In the age of unrestricted internet access, you can find information on most concepts and solutions to a lot of problems. Therefore, as a teacher, I feel my goal is to provide an elevated experience whereby a student should be able to clearly understand the concept, implement those concepts to design and analyze a complex system and then infer data from experiments to defend those design choices. To cater to the ever-increasing demands from the industry and academia for all-rounders, I feel as a teacher, I should be able to provide those previously stated experiences in a holistic manner.
I believe that students should be exposed to a lot of examples so that they can at least remember a part of that as they graduate from one course and move into another course. I also believe that there should be a continuity in the content from one course to another so that students understand their applications from an overall systems perspective. I have always felt that course organization is very important as students appreciate standardization without surprises. As a teacher, I should be open to criticisms, admitting mistakes, open to learning, and open to new ideas. I have had a lot of learning from students in courses and projects through their probing questions during lectures and office hours. It is also important to provide easy access to the teacher and encourage communication and interaction without any fear. I should be well prepared to teach, promote interest in the subject and above all, keep students’ interest and development as the paramount objective.
The Engineering Mechanics sequence involves three courses namely Introduction to Static Systems (ES2501), Stress Analysis (ES2502) and Introduction to Dynamic Systems (ES2503). The details of these courses are given below.
Introduction to Static Systems (ES 2501)
This first year course is one of the fundamental engineering courses that develops basics mathematical and physical reasoning skills to analyze a variety of engineering systems spread across different fields. Core concepts include understanding static equilibrium and the ability to identify and resolve forces acting in a system through free-body diagrams. In addition to homework and exams, design labs will be conducted in-class to expose students to real-world problems. This is a pre-requisite for many advanced engineering courses. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Stress Analysis (ES 2502)
This course introduces you to the mechanics of solids with applications in engineering. This introductory course addresses the analysis of basic mechanical and structural elements with focus on the geometry of motion and deformation of structures, forces on and within different structures and systems and the relationship between forces and motions and deformations. Topics include general concepts of stresses, strains, and material properties of common engineering materials. Also covered are two-dimensional stress transformations, principal stresses, Mohr’s circle and deformations due to mechanical and thermal effects. Applications are to uniaxially loaded bars, circular shafts under torsion, bending and shearing and deflection of beams, and buckling of columns. Both statically determinate and indeterminate problems are analyzed (click here for catalog description).
Introduction to Dynamic Systems (ES 2503)
This first year/sophomore level course introduces students to the analysis of moving systems with rigid bodies subject to various forces. The focus will be on the kinematics and kinetics of particles and rigid bodies such that a firm understanding is developed to solve practical problems. Fundamental principles describing the motion and acceleration are discussed along with the associated mathematical techniques. The topics covered include kinematics of particles and rigid bodies, equations of motion, work-energy methods, and impulse and momentum. Varied topics will be explored with some exploited in detailed. Software tools applicable in this area will also be used in this course. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Class Structure
I generally teach these courses over summer through online asynchronous mode. Online sessions involve recorded lectures. Online sessions also have one-on-one office hour sessions on demand. Class participation activities, Homework and Projects account for the course grade.
Students involved in these projects produce reports that are used in higher level courses such as Modeling and Analysis of Mechatronic Systems and Advanced Engineering Design as reference guides.
I have also taught Statics and Stress Analysis during the regular academic year. During that time, students in Statics were required to work on a project similar to what is stated above. The teams presented their work in a poster presentation at the end of the term.
Course Code
ES2501 (Statics), ES2502 (Stress Analysis), ES2503 (Dynamics)
Recommended Background
Statics: Differentiation, Integration, Vector Algebra
Stress: Statics
Dynamics: Statics
Reference Books
Statics: Engineering Mechanics: Statics by R.C.Hibbeler
Stress: Mechanics of Materials by R.C.Hibbeler
Dynamics: Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics by R.C.Hibbeler | Engineering Mechanics: Statics by R.C.Hibbeler
Other references:
Statics: analysis and design of systems in equilibrium by Sheppard et al.
Engineering Mechanics: Statics by Dietmar Gross et al.
Schaum’s Outline of Engineering Mechanics: Statics by E. Nelson et al. (available as an online book via the library website)
Tools Used
MS Excel, AutoCAD, SolidWorks Sketch, PMKS+, Matlab, Working Model
Terms Taught
Statics: B-2014, B-2015, E-term (Summer) 2016-2019
Stress: B-2016, E-term (Summer) 2016-2020
Dynamics: E-term (Summer) 2015-current
Course Management Systems Used
Piazza (no longer used), Blackboard (now discontinued), Canvas, Slack
Syllabus
If you are interested in obtaining the course syllabus, feel free to Contact me.
The core of this junior/senior level course is dedicated to modeling physical systems (Mechanical, Electrical, Hydraulic and their combinations) using the Bond Graph language and deriving differential equations that represent different dynamic systems. Methods, manual and computational, to determine system responses are discussed. There are hands-on laboratory activities that involve disassembly, modeling and re-assembly of different mechanical and electro-mechanical systems as well as comparison of sensor data with theoretical calculations. In addition, topics such as conceptual system design, free-body diagrams, and rigid body kinematics and kinetics are also emphasized in this course. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Class Structure
The course is conducted in four 50-minute weekly lecture sessions with a 100-minute weekly lab. Homework and Labs are some of the activities in the course. Students also have an option to improve their grades by resubmitting work after making corrections based on instructor feedback, giving an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Course Code
ME 4322 / RBE 4322
Recommended Background
Statics, Dynamics, Kinematics of Mechanisms, Design of Machine Elements, Thermo-Fluids Introduction, Calculus, Differential Equations
Tools Used
PMKS+, Matlab, 20sim
Reference Books
System Dynamics: Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Mechatronic Systems by Karnopp, Dean C.; Margolis, Donald L.; Rosenberg, Ronald C., Hoboken: Wiley, 2012
Intelligent Mechatronic Systems: Modeling, Control and Diagnosis by Merzouki et al. (available as an e-book)
Vehicle Dynamics, Stability, and Control by Karnopp, Dean C., 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 1466560851
Analysis and Design of Dynamic Systems by Cochin, Ira and Cadwallender, William; 1997, 3rd ed., ISBN 9780673982582
Terms Taught
A and C terms, since A-term 2014
Course Management Systems Used
Piazza (no longer used), Blackboard (now discontinued), Canvas, Slack
Sample Student Projects (between 2014-2021)
- Shark Steam Mop
- Demonstrating a Regenerative Braking System (won the Best Project Award selected by fellow students)
- Demonstrating a Generative System (won the Best Project Award selected by fellow students)
- Nerf Gun (won the Best Project Award selected by fellow students)
- Amusement Park Ride
- Electric Shaver
- Oscillating Table Fan
- Artificial Muscles Hysteresis model
- Automated Manual Transmission (won the Best Project Award selected by fellow students)
- Automated Graph-Grammar Based Bond Graph Tool (won the Best Project Award selected by fellow students)
- Analysis of a Automated Tube Insertion Machine
- Bond-Graph derivation for the analysis of an artificial bird
- Automatic French Fry Maker
- Analysis of a Slider Crank Mechanism
- Automated 3D Printer Part Removal
and many more.
Syllabus
If you are interested in obtaining the course syllabus, feel free to Contact me.
This course, also known as the “Capstone Engineering Experience,” integrates students’ background in various mechanical engineering concepts and techniques from different courses to develop a working electro-mechanical system that solves an industrial problem. To provide this experience, a real engineering problem from an industrial sponsor will be presented. You will work in groups and demonstrate a working solution after carrying out tasks such as identifying customer needs, carrying out literature survey, arriving at goals and requirements, brainstorming and generating concept designs, mathematical modeling (static and dynamic analyses) of the most promising design, manufacturing and testing of the final design and data collection and interpretation. There will be regular oral presentations and interim report submissions, where feedback will be shared. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Course Structure
Since this is a Capstone Engineering Experience course, the first few sessions will focus on the project requirements, group formation and other logistical aspects. Then subsequent lectures will involve presentations from different groups on the progress made on fulfilling the requirements of the project. The teaching team will interact with individual teams, ascertain progress and provide critical feedback.
Projects
Different types of projects are carried out including ones sponsored by the industry. Example Projects include:
* Development/Refurbishment of four-bar linkages
* Development of Scaled-cars (Remote controlled cars) for integrating an autonomous driving module
* Design and Integration of an electric motor input in a crank-slider mechanism
Course Code
ME 4320
Recommended Background
Statics, Stress Analysis, Dynamics, Kinematics of Mechanisms, Design of Machine Elements, Modeling and Analysis of Mechatronic Systems, Basics of Manufacturing
Tools Used
PMKS, Matlab, MathCAD, SolidWorks
Reference Books
Fundamental text books relating to the recommended background are the reference books. Additional resources will be shared during the course.
Terms Taught
D-2017, B-2017, C-2018, D-2018, B and D terms since B-2018
Course Management Systems Used
Canvas and Slack
Syllabus
If you are interested in obtaining the course syllabus, feel free to Contact me.
This junior level course deals with position, velocity and acceleration analyses of mechanisms (linkages, gears and cams) and robots. Besides, techniques to synthesize mechanisms based on output specifications will be discussed in length (similar to this illustration ). Practical fabrication and computational projects will be an integral part of this course. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Class Structure
The course is conducted in four 50-minute lecture sessions weekly with a 50-minute weekly lab. Two course formats have been attempted.
Format 1: Three projects (60%), three homework (20%) and one exam (20%). Each project spanned two weeks and involved prototyping, Matlab programming and literature review activities as projects.
Format 2: Class Participation activities, Homework, Lab Reports and Project work contribute 55% of the course grade while Exams contribute 45%.
In both formats, students had an option to improve their exam grades through make-up exams, giving an opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Course Code
ME 3310
Recommended Background
Statics, Vector Algebra, Calculus, Dynamics
Tools Used
PMKS, Matlab, Working Model, SAM, Linkages
Reference Books
Design of Machinery by Robert L. Norton, 2012,5th ed.,McGraw-Hill
Kinematics, Dynamics, and Design of Machinery by Waldren, Kenneth J. and Kinzel, Gary L; 2004, 2nd ed., ISBN: 9780471244172
Mechanism Design: Analysis & Synthesis by Erdman, A.G., Sandor, G.N., and Kota, S.; 2001, 4th ed., Prentice-Hall
21st Century Kinematics by McCarthy, J.M. (available as an e-book)
Terms Taught
D-2015, D-2016, C-2017
Course Management Systems Used
Blackboard (now discontinued), Piazza, Canvas
Course Updates
Please click here for course updates.
Syllabus
If you are interested in obtaining the course syllabus, feel free to Contact me.
This course introduces students to a structured product design process that includes identifying customer needs, brainstorming, benchmarking, identifying specifications, designing concepts and so on. Students will work in groups on a course project through which additional topics in creativity, product liability, reverse engineering and patents will also be explored. Additional details can be found in the undergraduate catalog.
Class Structure
The course wAS conducted weekly in four 50-minute lecture sessions and a 100-minute weekly lab session. The course involved solving an industrial problem for M/s. Aspen Aerogels. The course grade was completely based on the project and involved presentations, reporting writing and other class participation activities. The students were also exposed to different engineering systems during lab sessions.
Course Code
ME2300
Recommended Background
Differentiation, Integration, Vector Algebra, Statics, Stress Analysis
Reference Books
Product design: techniques in reverse engineering and new product development by Kevin N. Otto and Kristin L. Wood
Engineering Design: a project based introduction by Clive Dym et al.
Product Design and Development by Ulrich and Eppinger.
Tools Used
MS Excel, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Matlab
Terms Taught
B-term 2015
Course Management Systems Used
Piazza, Blackboard (now discontinued)
Course Updates
Please click here for course updates.
Syllabus
If you are interested in obtaining the course syllabus, feel free to Contact me.
