Experimental & Computational Project

Code:

L.EM031

Acronym:

PEC

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Any Scientific Area of the Study Cycle

Instance: 2022/2023 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Industrial Design Section
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.EM	194	Syllabus	3	-	6	13	162

Teaching language

Portuguese
Obs.: Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

To apply the subjects learned throughout the 3 years of undergraduate training to solve assignments proposed by companies, research institutes and faculty, with recourse to computational and experimental techniques, aiming at:

1. Acquiring programming skills in different programming languages.
2. Acquiring practical skills in preparing experimental activities, including the execution of tests and interpretation of the data obtained thereof.

At the end of the curricular unit the student should have acquired a global vision of the engineering problems solving process.

Learning outcomes and competences

Computational competences

To use different commercial engineering software and different programming languages to solve the proposed assignments.

Experimental competences

Idealisation, planning, execution and analysis of the results of experimental activities necessary to accomplish/validate the proposed assignments.

Tranversal competences

Communication skills, writing of scientific documents and team work.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

• Basic knowledge of Calculus, Algebra, Numerical Analysis, Solid Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer, Electricity, Sensors, Actuators, Kinematics, Dynamics and Finite Element Method.


• Knowledge of CAD methodologies to model solids. Knowledge of Technical Drawing.


• Knowledge of programming.

Program

Assignment of an internship in a company, an internship in a research institute, or a group project, including the following activities:

NUMERICAL MODELLING OF ENGINEERING PROBLEMS

Implementation of codes, in a specified programming language, to solve an assignment in a specified scientific area.

EXPERIMENTAL WORK APPLIED TO ENGINEERING PROBLEMS

Execution of experimental activities, in a specified scientific area. The students have to idealise, plan, prepare and execute an experiment/proof of concept. The proposed assignments can target different disciplines, from classic mechanics to humanities (behavioural studies).

Mandatory literature

Kendall E. Atkinson; An^introduction to numerical analysis. ISBN: 0-471-62489-6
Spyros Makridakis; Forecasting. ISBN: 0-471-53233-9
James W. Dally; Instrumentation for engineering measurements. ISBN: 0-471-55192-9

Complementary Bibliography

Terry Hill; Operations management. ISBN: 0-333-77592-9
Ernest O. Doebelin; Measurement systems. ISBN: 0-07-100697-4
Robert J. Schilling; Applied numerical methods for engineers. ISBN: 0-534-37014-4
Richard L. Burden; Numerical analysis. ISBN: 0-534-40499-5
David G. Alciatore; Introduction to Mechatronics and Measurement Systems, McGraw-Hill, 2019. ISBN: 9781259892349
Morris, A.S., & Langari, R.; Measurement and Instrumentation: Theory and Application, Elsevier, 2020. ISBN: 978-0-12-801132-4

Teaching methods and learning activities

Laboratory-practical classes/Curricular internship.

Project-based Learning in a Company, in a Research Institute or through a Group Project. The students can apply to any of these options. The selection procedure will be performed based on the average grade of the students at the time of the beginning of the Experimental & Computational Project.

INTERNSHIP IN A COMPANY or INTERNSHIP IN A RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Internship in a company or research institute, with a weekly period of on-site dedication (research work) of 8 hours (1 day/week). The students should actively search for opportunities of part-time internship in companies or in research groups linked to the Department of Mechanical Engineering or to the interface institutes (e.g., INEGI) with projects that they would like to perform.

To support the students, a list of projects will be available, proposed by companies and research groups seeking to receive students within the Experimental & Computational Project. Each student will have Tutorial Supervision of a faculty member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering during the period of curricular internship. At the end of the term, the student will submit a report for evaluation, describing the experimental and computational activities performed. This work will also be presented in a pitch-like session at the end of the term. The pitch duration will be 3 minutes.

The number of students assigned to Experimental & Computational Project in a company or research institute is not limited.

GROUP PROJECT

Execution of a group project defined by the responsible faculty, in partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering and supporting companies. The groups will be composed by 5 students, integrating laboratory-practical classes of 4 groups (total of 20 students per class). One weekly laboratory-practical class of 2 hours will be carried out, with the coordination of 2 faculty of the Curricular Unit. The laboratory-practical classes will take place in study rooms and workshop laboratories of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The students will be able to access as well all teaching and laboratory resources of the Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, under supervision of the staff or faculty of the Department (pre-scheduling required).

Each group will have a fixed budget to execute the proposed group assignment, to be defined by the Department of Mechanical Engineering and supporting companies. The projects will use "off-the-shelf" components and kits, provided by the responsible faculty, as well as custom solutions, including machining and/or additive manufacturing of specific components. At the end of the term, the project outcomes will be tested in a public demonstration, for evaluation of the performance according to the objectives of the assignment. The group must also submit a report for evaluation describing the experimental and computational activities carried out for the development of the projetc.

The number of vacancies available for group projects is limited to 100 students (20 groups).

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de projeto	136,00
Frequência das aulas	26,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

To complete the curricular internship/group project and submit a report of the performed activities.

Calculation formula of final grade

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Technical-scientific quality of the activities:

1. Innovation and originality of the solutions;
2. Thoroughness of the performed activities;
3. Degree of accomplishment of the objectives;
4. Level of autonomy and proactiveness.

 Quality of the report and of the presentation/public demonstration:

5. Content: problem structuring, rational of the adopted solution, development methodology, critical analysis of the solution;
6. Quality of the presentation/public demonstration: clarity, rigour, posture, creativity.

CLASSIFICATION

Qualitative scale:

A - Excellent;
B - Very good;
C - Good;
D - Sufficient;
E - Not sufficient.

Quantitative scale:

Final grade	Classification of the respective factors
19 to 20	All factors with A
17 to 18	At least one factor with B and the remaining A
14 to 16	At least one factor with C and the remaining A or B
10 to 13	At least one factor with D and the remaining A, B or C
Less than 10	At least one factor with E