MEng Materials Science and Engineering with Biomaterials

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Design, Management and Team Project

Course unit fact file
Unit code MATS23702
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 5
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Department of Materials
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit aims to improve employability by equipping students with many of the important skills necessary for working in a commercial engineering environment. In particular, the unit focuses on project management, component design and materials selection capabilities.  The unit provides an experience of working in a team to solve a complex design challenge, which is another important aspect of industrial work. 

Aims

The unit aims to: 

  • To introduce principles of modern project management.
  • To introduce basic principles of design in a materials engineering context.
  • To introduce basic finite element (FE) stress analysis and associated CAD.
  • To introduce concepts of materials selection.
  • To allow you to experience working as part of a team on a project.

 

Learning outcomes

A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Intellectual skills
  • Practical skills
  • Transferable skills and personal qualities

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures will be used to introduce and review concepts, principles and techniques related to project management. Laboratory sessions are student-centred and will use software on computer clusters, e.g. Abaqus and CES EduPack; these sessions will introduce concepts and modes of thinking relevant to contemporary design thinking and provide opportunities to put these into practice. A key aspect of the labs is for the students to develop familiarity with the use of modelling software in design processes.    

 

 

Knowledge and understanding

1. Describe the key elements involved in an engineering design task.
2. Describe the creation of a finite element model so others can understand your approach and accurately reproduce it.  
3. Discuss the limitations of finite element models, and reasons for discrepancies between model and experiment.
 

Intellectual skills

4. Distinguish the key elements of the management of a project and create a strategy for project management on the basis of these.  
5. Create a logical design process to aid the solving of an engineering challenge.
6. Construct a materials selection strategy that can be used to refine the choice of a material based on its various properties.
 

Practical skills

7. Create project management documentation of sufficient quality for industry, and update this appropriately over the duration of a project.
8. Create a basic linear elastic finite-element model in Abaqus for a simple loading scenario.  
9. Prepare and deliver a group presentation to an audience.
 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

10. Write reports of sufficient quality and clarity for industry, which include the results of finite element simulations.  
11. Engage effectively as a member of a team and critically evaluate own team-working skills. 
12. Reflect upon personal performance and experience and use this as a basis for personal development.
 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Written assignment (inc essay) 85%
Oral assessment/presentation 15%

Feedback methods

Verbal and written

Recommended reading

Web based resources provided via BB

 

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 32
Independent study hours
Independent study 168

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Wajira Mirihanage Unit coordinator

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