A case study on the design of a modular surgical instrument for removing metastases using engineering design tools

Metastatic cancer is a form of cancer stemming from a primary tumour that propagates to different organs and/or to different sites within the same organ. Studies have indicated that the chances of survival improve upon surgical removal of metastases. The overall goal of this research was to develop a modular surgical instrument that would be easy to use and manipulate and hence facilitate resection of metastases. This research forms part of a final year project carried out by a mechanical engineering student in the four-year bachelors course at the University of Malta. The basic design cycle taught in the third year of the course was employed to systematically generate the design of a novel modular surgical instrument, This was complemented by a number of hospital visits and various meetings with professionals and other stakeholders relevant to the field. Through this case-study, this paper shows how, even at a bachelors level project, the application of design tools and the continuous communication with typical end-users can lead to the development of a high-value added product which can be potentially commercialised. Other benefits of joint supervision are also discussed.peer-reviewe

Using engineering design tools in multidisciplinary distributed student teams

Collaborative design practice in distributed student teams is becoming more popular as technology makes it easier to communicate ideas with others that are geographically distant. However, a challenge for students is to use design tools which they are not familiar with. These design tools usually differ from each other and engineers may find it much more difficult to share their ideas. This could make the whole design process longer and less successful. Each year the University of Malta, City University London and University of Strathclyde organise a joint collaborative design project, involving engineering students with different disciplines and cultural backgrounds. In this paper, the patterns of use of design tools by students to collaborate with each other are investigated. Based on survey results of students, this paper proposes an approach which can be utilised by engineering students to enhance collaboration in multidisciplinary distributed design teams.peer-reviewe

The nature and limitations of user models in the household product design

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX176497 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Dataset used in the paper "3D printing for Repair: An Approach for Enhancing Repair"

Dataset used in the paper "3D printing for Repair: An Approach for Enhancing Repair" by Van Oudheusden et al., 2023. It collects data on 45 repair cases by students that perform one iteration of the 3D printing for repair process for the first time during a three-day practicum. The data set documents what incorrect and correct steps were made, and also what suitability and unsuitability types the part in each repair case had. Data coding was done independently by two researchers with a predetermined data coding table (see paper), and a coding agreement of 0,81 using Cohen's Kappa.</p