How to Teach Mechanical Engineering Design Using Industry Methods While Still Assessing to University Criteria

Abstract

There is a growing demand from industry for qualified design engineers. Many design engineers are trained in industry at vast expense in time and money, while many more are trained at universities and colleges. This thesis will explore how to maintain the training by universities and colleges to be as up to date and relevant as possible. It will look at the modern techniques and methods such as design teams, use of computer software, communication, use of the internet, and methods to solve design problems. All these techniques and methods are used by world-leading industries during the 21st century; this century, known also as the Third Industrial Revolution, or the Information Technology Revolution. It will show how appropriate techniques and methods can be applied in academia. A challenge is highlighted, and a solution found, how to get students to design to modern industry standards but at the same time make it possible to assess their work to satisfy the needs of academia and achieve the awarding criteria. Modern techniques and methods will be applied to university students and an assessment made of the results. Use of group working will be explored, and an algorithm developed to grade the completed work. What do students need now, to equip them to become competent designers, and how do lecturers support these students in these new methods? A knowledge gap between full-time students and part-time students in their final year of a degree programme was identified. This gap was reduced by reviewing the curriculum from earlier years and specifically targeting improving the student’s knowledge. To reduce the gap further, the development of a new teaching theory based on reverse engineering and a reversed application of Bloom’s Taxonomy was developed. This new teaching theory was applied to engineering student in their final year of a BEng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering Degree. The above methods and theories were validated by experienced industry design engineers from world leading companies