Innovations in mechanical engineering design and professional skills teaching at University of Birmingham Mozafar Saadat School of Mechanical Engineering University of Birmingham 1

Contents 1.Design and Professional Skills (DPS) teaching at Birmingham 2.Expected Learning outcomes and goals of DPS 3.Innovations in teaching method 4.Analysis and discussions of the change 5.Conclusions i. Benefits to students ii. Benefits to the University iii. Benefits to industry 2University of Birmingham

MEng/BEng Mechanical Engineering programme structure at Birmingham 3 Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4 Applied MechanicsEngineering Science Thermo-FluidsEngineering Science MathematicsIndividual Engineering Project Design and Professional Skills 1 Design and Professional Skills 2 Design and Professional Skills 3 Manufacturing /Business Optional ThemeEngineering Science University of Birmingham

Aim Resources Freshers Engineering Science Mathematics Design Generic and Professional Skills Highly prepared Mechanical Engineering Graduates for Industry MEng / BEng Mechanical Engineering Programme 4University of Birmingham

Professional Skills Elements Study Skills – Technical report writing – Oral presentation – Enquiry-based learning – Information search – Group working Engineering Skills – Drawing – Standards – FMECA – CAE – etc. Professional Skills – Project management – Business innovation – Sustainability – Law – Health and Safety Study Skills + Engineering Skills + Professional Skills + Engineering Science Good Product Design 5University of Birmingham

Year 1 (DSP 1) Year 2 (DSP 2) Year 3 (DSP 3) Professional Skills (Projected) - Professional Skills (Part 1) - Group Project: Product Design Specification - Professional Skills (Part 2) - Group Project: Detailed Design Group Project: Product Design Specification, Conceptual and Detailed Design Professional Skills through: Group Project: Product Design Spec., Conceptual Design Group Project: Detailed Design 6University of Birmingham

7 Team Building residential course at Coniston – Report All Lectures: Project Management lectures – Individual Assignment Business Innovation – Individual Assignment Sustainability – Individual Assignment Health and Safety - Individual Assignment Design Project over three semesters – Written Report and Presentation Professional Skills teaching Programme University of Birmingham

Team Building residential course at Coniston – Report All Lectures: Project Management lectures – Assignment Business Innovation – Assignment Sustainability – Assignment Health and Safety - Assignment 8 Professional Skills teaching Programme University of Birmingham

Team-Building Project ManagementSustainabilityLaw Business InnovationHealth & Safety Integrated Professional Skills and Conceptual Design Group Project Professional Skills teaching 2008/09 Programme Production of a single major report a Lectures: Residential Course at Coniston: 9University of Birmingham

Design and Professional Skills teaching at University of Birmingham Semester 1Semester 2June Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Workshop Practice Computer Aided Geometric Modelling Professional Skills Feeding into a Group Conceptual Design Project Engineering Science feeding into a major group, detailed design project Team-Building at Coniston Engineering Skills and Study Skills feeding into small group design Projects and a Design and Build project 10University of Birmingham

11University of Birmingham Data: 36 design groups involving 245 students over three years

Benefits to Students Deeper and much more practical learning of professional skills through a real project Increased level of enquiry-based learning Higher, more enthusiastic participation in group work Reduction of six smaller, unrelated assignments to one major integrated project Higher quality of design output, leading to better marks Higher level of preparation to conduct Year 3 group design project 12University of Birmingham

Benefits to the University Decreased number of assignment administration and marking (Assignments number reduced from 6 to 1) A more co-ordinated and responsive approach to design teaching Increased efficiency in the management of the module Decreased level of student enquiries due to complications of disjointed teaching elements 13University of Birmingham

Benefits to Industry Recruiting more highly prepared mechanical engineering graduates with more practical and relevant knowledge of engineering science applied to design activity. Engaging with graduates with increased ability and alertness to integrate and perform more efficiently within an enterprise. Reduced cost of training, hence assigning graduates to more critical tasks more quickly. 14University of Birmingham

Conclusions Teaching of mechanical engineering Design and Professional Skills has been rationalised considerably at the University of Birmingham. Professional Skills teaching have been integrated successfully with the design project. Students have shown increased enthusiasm through their group work, leading to better quality of output. New graduates are expected to offer tangible, more practical capabilities in design development and process. BP have now sponsored mechanical engineering Design and Professional Skills modules at University of Birmingham. 15University of Birmingham