530.101 Freshman Experiences in Mechanical Engineering 530.105 Mechanical Engineering Freshman Laboratory (fall 2009) MWF 1:30-2:20 pm, Hodson 213 (course schedule) Instructor: Prof. Lester Su, Latrobe 229, 6-8637, lsu: jhu.edu Office hours: M 4-5, F 9-10 TAs (530.101): Betsy Congdon, econgdo2: jhu.edu, office hours M 7-8 in Krieger 160 Ali Uneri, ali.uneri: jhu.edu, office hours: M 3-4 in Krieger 160 TAs (530.105): Kamini Balaji, kamini: jhu.edu; Adam Sierakowski, asierak1: jhu.edu These courses, together with 530.103 (Introduction to Mechanics I), make up the introductory mechanical engineering sequence for first-year students. 530.101 introduces students to the field of mechanical engineering and prepares students for the study and practice of the field. We will discuss the breadth of applications of mechanical engineering, emphasizing the creative nature of engineering, and will begin to develop practical skills in the areas of design and computing. We will also touch on aspects of the professional pursuit of engineering, including career planning and professional ethics. The laboratory (530.105) supplements both 530.101 and 530.103, by familiarizing students with experimental methods and apparatus, and illustrating significant mechanical principles. The fall semester culminates with a design project competition that allows students to put their learning into practice. (syllabus)   Course schedule (updated 11.20.09) Date Subjects Reading Assignments Labs 2 Sept Introduction to engineering (No lab this week)   7 Sept (Labor day - no class) Lab 1: Measurements 9 Sept College survival; Matlab introduction Petroski: Ch. 1, 2   14 Sept Mechanics concepts survey Gilat: Ch. 1, 2, 3.1-3.5 HW 1 due 9/16 (Weds) Lab 2: Mechanical prototyping 16 Sept Computing: Introduction; examples   21 Sept Computing: Examples; discrete/digital variables HW 2 due 9/22 Lab 3: Analysis of one-dimensional motion 23 Sept Computing: Discrete/digital variables; Matlab   28 Sept Design: Introduction and fundamentals HW 3 due 9/30 (Weds) (data files: 101hw03_data1.dat, 101hw03_data2.dat) (notes on file handling) (sample solution script) Lab 4: Information resources (guest: Robin Sinn, MSE Library) 30 Sept Design: Introduction and fundamentals (cont.) Petroski: Ch. 7   5 Oct Career planning and resume writing (guest: Julia Galeazzi, JHU Career Center) HW 4 due 10/7 Lab 5: Analysis of two-dimensional motion 7 Oct Statistics: Introduction and distributions   12 Oct Statistics: Distributions and histograms; regression (Notes on regression) HW 5 (resume preparation) Lab 6: Forces 14 Oct Statistics: Regression; correlation (Notes on correlation)   19 Oct Statistics: Uncertainty and error analysis HW 6 due 10/19 Lab 7: Ballistic motion and energy 21 Oct Midterm exam (solutions)   26 Oct Statistics: Uncertainty and error analysis Lab 8: Statics and friction 28 Oct Statistics: Uncertainty and error analysis Petroski: Ch. 8   2 Nov Statistics: Matlab tools HW 7 due 11/5 (Thursday) (data files: 101hw07_data1.dat, 101hw07_data2.dat) Lab 9: Design project introduction 4 Nov Design: Sketching and drawing   9 Nov Design: Drawing; design notebooks Lab 10: Springs and oscillations 11 Nov Computing: Programming, flowcharts   16 Nov Computing: Program structure and control, for-loops HW 8 due 11/17 Lab 11: Pendulums and two-body collisions 18 Nov Computing: Program structure and control, logical operators, if-statements Petroski: Ch. 5   23 Nov Computing: If-statements, while-loops (lecture by A. Uneri) (No lab this week)   30 Nov Design: Embodiment and detail design HW 9 due 12/1 Lab 12: Design project evaluation 2 Dec Computing: Scripts and functions   7 Dec (Final day of class) Design project competition (rules, design lab procedures)   14 Dec (Monday) Final exam (9 am - 12 pm)   All course materials © 2009 by Lester K. Su. home  research  people  courses       Dept. of Mechanical Engineering