ME 371 Mechanical Design I

Spring 2015
Instructor:
Dr. Assaad A. Abbass
E-mail address:
alsahlan@egr.msu.edu
Office:
2328J Engineering Building
Office Phone:
353-9173
Class Meeting Time Section 1: MWF, 9:1010:00 AM, 2400EB
Class Meeting Time Section 2: MWF, 1:502:40 PM, A155 Plant & Soil Science Bldg
Office Hours:
MWF, 3:004:00 pm, 2328J EB
Class Web Site:
www.d2l.msu.edu
Homework: Usually assigned every other week and collected after two weeks. Before
you ask for a re-grade, please see homework/exam solution as it will be posted online as
soon as a homework/exam is collected. Re-grades must be requested within 1 week of
return of homework/exam.
Required Text: Robert L. Norton, Design of Machinery - An Introduction to the
Synthesis and Analysis of Mechanisms and Machines, Third Edition, 2004.
Exams will be open book and closed notes.
Required Software: NX Motion analysis of machine movement is recommended for
solving homework and project problems. Any other alternative software for Motion
analysis of machine movement can be used as well.
Text Sections Covered:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Fundamentals
Chapter 4: Position Analysis
Chapter 5: Linkage Synthesis
Chapter 6: Velocity Analysis
Due dates: Homework
Exam 1
Project 1 Report
Exam 2
Final Project Proposal
Project 2 Report
Exam 3
Final Project

Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter

7:
8:
9:
11:

Acceleration Analysis
Cam/Follower Design
Gear Trains
Dynamic Force Analysis

10 %
As Assigned
15 % Monday, February 16
10 %
Friday, February 27
15 % Monday, March 23
NA
Friday, April 3
10 %
Monday, April 10
20 % Wednesday, April 29
20 %
Friday, May 1

Late Policy: (Homework and Projects) 50% each class day

ME371

Spring 2015

Projects: There are three projects required as part of ME 371, as detailed below.
Each of the projects will be completed in teams, as assigned. Projects will be
constructed in the engineering shops. All students must complete a shop safety
tour and submit a signed safety rules form to use those facilities.
Project grades will be determined based on instructor and peer grading. Each
member of a team must submit a grade for each of their team members, evaluating
their involvement and contributions to the projects. The grade for an individual
student may be less than or equal to the group project grade.
Project 1: Research the mechanical function of a mechanism and provide:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

A description of how the mechanism works.

Identification of types of linkages and joints.
Mobility calculation.
Position, velocity and mechanical advantage calculations, as applicable.
Simulation of the mechanism using NX Application Motion.
Construction of a working prototype to model the mechanism.
Team presentation in the classroom with demonstration of the prototype.
A written engineering report summarizing the research. (10 pages max)

Project 2: Visit a local manufacturing plant and evaluate a manufacturing process.

1) During the plant visit, observe and learn about the company's products
and manufacturing processes.
2) After the plant visit, study at least one of the manufacturing processes
used by the plant.
3) Provide a presentation to the class on your findings.
4) Provide a one-page fact sheet to the class about the company's history,
products and manufacturing processes.
5) Submit a detailed, written formal report on the company and the
manufacturing process investigated. (10 pages max)
Final Project: Create a working prototype of a machine to perform a task of your
choice. The machine must use linkages, gears and cams, as assigned. Use
of electric motors to power the mechanism is optional. Maximum physical
size of the machine is to be 2 x 2 x 2.

1) The final product will be displayed and presented at the ME design

conference on Friday, May 1. A poster will accompany the product.

2) Each team is to submit a design notebook detailing the engineering

design required to build the machine. Included in the notebook are to be

component sketches; force analyses; linkage, cam and gear design; and
NX Motion analysis of machine movement.

ME371

Spring 2015

Lecture Schedule - Spring Semester 2015

Lec
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Day
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F

Date
1/12
1/14
1/16
1/19
1/21
1/23
1/26
1/28
1/30

Chap
1
2
2
4
4
4
5
5

2/2

W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
W
F
M
Tu
W
F

2/4
2/6
2/9
2/11
2/13
2/16
2/18
2/20
2/23
2/25
2/27
3/2
3/4
3/6
3/16
3/18
3/20
3/23
3/25
3/27
3/30
4/1
4/3
4/6
4/8
4/10
4/13
4/15
4/17
4/20
4/22
4/24
4/27
4/28
4/29
5/1

5
5
6
1-2-4-5
6
6
6
7
7
7
7
7
6-7
8
8
8
8
8

9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
-

ME371

9
9
9
9
11
11
8-9-11
-

Subject
Introduction
Kinematics
Mobility
No class MLK
Positional Analysis 4-bars/Project 1 requirements
Positional Analysis 4-bars Example
Positional Analysis Slider & inverted Slider
Linkage Synthesis Geometric
Machine Shop Safety Tour mandatory +
Linkage Synthesis Geometric Example
Machine Shop Safety Tour mandatory +
Linkage Synthesis Geometric Example
Writing Lecture Mr. Craig Gunn
Linkage Synthesis Analytical
Linkage Synthesis Analytical with fixed pivot
Velocity Analysis 4-Bars
Exam 1 Review
Exam 1
Velocity Analysis Slider Crank
Velocity Analysis Inverted Slider Crank
Velocity Analysis Mechanical Advantage
Project 1 Presentations
Project 1 Presentations Reports Due
Acceleration Analysis 4-Bars/Project 2 Requirements
Acceleration Analysis Any point
Acceleration Analysis Slider-Crank
Acceleration Analysis Inverted Slider Crank
Acceleration Analysis Acceleration Coriolis & Jerk
Exam 2 Review / Project 3 Requirements
Exam 2
Cams Introduction
Cams Harmonic functions
Cams SCCA functions
Cams Polynomial
Cams Sizing / Project 3 Descriptions Due
Project 3 Design Meetings
Project 2 Presentations
Project 2 Presentations Reports Due
Gears Introduction
Gears Compound Trains
Gears Reverted Trains
Gears Planetary Trains
Dynamic Force Analysis
Dynamic Force Analysis
Exam 3 Review
Limited shop access
Exam 3
ME Design Day Final Project - EB

Spring 2015