Mechanical and Electrical Concepts for Trainee Engineers

1. Examine scientific data and apply appropriately using computational methods.

2. Determine parameters within mechanical engineering systems

3. Explore the characteristics and properties of engineering materials

4. Analyse applications of A.C./D.C. circuit theorems, electromagnetic principles and properties.

You are employed as a trainee engineer in a megatronics laboratory and the position requires you to have a fundamental understanding of mechanical and electrical concepts. You have been informed by your potential supervisor that you need to improve and update your knowledge in the following areas: SI units, interpreting data, static and dynamic forces, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics, material properties and failure, and circuit theories. Your potential supervisor has set the following tasks in order to assess your suitability to work in the capacity as a trainee engineer.

1. You have been given samples of metals, composite and polymer materials. You are required to carry out tests on one of these materials and present a formal laboratory report. Your senior engineer has asked you to present to an audience an analysis of the scientific data using both computational and qualitative methods using an appropriate software package. You should ensure that your report includes the following elements:

a. The SI units used including prefix notation, symbols and derived units.

b. Graphical representations of the quantitative and qualitative data gathered, using appropriate software

c. Reflection on the application of the scientific method (demonstrated in your laboratory report) for the testing you carried out.

d. An analysis of all the graphical data presented (qualitative and quantitative information from Part 1 and Part 2).

2. Your manager wants you to write a formal report on the potential in service conditions that may have caused material failure and the structural properties of the given metals, polymer and composite that you have been investigating in Task 1.0.

You should consider the effect of degradation on the appearance of the given materials in task 1.0 and gather qualitative feedback from colleagues on the potential causes of failure. This feedback/data will be presented, using appropriate graphical software within your report.

Your report should reflect on the application of the scientific method (demonstrated in your laboratory report) for the testing you carried out. There should also be an analysis of all the graphical data presented (qualitative and quantitative information from Task 1 and Task 2).

a. A description of the structural properties linked to their respective material properties

b. An explanation and comparison of the types of degradation including elastic, electrical and magnetic hysteresis

c. Investigation of theoretical material properties of metals and non-metals using practical test data

3. A simply supported beam of length 6m supports a vertical point load of 45kN at a distance of 4m from one end.

ai. Determine the reaction forces at either end.
ii. Recalculate the reaction forces at either end, taking into account the actual weight of the beam as a UDL. Assume that the mass of the beam is 39Kg/m and g= 9.81 m/s2

b. Examine two engineering applications of buoyancy?

c. Discuss briefly the temperature effects on mechanical properties such as a dimensional change, elasto - plastic changes, due to thermal stresses.
d. Find the acceleration which will be produced in a body having a mass of 60 kg when a force of 150 N acts on this body by using d� Alembert's Principle.
e. Compare how changes in the thermal efficiency of a given system can affect its performance.