This course represents the "capstone" of your undergraduate experience. This course can prove to be most rewarding if you think of it not as a course but as a PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE and conduct yourself as if you had accepted a position in an engineering firm and your firm was now aggressively pursuing a new market venture. Your success and your group's success are closely linked as is the case in the "real world." We hope that you benefit in many ways from this experience and we wish you the best in your new "job."
JOB DESCRIPTION (i.e. course requirements) - The new employees will be divided into design/build teams each containing seven engineers. Each design team will be responsible for the development of an aircraft design for the product selected for this project. Each team member will contribute to the team design as well as develop areas of individual specialization. Each team will also fabricate a flight vehicle to demonstrate the feasibility and flightworthiness of their design. This will be a full scale prototype which will be used to demonstrate aerodynamic performance and handling qualities. The video and radio equipment, motor and batteries for the technology demonstrator will be provided.
This is a "project" not simply a "course".. It provides you with the opportunity to apply much of the knowledge and skills gained throughout your academic career. It is also a very challenging project and, in order to accomplish the project in the very limited time available, there is a very rigid schedule and associated milestones. There are a number of deliverable items due from individuals and from the design teams. Each "employee" should make every effort to satisfy all of these requirements in a timely manner as this is the best way to ensure success in both the course and the product.
Required meeting times are approximately five hours per week. This "job" will require at least 16 hours a week total commitment on your part so please try to plan your semester activities accordingly.
DESIGN TEAMS: There will be three design teams for this project. Each team will select a single Team Leader who will assume the responsibility for overall coordination and scheduling of the team efforts. Teams will also select a Chief Engineer, responsible for the technical coordination of the design and a Director of Manufacturing who will coordinate the fabrication of the technology demonstrator. It is the responsibility of the entire team to ensure an equitable distribution of work within the team. Each technical area will most likely have a single "lead" engineer but groups should be organized so that individuals are in multiple groups and can provide a check on technical data and decisions. Establishing a good team "dynamic" may be one of the most critical requirements in this course.
SALARY (i.e. grading): Your salary will be determined based on your performance and that of your group. The following credit will be given to each required item.
Group requirements are weighted by the team peer reviews. Deadlines have been established for each of the deliverable items and must be strictly complied with. Failure to submit any of the required items will result in dismissal from your position (i.e. an F in the course.)
VACATION POLICY (i.e. attendance) This firm is particularly generous in that it provides a very liberal vacation policy for new employees. You will be permitted one and one-half weeks of paid vacation, i.e. unexcused absence from any of the required activities. (i.e. three lectures and three lab periods). The entire class will meet each Tuesday and Thursday morning for the lecture/design lab sessions. Your entire group must be present for the entire lab and therefore you cannot have another course, job, sleep, etc. scheduled during this period. Anyone violating this vacation policy will be terminated. (asked to withdraw from the course or receive a failing grade). It is therefore important that you schedule any interviews, plant trips, weddings, parties or extended vacations with this policy in mind. One is also reminded that the design project teams will assemble promptly at 9:30 a.m. and tardiness is not an acceptable professional practice.
COMPUTER POLICY: You are encouraged to use any and all computer facilities available to you. We also have the CAD (Computer Aided Design) Lab which is on the campus network in the Hessert Center. These facilities will be available to all members of the class during normal working hours for use in this project. You will not be allowed to use these computers for other "projects" or courses. You are responsible for developing and maintaining all your own software. Respect software copyrights and do not copy applications software from the laboratory systems. Each group is responsible for their own paper for printing reports, trade studies, etc. There is a hard drive on the Appletalk server in Hessert which is to be dedicated to the computer use of the design class. There will also be a course folder on AFS and a course WWW site. E-mail will be used to provide notices to all class members or to answer questions. Printing resources are limited in the Hessert Center but we have a laserwriter for the design lab. Its use should be limited to "analysis output" during lab sessions. Other University facilities should be used when more extensive printed computer output and report printing are required.
DESIGN ROOM POLICY: The design lab will be available for your use during periods other than class time. The policies for the use of the lab will be provided during the course. A key to the Hessert Center for after-hours meetings will be available to each group. The key can be "checked-out" from the Hessert Center secretary, Marilyn Walker, (one per group) for 48 hour periods. Each team will be allocated limited storage area in the Design Lab.
CONSTRUCTION OF TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATOR: Construction of the technology demonstrator must be approved by the management upon successful evaluation of the group design at the CDR. Funds (up to $200) will be provided to purchase materials for each aircraft. A policy for distributing these funds will be provided. Special authorization will be required prior to purchase of any propulsion system components or prefabricated components. The group can augment this bankroll but at no more than $20 per person and all expenses incurred must be included in the detailed manufacturing report. The group's "bankroll" should also be used to help defray the costs of copying, viewgraphs, etc. Each group will have access to a 4-channel RC radio system (or 7-channel if justified). A drill, scroll saw and sander are available for your use. A CAD/CAM workstation is also available but individual group members must be "trained" in its operation and receive explicit authorization for its use. Safety glasses MUST be worn whenever operating any of this equipment. You must also clean up the work area after using this equipment. There is also the possibility of some assistance from our shop personnel but this must also be done through your instructor. Unauthorized use of any of the equipment or facilities in the Hessert Center shop or violation of these safety regulations is the surest route to dismissal from this new job. Your safety is the primary consideration.