design Ongoing Weekly one page progress report due Wednesday 4 PM Formal documents due Wednesday 4 PM Week Four Conceptual and Detail Design Ongoing Weekly one page progress report due Wednesday 4 PM Bi-Weekly Design Review meeting/teleconference with industry sponsor 1 Professional Topics Assignment is distributed Week Five Oral Presentation: PPT on the following: Project Status Review Conceptual and Detail Design Ongoing Weekly one page progress report due Wednesday 4 PM Attach your Oral Presentation PPT to your Weekly one page progress report Week Six Detail Design – Ongoing Bi-Weekly Design Review meeting/teleconference with industry sponsor Formal