UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS

DEPARTMENT OF  MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

 

ME 100   Introduction to Mechanical and  Aerospace Engineering

 Spring 2012

 

Section 001  MW     01:00 PM-01:50 PM  UNLV Campus, Room TBE B-178

Section 201 Rancho High School       UNLV Distance Education                              

Office: TBE-B130     Phone 895-3830      E-mail: mauer@me.unlv.edu

Office Hours: MW 10:00 to 11:00 am, and  2:00 to 3:30 pm

 

Text:   Engineering Fundamentals and Problem Solving, 6th Edition Arvid R. Eide et al., ©2012, ISBN-13 9780073534916, McGrawHill.

 

Instructor: Dr. G. F. Mauer, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Note: The single most important and interesting part of this course will be a design project, on which you will be working in a small team throughout the semester. See separate project schedule posted on the course web page.

                                    Assignments will change! Check Website announcements regularly!
 
 Notes regarding Distance Education: The video lectures are labeled Introduction, and Lecture 1 through 18. The entries in red font color denote the approximate time during the semester for viewing the content. The associated slide shows are listed in GREEN. The agreement between video lectures and the associated  slides is only approximate, since some video lectures cover only portions of  the associated slide show file
Week Date  Topic   Chapter   

Problems  (Numbers refer to the problems section at the end of each chapter)

1

 1/18            

Engineering Profession

Introduction

 

Slide show

f01.pdf

Chapter 1

Video Lecture 1 Introduction

Ch. 1.4-1.5

 

 

Distance Education class: submit paper copies or on WEBCampus every week on Monday. Due dates are listed in the second column at left, later when Monday is a holiday. Assignments are labeled consecutively as #1, #2  etc. Include the assignment number on every submission.

When submitting via WEBCampus  every attachment filename MUST contain student last name and the assignment number. Example:  SmithHW01.doc

2

 1/23

Engineering  History

Engineering disciplines

Slide show

f02.pdf

 

Video Lectures

2, 3, 4

 

Ch. 2

 

                                                                                       

due 1/23: Problem  1.4 :     Find the name of a pioneer engineer in the field of your choice and write a brief paragraph describing your conclusions. (on page 36)  

                                                                               #1

3

 1/30

Design Methods

 

 

Slide show

f03.pdf,

f04.pdf

 

Supplem.

 

Ch. 3

 

Video Lecture 5 (Chapter 2 Design, Wright Brothers)

due 1/30 : one-page essay (min. 400 words)                          #2

Topic: The Wright Brothers

Visit: http://wright.nasa.gov/overview.htm

http://www.first-to-fly.com/,

 http://www.wam.umd.edu/~stwright/WrBr/Wrights.html,

 

and similar web sites.

The Wright Brothers movies shown in class (in Quicktime format) are posted below

WRIGHT_01glidbg           (14 MB)
WRIGHT_mow_02.mov    (8MB)
WRIGHT_mow_03.mov    (8 MB)
WRIGHT_mow_03_f.mov (11 MB)
WRIGHT_mow_05.mov     (8 MB)

Fig. 1     Fig. 2

The two images above illustrate the generic engineering design process and the steps the Wright brothers took while pursuing their dream. Discuss, step by step, the approach the Wright brothers took to airplane design. As a minimum, your essay must address the following issues in detail:

  1. How did the Wright brothers benefit from prior work (Literature search?)

  2. For one major design advance made by the brothers (choose: flight control or Flight Theory or Propulsion Systems) : how was the problem identified? what path was taken to its solution? how was the design modified?

Academic Honesty: You are encouraged to include as much information and pictures from the web as you find useful. Please be sure to cite all sources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 2/06

Problem Solving, Design Methods

 

Slide show

f05.pdf

Ch. 3

Video Lecture 6

Problem 2.4                                              #3

See the web page of the Nevada State Board of Professional Engineers for detailed Information

http://www.nvboe.org/

5

 2/13

Ethics

 

Slide show

f06.pdf, f07.pdf

 

Ch. 2

 

Video Lectures 7

 (Ethics: Challenger Disaster ) and 9  (Ethics: Kansas City Disaster )

 

 

Engineering Ethics Assignment:

(a) Read the following  two articles:                                                   #4

Article 1 (Honesty ):

http://ethics.tamu.edu/pritchar/tourist.htm

and Article 2 (Women in Engineering) at:

http://ethics.tamu.edu/pritchar/sunnyval.htm

 

The web site http://ethics.tamu.edu/pritchar/an-intro.htm contains several other interesting articles, and I suggest you read them.

(b) Submit: Your reasoned answer to the question(s) listed in either article  1 or article 2 (your choice), based on the information presented (about one typed page). We will discuss both issues raised in the articles in class.

6

 2/22

Engineering Solutions

 

 

Slide show

Parts of  f07.pdf

 

Ch. 3

 

Video Lecture 8

(Robot design elements: Gears)

Quiz #1 on Wed.

 

 Mathcad programming exercise                              #5

Assignment: Read this pdf document and work through the exercises before attempting the assignment on a computer equipped with Mathcad. Answer the six question problems in Mathcad, and submit the printed result.

Getting Started: The web contains several tutorials on  Mathcad. For instance, you may visit the Mathcad tutorial at Louisiana State University:

http://www.che.lsu.edu/links/computing/tutorials/mathcadt.htm

7

 2/27

Technical Information, Graphics

Slide show

  f09.pdf

 

Ch. 4

 

Video Lecture 10

(Language)

 

Problems 4.7, 4.29

Please use  one of the following formats:                            #6               

1. the 'engineering paper' format shown and following pages (see page 79 in Eide sixth ed.) (or see page 131 in Eide fourth ed.) ,  (10 points max.) or

2.  Mathcad or Spreadsheet (e.g. MS Excel) software to perform the analysis. (15 points max.)

See here for a sample solution  of a sample problem (determine the optimum volume of a packaging container) in Mathcad.

8

 3/05

Technical Information, Graphics

 

Slide show

  f08.pdf

Ch. 4

 

Video Lecture 11

(Math Software I)

Problems 4.23, 4.25                                                                #7     

Please submit either manually (10 points per problem) using Engineering' Format (see Fig. 4.1 in book)
or use Mathcad or Spreadsheet software (preferred,  15 points per problem)

9

 3/12

Technical Information, Graphics

 

Slide show

  f10.pdf

 

Ch. 5

 

Video Lecture 12

(Math Software II)

 

March 14-19 Spring Break

Problems 5.2, 5.5      Submit printout of your work, done by Computer  only                                                                                      #8

    10 points per problem            

  submit using
 Mathcad or Spreadsheet software. Manual work is not accepted

Sample solution in Mathcad (click on link to download):

Problem 4.3

10

 3/19

Engineering Approximations

 

 

Slide show

  f10.pdf

 

Ch.  5, 6

 

Video Lecture 13 (Math Software III)

Video Lecture 14 (Chapter 5 Approximations)
Problems 5.12, 5.13                                                 #9               

Computer submission only       

Note: You may print log paper from a blank Excel or Mathcad log plot.

                   March 23 Final day to drop 

11

 3/26

Engineering Approximations, Units and Conversions

 

 

Slide show

  f11.pdf and beginning of f12.pdf

 

Ch. 6

 

 

Video Lectures 15 and 16 (Measurements I and II)

Problems  6.4 d-f, 6.5a-d, 6.6                  #10

Please submit printed copies, using
 Mathcad or Spreadsheet software. Manual work is not accepted

Click for Mathcad review example file.

Note for Mathcad submissions:

Enter all data with their correct dimension, e.g.  as applicable. You can enter dimensions either in SI units, or click on the icon (the half-filled jug on the toolbar)

March 31-April 6...........Spring break recess.

12

 4/09

Units and Conversions, Statistics

 

Slide show

   f12.pdf

 

Ch. 7, supplement

 

 

 

Video Lectures 17 and 18 (Units I and II)

 Problems 7.2, 7.5, 7.9                                               #11

 

 

            

Start of Presentations (each lab section)

Please note:

  1. Every team is assigned a number and a presentation date. Please attach a label with the Team # to your robot. Robots will be called by Team # during the competition.

  2.  Bring your presentation to your lab section in the following MS Windows formats only:

  •          USB Memory  or     CD-Rom

  • Do NOT bring Zip Disks or 1.44MB Floppy disks! It is every team's responsibility to have its presentation ready on time, in the prescribed format.

13

 4/16 Statistics

 

Ch. 10

Quiz 2 Wednesday

 Problems 7.13, 7.20, 7.25                                      #12
Solution key for  Quiz #2   (will be posted after the quiz)

14

 4/23 Statistics

Ch. 10

 Problems 10.3, 10.4                                                    #13

Oral presentations in each Lab section

All Final Project reports  are due  Wednesday 4/25 before class, one report per team.

Here is a Sample Final Report (Robotic Dog). Please note the organization of the paper and the use of illustrations.

Here is a Sample Final Presentation

 

15

 4/30

No  class on Monday. All teams meet in the Great Hall. Be sure your robot is in working order, the program is loaded and tested, and the batteries are freshly charged. You can supply your own batteries if you wish.

Wednesday Class: Review and preparation for the Final Examination
FINAL EXAM: Monday May 7 1:00 pm  

Reports and homework: All work should be neat and organized. Please see sample cover page for required formatting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distance Class: Please submit your homework on WebCampus on  the due date BEFORE Class.

In exceptional cases (e.g. UNLV Webcampus is unavailable) you may submit your homework on paper. Printed submissions: Submit to your classroom teacher either on ‘Engineering’ paper, or print on regular 8-1/2” by 11” paper BEFORE Class.

At http://www.me.unlv.edu/Undergraduate/coursenotes.html you'll find a copy of this schedule. Select MEG100 Course Information. This schedule and homework assignments will be updated weekly.

Policies: Homework is due weekly each Monday BEFORE class. Late homework is NOT accepted. All tests are closed book and closed notes. Make‑up tests will NOT be given. Exceptions are made only if student has participated in all prior exams and provides physician's statement PRIOR to the test date. Students are expected to attend class regularly.  Students with less than 90% attendance rate will be dropped. Students with disabilities may request accommodations through the disability resource center. Please see http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/les for more information. Students requiring accommodations with regard to religious holidays must request these from the instructor in writing no later than the last day of the first week of instruction.

The University requires all members of the University Community to familiarize themselves and to follow copyright and fair use requirements. YOU ARE INDIVIDUALLY AND SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR VIOLATIONS OF COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE LAWS. THE UNIVERSITY WILL NEITHER PROTECT NOR DEFEND YOU NOR ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EMPLOYEE OR STUDENT VIOLATIONS OF COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE LAWS. Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liability as well as disciplinary action under University policies.
 

To help you familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page at:
http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright

 
 

Grading: 

Homework, Quizzes, and Class Participation 35
Project Presentation * 10
Final Exam   20
Design Project * 35
  100%

   *Students not enrolled in the MEG100 Lab will be graded on homework and exams only.

A = 90%+; B = 80%+; C = 70%+; D = 60%+; F below 60%

 

 

Tutoring  -- The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides tutoring and academic assistance for all UNLV students taking UNLV courses.  Students are encouraged to stop by the ASC to learn more about subjects offered, tutoring times and other academic resources.  The ASC is located across from the Student Services Complex, #22 on the current UNLV map. Students may learn more about tutoring services by calling (702) 895-3177 or visiting the tutoring web site at:  http://academicsuccess.unlv.edu/tutoring/. A tutoring office dedicated to engineering students is housed in the Engineering Building, TBE-A, second floor.

UNLV Writing Center

One-on-one or small group assistance with writing is available free of charge to UNLV students at the Writing Center, located in CDC-3-301. Although walk-in consultations are sometimes available, students with appointments will receive priority assistance.

Appointments may be made in person or by calling 895-3908. The student’s Rebel ID Card, a copy of the assignment (if possible), and two copies of any writing to be reviewed are requested for the consultation. More information can be found at: http://writingcenter.unlv.edu/

 

Rebelmail – By policy, faculty and staff should e-mail students’ Rebelmail accounts only. Rebelmail is UNLV’s Official e-mail system for students. It is one of the primary ways students receive official university communication such as information about deadlines, major campus events, and announcements. All UNLV students receive a Rebelmail account after they have been admitted to the university. Students’ e-mail prefixes are listed on class rosters. The suffix is always @unlv.nevada.edu.


MEG 100L Design Project Schedule

Please select the link from the course home page.

Web Resources

You can access the web from any networked computer in the engineering building.

Consult the library resources (both on line and hardcopy) for your literature search. The librarians in the Lied library will assist you.

 Most US patents can be found online. They are often an excellent resource.

 

US patent office: http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html

In order to view illustrations, you' ll have to download a free image viewer. Procedures are documented on the patent office site.