Product Design and Manufacture with Study Abroad MEng

In this yearlong module you'll gain a deeper understanding of engineering design principles using practical project work. You'll learn CAD from the ground up, and by the end of the module you'll be well versed in the software.

Further you'll undertake practical workshops, where you'll learn how to use fundamental engineering machinery, which forms the basis of more advanced techniques you'll learn in higher level modules.

Topics covered include:

• Process of design supported by practical design activities
• Engineering drawing CAD solid modelling and drawing generation  
• Machine elements Group Design Project with Integrated Individual Element  
• Machine shop practical training 

This module introduces a range of fundamental elementary mathematical techniques that can be applied to mechanical engineering, manufacturing and product design problems.

The aim of the module is to provide engineering students with a base in mathematical knowledge which can then be built on if required in subsequent years, however as a product design student this will be the only maths module you will undertake.

This module includes:

• The calculus of a single variable, extended to develop techniques used in analysing engineering problems
• Advanced differential and integral calculus of one variable
• First-order ordinary-differential equations
• Algebra of complex numbers
• Matrix algebra and its applications to systems of equations and eigenvalue problems
• Functions and their properties
• Vector spaces and their applications
• Vector calculus

The aim of this module is to introduce students to fundamental concepts and principles of solid mechanics and dynamics, and their applications to mechanical engineering systems. A wide range of engineering structures and mechanical components need to be designed to support static loads and as an engineer it is important to understand the way in which forces are transmitted through structures for efficient and safe design. This module includes:

• Static equilibrium: force and moment analysis in design; frictional forces.
• Stress, strain and elasticity.
• Bending stresses in beams.
• Relationship between angular and linear motion.
• Work, energy and power, including kinetic and potential energy.
• Geared systems.
• Static and dynamic balancing.

A deep understanding of both materials and manufacturing techniques used to process these materials is essential for all product designers, to produce effective and commercially viable products. This year long module introduces students to the properties of materials, the main failure mechanisms which a designer will be concerned with (e.g overload, fracture, creep, fatigue) and core manufacturing methods used in engineering applications.

It includes the following topics:

• Role of materials and material properties in the design process.
• Selection and use of materials.
• Basic science underlying material properties Approaches to avoid failure of materials.
• Introduction to manufacturing in the UK.
• Casting, machining, moulding, forming, powder processing, heat treatment, surface finishing and assembly.
• Introduction into additive manufacturing an introduction to manufacturing metrology.

Building on Industrial Design and Professional practice from the 1st year of the programme, the second module continues to explore the field of Industrial design in more depth. The first half of the module focuses on topics such as branding and marketing; an understanding of these practises can impact how/what we design into products. We then build on the knowledge of ecology and sustainability established in the first module, to understand the impact that our designs have, and how we can minimise our environmental impact. The module also takes a more advanced look into Engineering Drawings and teaches students how to review drawings and make necessary alterations based on feedback.  

• Branding and Marketing
• Company Structures
• Product Design Industry
• Supply Chains
• Sustainability: the facts
• Sustainability Design Tools
• Engineering Drawings 

Sketching; an essential skill for all Product Designers. This module will develop your sketching skills, taking you from the basics of drawing simple objects through to mastering drawing in perspective and constructing complex objects. We utilise modern and up to date technologies and as such the sketching which is taught and practised within this module will be digital and produced through the use of digital drawing devices! In this module you'll learn:

• Progressively learn to add detail to drawings.
• How to draw in 3-point perspective.
• How to draw quickly and neatly.
• To draw complex forms.
• How light and shade can explain complex forms. 
• Exercises to help develop an understanding and appreciation of form.

The aim of this module is to develop an understanding of materials in design across a wide range of engineering applications, covering designing with polymers, designing with light alloys, designing with composites and designing with functional materials. This will be achieved through the design requirements of a case study, key material properties relevant to the engineering application, manipulation of the microstructure through processing and example calculation against the failure of the product/component. Consideration will be given to material attributes, engineering context, manufacturing processes and environmental impact. The students will be exposed to a portfolio of applications, materials properties, processing and principles that they can draw upon when tackling new designs.

This module seeks to develop an understanding of materials in design across a wide range of engineering applications. The module is arranged in blocks covering designing with polymers, designing with alloys, designing with ceramics, designing with composites and designing with functional materials. Each block will explore the design requirements in detail of a particular case study followed by other examples, key material properties relevant to the engineering application, manipulation of the microstructure through processing and example calculations against the failure of the product/component. Consideration will be given to materials attributes, engineering context, manufacturing processes and environmental impact. Taken as a whole the blocks build up a portfolio of applications, materials properties, processing and principles that the students can draw upon when tackling new designs.

Case studies are an increasingly popular form of teaching and have an important role in developing skills and knowledge. Student-centred activities are based around topics that demonstrate theoretical concepts in an applied setting.

An aim of this module is that students understand fundamental concepts of complex numbers, in particular to apply them to solutions of polynomial equations.

In addition the course supports them to understand, apply and manipulate standard techniques for solving important classes of ordinary differential equations and the calculus relevant to analysing core engineering models.

Fundamental concepts for solving partial differential equations relevant to modelling of thermodynamic, fluid or elastic problems are introduced and illustrated by obtaining fundamental solutions using techniques developed within the module. The statistics element of the module provides an introduction to probability and statistics, and guides students to apply statistical methods to the analysis of experimental data.

The topic list typically includes:

• Complex numbers
• Homogeneous and inhomogeneous second-order ODEs
• Fourier series and their application to ODEs
• Laplace transform and its application to ODEs
• Separation of Variable Technique for PDEs
• Discrete and continuous probability distribution
• Design of experiments
• Variance and error analysis

This module will introduce design methodology through the entire design cycle from establishing users' needs and generating creative concepts to developing fabricable engineered solutions.

You will develop knowledge of machine elements and mechanical systems and develop enhanced skills in communicating effectively in a team environment and operating machine tools for manufacturing and testing of design.

This module aims to introduce concepts of rigid body dynamics, vibrations and feedback control, and develop the student's ability to analyse these aspects in simplified engineering situations. 

In this module you will apply concepts and principles of thermofluids to fluid mechanics, thermodynamics and heat transfer situations in simplified applied situations.

The aim of this module is to introduce more advanced topics in linear elastic solid mechanics, plasticity and failure, introduce relevant analysis methods for this materials behaviour and demonstrate the application of these methods to the design of engineering components. 

To introduce students to the principles of modern Engineering Management, how projects are selected and financially evaluated, how sustainability is assessed and lifecycle assents are constructed, how health safety and ethics are maintained, and the construction and monitoring of the elements of an engineering or business programme.

This module introduces students to basic concepts and methods relevant to professional management practice, with an emphasis on the commercial engineering context and project management. Topics include introductions to the following:

• history of management
• the private enterprise
• the economic theory of the firm
• sustainability and lifecycle assessment
• health
• safety and ethics,
• financial project evaluation
• project planning and scheduling
• risk management,project monitoring

This module aims to explain how electricity and electronic principles can be used to achieve practical tasks in mechanical engineering, measuring mechanical quantities and provide mechanical power. It also aims to give students an understanding of the importance of electrical and electronic subsystems in mechanical designs. A further aim is to prepare students for the use of electrical and electronic approaches within their individual and group project work.

Electrical machines and circuits: DC circuits, electromagnetism, capacitance, transducers, AC circuits, rectification, transistors, induction motor, amplifiers, combinational & sequential logic, transformers. Sensors: application of basic electrical and electronic principles to sensors for position, displacement, velocity, acceleration and strain, rotary sensors. Actuator: solenoids, stepper motor, DC permanent magnet motor. Signals and conversion: analogue and digital data, ADCs, DACs.

Within this module we build on the materials and manufacturing knowledge developed within the first two years of the programme, with a particular focus on Polymers and the Injection moulding process; a heavily utilised manufacturing process by Product Designers. Consideration of part/component design for this manufacturing technique shall be explored in depth, and this shall be practiced in a design project that runs alongside this module. Later in the module other material and manufacturing areas will be looked at such as timber selection and metal casting.  

• Component design and optimisation for injection moulding
• Advanced Polymer selection
• Mold Flow Analysis within Solidworks
• Part costings
• Understanding mold design - core and cavity design
• Timber selection, production and manufacturing methods
• Metal selection and casting techniques

This module aims to equip students with fundamental knowledge and skills regarding the physical characteristics of people (body size, strength, flexibility, etc.) and environments (lighting, thermal, sound, etc.) as they relate to the design of products, workplaces and tasks/jobs. You’ll spend two hours in lectures each week when studying this module.

This module comprises of four projects. Through practical design work the students will be faced with the problems of managing different constraints and producing cohesive design proposals. You’ll spend 12 hours working practically each week when studying this module.

In this module you will start to develop one of the key skills for an engineer – that of being able to program. You will gain the skills required to analyse, design and implement solutions to practical engineering problems through the use of computer aided design tools and the development of software based solutions.

This module will provide you with a thorough understanding of cognitive ergonomics and the way in which the consideration of cognitive ergonomics can impact on human performance in the workplace. 

For human factors/ergonomics work, simulation tools can enable designers, managers and end-users to experience products and systems in realistic, interactive environments. Such advancements have significant cost implications, enabling designs and their implications to be visualised early in the development life cycle. In addition, virtual/augmented reality and other advanced human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are being developed in many different industries to support different user needs.

This module will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to understand and utilise computers as human factors tools for understanding peoples’ interactions with new technology. Moreover, the module will consider HMIs that are increasingly common in modern life and frequently designed and evaluated using simulation techniques.

The module is a mix of practical and research-oriented content, and you will make extensive use of the simulation facilities and on-going research projects within the Human Factors Research Group and elsewhere in the University.

Topics include:

• virtual reality technologies/environments/interfaces
• augmented reality; fidelity and validity of simulators
• presence factors for simulation
• understanding and minimising simulator sickness
• multimodal interfaces including the use of natural language and gesture interfaces, computers and collaborative/social interfaces, accessibility, in-car interfaces 

Delivery

Assessment method

A broad-based module covering the chemistry, material properties and manufacturing methods relevant to polymers.

Topics include:

• Polymer chemistry and structure
• Routes to synthesis, polymerisation techniques, practical aspects of industrial production
• Viscoelasticity, time-temperature equivalence
• Rheology of polymer melts, heat transfer in melts, entanglements
• Properties of solid polymers, yield and fracture, crazing
• Manufacturing with polymers, extrusion, injection-moulding
• Design/ processing interactions for plastic products

This module introduces the design, manufacture and performance of fibre-reinforced composite materials. 

Constituent materials including fibres, resins and additives are described. Processing techniques and the relationships between process and design are highlighted. Design methodologies and computer-aided engineering techniques are demonstrated for component design.

Case studies from a variety of industries including automotive and aerospace are presented.

Method and Frequency of Class:

 Method of Assessment:

This module examines, in-depth, the processes used for joining metallic (e.g. steel, aluminium and titanium alloys) and non-metallic (e.g. polymers and fibre reinforced composites) materials. 

Topics covered include:

• mechanical joining
• adhesive bonding
• soldering and brazing
• solid state joining (friction welding and diffusion bonding)
• fusion welding (arc welding and the many classes thereof, resistance, electron beam and laser welding)

The fundamental characteristics of the various processes are examined along with procedures for practical applications. The origins of defects within joints and methods needed to control or eliminate them are also considered. The mechanical behaviour of joints is analysed, as is the effect of joining on the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the base materials. Other features such as residual stress and distortion are addressed. Attention is also given to appropriate design for manufacture in a modern manufacturing context.

Method and Frequency of Class:

 Method of Assessment:

The develops and showcases the design skills of the student. The project will look in detail at the design solution and the manufacturing of the product. The project will be carried out in conjunction with the student’s company review which will bring a great deal of realism to the project. This work will form the basis of the end of course exhibition. You’ll spend 20 hours working practically each week when studying this module.

The Major Project is the final and largest piece of work which students undertake during the final 16 weeks of their study. In this module a problem area/project title is selected, and students undertake a substantive body of research and investigation to understand the background and relevant requirements prior to entering the design phase of the project. A broad range of investigatory methods will be utilised in order to identify a profile of user requirements and desires for the product which will be designed. 

• User based Research
• Questionnaires
• Empathy Studies
• Identify Project opportunities
• Develop requirements for the Product
• Production of Brief

This is a project based module for Product Design and Manufacture. The module comprises of two projects. Specifically; in the first project, students will further develop ‘People Centred Research’ skills to find creative approaches that are innovative. In the second project, students will work for a “client” presenting concepts for their client’s selection. You’ll spend 12 hours working practically each week when studying this module.

The module aims to provide students with knowledge of key environmental and sustainability issues of relevance to energy supply and use, materials consumption, and product design/manufacture.

Topics include:

1. Drivers for sustainability, including patterns of energy use, material consumption, waste generation, and associated environmental impacts in UK and globally.
2. Factors influencing the availability of non-renewable and renewable energy and material resources.
3. Principles for the efficient use of energy resources including energy use in buildings, heat and power generation, and heat recovery systems.
4. Life cycle assessment of engineering activities, with focus on greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions, their impacts, and mitigation measures.
5. Economic analysis of investments in energy savings, material substitution, product design, and value recovery from end-of-life products; Cost-benefit analysis incorporating environmental externalities; and the role of government regulations in influencing business decisions.

Delivery

Assessment method

In this module you will start to develop one of the key skills for an engineer – that of being able to program. You will gain the skills required to analyse, design and implement solutions to practical engineering problems through the use of computer aided design tools and the development of software based solutions.

This module will provide you with a thorough understanding of cognitive ergonomics and the way in which the consideration of cognitive ergonomics can impact on human performance in the workplace. 

For human factors/ergonomics work, simulation tools can enable designers, managers and end-users to experience products and systems in realistic, interactive environments. Such advancements have significant cost implications, enabling designs and their implications to be visualised early in the development life cycle. In addition, virtual/augmented reality and other advanced human-machine interfaces (HMIs) are being developed in many different industries to support different user needs.

This module will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to understand and utilise computers as human factors tools for understanding peoples’ interactions with new technology. Moreover, the module will consider HMIs that are increasingly common in modern life and frequently designed and evaluated using simulation techniques.

The module is a mix of practical and research-oriented content, and you will make extensive use of the simulation facilities and on-going research projects within the Human Factors Research Group and elsewhere in the University.

Topics include:

• virtual reality technologies/environments/interfaces
• augmented reality; fidelity and validity of simulators
• presence factors for simulation
• understanding and minimising simulator sickness
• multimodal interfaces including the use of natural language and gesture interfaces, computers and collaborative/social interfaces, accessibility, in-car interfaces 

Delivery

Assessment method