Types of Engineering Modules in
Fundamentals of Engineering Design, FED101
and the Pilot Courses, CS101E and FE102
The following list is representative of some of the numerous modules that have been developed over the past five years for our Freshmen Design Program. Engineering students working in teams will experience at least two different types of projects during their first year at NJIT. The FED101 course, Fundamentals of Engineering Design has been institutionalized at NJIT and is structured differently than the current pilot two-semester sequence courses. Our objective has always been the same; to have the students participate in the learning process. Communication skills are integrated into each module with written team reports and oral presentations.
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Discipline Specific Modules
CHEMICAL ENGINEERINGThe primary module developed for Chemical Engineering involves several different measurement experiments that may apply to any engineering disciple and places emphasis on the process.
Measurements Laboratory
– Teams of students rotate through several experiments which include a rotometer experiment, packed tower experiment, and pipe-flow, to name a few.
CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
These modules are based on feasibility studies of different types of civil engineering projects where students must conclude which is the best solution to meet the objective and justify their decision based on economics, and the impact on the environment and society.
Water Supply from a Reservoir to a Local Community
– Students must decide on the best route to supply water from the Round Valley Reservoir to a nearby community. They learn about pipe flow, pumping stations, easements, and soil conditions.Transportation Study to Transport Passengers from Penn Rail Station to Newark Airport
– Five different modalities of transportation are presented for this study. Students must select the appropriate mode of transportation with consideration on passenger safety, time savings of the commute, cost and impact.Roadway Design to Move Traffic Flow from Two Major Highways into Downtown Newark
– Students learn about traffic flow, advantages and disadvantages of the cloverleaf, and the cost of various roadway designs.Donald Trump’s Proposed Tower in Manhatten
– With the proposed construction of another skyscraper, students visited the site for this construction and decided if the proposed plan was a good one or not.
ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING
These modules introduce students to electrical elements, theory of electrical circuits, and hands-on experience in wiring circuit boards.
Design of Electrical Circuit with a Photo Resistor
– Students learn about Kirchoff’s Law and wiring electrical components in series or parallel circuits. The objective is to use a photo resistor to turn a light on in the dark and have it shut off when the environment is light.Applications of Electrical Circuits in Computers
– Students have several small experiments in wiring circuits that demonstrate applications in computer design.
INDUSTRIAL & MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING
These modules emphasize manufacturing processes and human factors. Some employ the Quality-Function Deployment charts to demonstrate the factors in determining the best choice.
Manufacturing Processes and Floor Planning –
A CD-ROM produced by the manufacturing company, Festo, displays video clips of several commonly used types of manufacturing equipment. This overlays a project objective to design the best floor plan for arranging a specific number of manufacturing cells.
This module includes basic instruction in graphics and CAD. The students sketch isometric and orthographic views before learning to use Pro/ENGINEER Solid Modeling software. This knowledge is then used in a design module to create or redesign products. The objective is to have several component parts for an assembly to study tolerance and fit. One component CAD file is exported to a Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA) for a prototype. Each team checks for quality assurance by measuring the prototype and checking against their detailed drawing.
Toys
– Students Design a New Toy or Modify and Existing One.Slider-Crank Mechanism Application
– Students learn about displacement and velocity analysis of the slider-crank mechanism, then design an application for that mechanism.Household Appliances
– Students disassemble electric hand mixers and electric knives to analysis the design of the housing while learning about the mechanism that causes it to function. Students are challenged to improve the design of the housing. Application Device for Photo Resistor Light – This module is used when paired with the Electrical Engineering Module for students to find a application for the circuit design.Glider Airplanes
– Instructions on aerodynamics and wing design; each team builds a prototype with balsa wood or other material. The last week results in a competition for flight time and distance.
Multidiscipline Modules
CHEMICAL, CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
There have been several variations of feasibility studies that require knowledge in these disciplines to analyze processes and determine the best siting. Teams of students are given background information on the topic, maps showing a few selected sites, and the factors that determine the best site.
Waste Treatment Facility
Water Treatment Facility
Aspirin Factory
BIOMEDICAL and ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
In this one module, students learn about the calibrating device, Prep-Check, that measures the accuracy of electrocardiographic instruments. A physician met with the students for a lesson on anatomy prior to a visit to the factory that manufactures the Prep-Check.
Electrocardiographic Device, Prep-Check
ELECTRICAL and MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
There have been several products chosen for these modules where the students study the analogy between the two disciplines and the interdependence.
Floppy Disk Drive of the Computer
– Students learn about the electrical circuitry that runs the floppy disk drive and use CAD to redesign the front door panel.Heat Sink of the CPU Fan
– This module teaches heat transfer and the heat dissipated by the CPU as a function of the speed.
INDUSTRIAL and MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
These modules emphasize product design and manufacturing processes.
Lawn Sprinkler
– Students study the gear mechanism that rotates the arm of the sprinkler and learn about plastic processes for the base of the sprinkler.Step Ladder
– The manufacturing floor layout of a typical plant that produces this product is highlighted by a plant tour. Students are to redesign the typical step ladder in CAD.
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