Problem Solving in Design of Machine Elements in Mechanical Engineering

The Design of Machine Elements course is one of the most difficult and complicated courses in the Mechanical Engineering program. It requires inventive concept generation, the knowledge of geometrical design, and basic knowledge of stress and deformation analyses. On those three elements, the machine elements design philosophy is established and further developed. The course material has to be chosen carefully since the time constrains will allow to cover design of only few essential machine elements. The material is covered by lectures, textbook readings, homework problems, and design projects. In addition to the textbook content the course contains five special elements: Idea Generation, Safety Considerations, Design of the Day (DoD), a Designer’s Liability study, and three projects including Final Project – Shaft Design. In the Idea Generation project, students generate an idea of machine or mechanical device. The Safety Consideration project is done by inspection and documentation of unsafe elements on campus. The Shaft Design Project had students design a shaft system under given constrains. In DoD students present existing advanced machines chosen using different sources or their own industrial internship experience. The Liability assignment addresses the designer’s legal responsibility in case of a defective product that caused an injury or accident. The material taught in the course is larger than conventional machine element design course. The elements added that are beyond the structural analysis bring better understanding of engineering problems during the Senior Design course and later during engineering practice. They allow the students to connect the theory with the real world of engineering challenges. This gives students more satisfaction during the learning process and cognitive benefits during engineering practice. The unconventional inventive design approach of the teaching team (course instructor and GTA) to problem solving is based on many years of instructor’s experience in teaching of engineering problem solving and design. The learning pattern in which students work in teams, both in problem solving and in design exercises, also helps to conduct the course. Thanks to all these elements the learning experience of the course is unique and engaging despite the high level of difficulty associated with it.