EGB220 Mechatronics Design 1

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal

Overview

Mechatronics Design 1 is a project unit with a hands-on introduction to mechatronics. You will be introduced to the basic concepts in mechatronics, focusing on the mechanics, electronics, and embedded software principles. The unit focuses on the research, design, and implementation of a mechatronic product to conform to a customer's needs. This is the first in a series of design units specifically for Mechatronics, building on your Introduction to Design unit in first year.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Use a recognised project development and management technique, at an introductory level
2. Design a mechatronic system in collaboration with a team by completing a full design cycle, including diagnosis and refinements, at an introductory level
3. Write a formal design report that describes and explains the technical aspects of your prototype and critically evaluates your own contribution to the project and product, at an introductory level
4. Extract relevant information from appropriate sources, and describe and illustrate your mechatronic project work through different media, at an introductory level

Content

Learning Approaches

Mode of Teaching
Total hours per week: 5
Lectures: 2
Group Meetings: 1
Laboratory: 2 (plus additional computer lab sessions in the first half of the semester, 2 hours per week)

Team Projects require significant hands-on experience both with the implementation of your product but also working within a diverse, multi-level and multi-disciplinary team. The unit introduces Project Management principles for teamwork, enabling agility in decision making and crisis mitigation. Furthermore, a series of interactive lectures provides an overview of the techniques available to the
Mechatronics engineer for design and implementation. The unit focuses on the practical element of Mechatronics Engineering with an emphasis on practical lab work and team meetings.

1. Interactive lectures: Lectures are used to provide an introduction to technical material, and immediate application of the material within your product. Multiple technical solutions are normally applicable to your product and these are discussed in class. Lectures will relate the work to other well-known Mechatronics projects providing relevance to 'real-world' problems. Lectures will also include an introduction to project management and provide a process for teamwork that will be used throughout the unit. 
2. Project Management Review Meetings: It is expected that your team will meet often throughout each week. However, a formal assessed review meeting will be held a few times through the semester with your team and a tutor. The aim of this meeting is to demonstrate your work from the previous fortnight and compare to goals you had set yourselves in the previous formal review. These meetings allow the tutor to gauge your work and provide guidance on problems and where the team should focus for the following
   fortnight.
3. Laboratory Pracs: The team project requires the implementation of a product specified by a virtual industry client. The project runs over the entire semester, with a progress demonstration in the middle of the semester, and a final demonstration of the product at the end of the unit. Practical work in the laboratory will focus on particular problems that a number of teams may be having but will be flexible such that teams at different stages will be provided assistance. The product will require mechanical design and construction, electronics design, and embedded programming. Initial prac sessions will provide electronic and mechanical computer-aided design tutorials. Pracs later in the semester will be used to complete your product with expert tutor assistance and virtual client feedback.
4. Computer programming labs: in the first few weeks of the semester, software programming techniques will also be introduced that are directly applicable to the project.
5. Work-Integrated Learning: You will have guidance and feedback from your virtual industry client on your product development through face to face and/or virtual input. You get to reflect on and document the outcome via your ePortfolio as evidence of your progress towards Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies.

6. This unit will include content, case studies and examples of the ways in which the work of professional engineers connects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s status as First Nations owners of land and seas. This may include: partnership with Indigenous communities and Indigenous engineering businesses, · connection with regulatory requirements such as the Cultural Heritage duty of care required under the Queensland Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2005, or · engineering industry partners who have an organisational commitment through Reconciliation Actions Plans which bring responsibilities to engineers working with them.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive feedback on your learning throughout the semester through:

• informal oral and written feedback (summative) on each demonstration from peers and tutor (assessed)
• oral and written group and individual feedback on your participation, presentation and demonstration at four fortnightly meetings (assessed)
• detailed written feedback on your final report (assessed)
• written feedback on your ePortfolio Review of Learning (EA competency progress) (assessed)

Each assessment demonstration and submission will be marked against criteria and standards which will be shared with you at the beginning of semester through Assessment Task Descriptions and Marking Rubrics.

General feedback on assignment tasks will be provided to the class.

Assessment Submission and Extensions
Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked and will
receive a grade of 1 or 0%. If special circumstances prevent you from meeting the assessment due date,
you can apply for an extension. If you don't have an approved extension you should submit the work you
have done by the due date and it will be marked against the assessment criteria. QUT's assessment
submission requirements reflect the expectations of professional practice where you will need to meet
deadlines.

Assessment

Overview

Assessment will be based on practical performance during two demonstrations (60% in total with marks
scaled by peer assessment), performance in team meetings (20%), and report performance (20%). Your
performance in team meetings will be assessed for participation/presentation/demo at each meeting. An
individual final report describing your product's design and those parts of the product for which you were
responsible will be submitted at the end of semester. This report will be assessed on design rationale, the
quality of presentation and on a reflection about your learnings from the unit submitted via your ePortfolio.
Note: you must submit your ePortfolio to pass this unit as this will be used throughout your course.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Demonstration

In your team, you will demonstrate the function the product. Peer assessments provided by your team will weight the final mark. The tutor/unit coordinator will moderate grades if there are issues with peer assessments.

Assessment: Final Report

Each team member must submit a technical report that describes the final design of those parts of the product for which they were responsible. You will also conduct a Review of Learning via your student ePortfolio, tying your experience in this unit to specific Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies, which are required of engineering graduates. The reflection task is marked as either satisfactory or unsatisfactory and students must complete to a satisfactory level to pass the unit.

Assessment: Teamwork (process)

Individual performance in four fortnightly team meetings will be assessed by a tutor. You will be assessed for
participation/presentation/demo at each meeting.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Software

Computer software: MATLAB, C, Altium, SolidWorks

Other

Project: Small motor platform, electronic components, electronics workbench (power supply, oscilloscope,
function generator).

Risk Assessment Statement

You will undertake lectures and tutorials in the traditional classrooms and lecture theatres. As such, there
are no extraordinary workplace health and safety issues associated with these components of the unit.
You will be required to undertake practical sessions in the laboratory under the supervision of the lecturer
and technical staff of the School. In any laboratory practicals you will be advised of requirements of safe
and responsible behaviour and will be required to wear appropriate protective items (e.g. closed shoes).
You will undergo a health and safety induction before the commencement of the practical sessions, both an
online induction and in-laboratory safety induction. If you do not have complete both safety inductions you
will be denied access to laboratories.

Standards/Competencies

This unit is designed to support your development of the following standards\competencies.

Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standard for Professional Engineer

1: Knowledge and Skill Base

1. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Teamwork (process)

2: Engineering Application Ability

1. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Teamwork (process)
2. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Teamwork (process)
3. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Final Report
4. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Final Report

3: Professional and Personal Attributes

1. 
   Relates to: Final Report
2. 
   Relates to: Teamwork (process)
3. 
   Relates to: Demonstration, Teamwork (process)
4. 
   Relates to: Teamwork (process)

Course Learning Outcomes

EN01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: ULO3, Final Report
2. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: ULO2, Teamwork (process)
3. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: ULO1, Demonstration, Teamwork (process)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: ULO4, Demonstration, Final Report

EV01 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

1. Engage stakeholders professionally and communicate the outcomes of your work effectively to expert and non-expert audiences using appropriate modes.
   Relates to: Final Report
2. Manage projects to solve complex engineering problems, using appropriate information, engineering methods, and technologies.
   Relates to: Teamwork (process)
3. Deploy appropriate approaches to engineering design and quality.
   Relates to: Demonstration, Teamwork (process)
4. Demonstrate coherent knowledge and skills of physical, mathematical, statistical, computer, and information sciences that are fundamental to professional engineering practice.
   Relates to: Demonstration, Final Report