In addition to industry short-courses, I teach four courses at Penn State University. In the Fall I teach my graduate-level design course in "Designing for Human Variability" and a Mechanical Engineering design course. In the Spring I typically teach the freshman-level introduction to engineering design. The following pages include descriptions of the courses and examples of student work. Students in each of the courses are very engaged in the design process and each culminates with a practical design project.
EDSGN / ME / IE 547 - Designing for Human Variability
Course Description (from the catalog): The course presents the use of statistics, optimization, and robust design methodologies in the design of products and environments that are robust to the variability in users. This includes the development of modeling strategies that incorporate an understanding of variability in human size, capability, and preference. The material will be presented through a variety of hands-on activities including design projects. Current and best industrial practices will also be presented. This is a unique opportunity to explore material from engineering, statistics, biomechanics, disability and aging research, and business in the context of design problems.
EDSGN 100 - Introduction to Engineering Design
Course Description (from the catalog): Introduction to engineering design through team-oriented design projects supported by communication skills: graphical, verbal, written.
ME 340 - Mechanical Engineering Design Methodology
Course Description (from the catalog): This course is intended to provide mechanical engineering students with the fundamental tools to produce an effective design solution in a realistic professional environment with conflicting customer needs and technical capabilities. The students will identify the system design targets through interaction with the "customer", develop multiple conceptual designs, select the best design solution and produce a functional prototype. The course is project driven with significant input from the students in defining the work objectives and goals. Initially several mini-projects will be assigned with specific objectives such as identifying customer needs, quantifying technical design specifications and decision making. The course culminates with a student team based design competition. The competition provides an opportunity to apply the design process to an open-ended mechanical engineering problem.
ME 440 - Mechanical Systems Design Project
Course Description (from the catalog): Students develop and practice skills and techniques for managing and executing engineering design projects. These skills are applied to an industry-sponsored project. Project teams perform all facets of product and process design. This includes problem identification, planning of the project, formulation of design specifications, the development and evaluation of alternative conceptual designs, the development of detailed designs, the specification of manufacturing processes, prototyping of manufacturing processes and parts, and analysis and documentation of results. Students will travel to industrial sites to gain an understanding of existing processes and problems and to assess the customer's needs. Students will present their design process and final design in several formats: oral presentations, poster presentations, web pages, and reports.
