MEng Aerospace Engineering

There are a variety of parametric computer aided design (CAD) packages available which are widely used in the aerospace and mechanical engineering industries. It is commonly used for the design of components. It usually starts with a 2D sketch to define an object’s geometry, using, for example, points, lines, arcs and splines. Dimensions are added to the sketch to define the geometry’s size and the location of the geometry’s features, while relations are used to define attributes such as tangency, parallelism, perpendicularity and concentricity amongst others. The ability to communicate geometric aspects of an engineering component for both i) product engineering and ii) for further analysis/interpretation in digital environments are fundamental.

As an introduction to computer aided engineering, the aims of this module is twofold. First, to provide an introduction to engineering graphics alongside the operating principles behind modern computer-aided-design (CAD) representations of engineering components. Second, to provide an introduction to a high-level programming language such that data manipulation, analysis and calculations pertaining to engineering problems can be carried out as well as the means to translate between different platforms.

Engineering Graphics

1.    Feature-based design and parametric inputs

•     Common design hierarchies

•     Definition of features

2.    Design modelling from 2D sketches

•     Use of construction and reference geometry

•     Specifying geometric relationships and constraints

3.    Fundamentals of engineering graphics

•     Sketches versus drawings

•     Types of orthographic projection

•     View selection including ancillary views

4.    Dimensioning and tolerances

•     Size vs. position

•     Standardized guidelines for placement on drawings

•     Best practice for legibility

•     Interpreting geometric dimensioning & tolerance (GD&T) references

5.    CAD data formats and representation

Other - coursework