College of Engineering, Forestry, and Natural Sciences
ME 286 – Engineering Design: The Process
Syllabus –Spring 2019
General
Information
3 face-to-face lecture hours per week, 3 x 50-min lectures
ME 286-005, MWF 11:30-12:20 PM, Room 118
Dr. Sarah Oman, Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering
Email: sarah.oman@nau.edu
Office Hours: Room 261, hours posted outside door (subject to change)
Prerequisites
MAT 136, EGR 186, ME 180 and CS 122. Must have earned a grade of C or better in all
prerequisite courses. If you have not completed the prerequisites you will be
administratively dropped from the course. You are responsible for changing your own
course schedule.
Course
Description
This course teaches the process of engineering design, teamwork, project management,
and written and oral communications. Emphasis is placed on creative mechanical
engineering methodologies that train students to become efficient designers through
understanding effective design techniques such as functional modeling, quality functional
deployment, concept generation and selection, system modeling, cost analysis and failure
analyses of design. The course is split into two team projects: (a) reverse engineer a
mechanical product, and (b) design, prototype, and test original mechanical devices (with
complete drawings and 3D views). This course is intended for Mechanical Engineering
majors only.
Learning
Outcomes
Objective Group 1: Engineering design as a process: (ABET LO 1,3,5)
1. Explain the differences between original, parametric and redesign types of design.
2. Apply a reverse engineering process to motivate a redesign.
3. Determine how to construct a design team, based on personality and skills information,
to increase its odds of success.
Objective Group 2: Problem/project clarification and specification: (ABET LO 1,3,5)
4. Gather and categorize customer needs to clarify a design problem.
5. Determine the functionality of an existing product or system.
6. Derive the engineering specifications from customer needs and product functionality.
Objective Group 3: Functional decomposition and concept generation: (ABET LO 1,3,5)
7. Model the functionality of a product or system as a means to decompose the problem.
8. Propose solution principles that solve a given product functionality.
9. Apply search techniques, including creativity stimulants, to find solution principles.
10. Combine partial solutions to create variants to solve the design problem.
Objective Group 4: Preliminary design tools and concept selection: (ABET LO 1,3,5)
11. Derive system models of concept variants to predict their performance.
12. Assess the utility of concept variants through a screening process.
13. Select a single concept to prototype.
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Objective Group 5: Embodiment design: (ABET LO 1,3,4 and 5)
14. Apply product architecture techniques to create product layouts.
15. Critique product designs based on design for X strategies.
16. Improve a design concept using design for X strategies and guidelines.
* LO’s are ME Learning Outcomes, see
http://nau.edu/CEFNS/Engineering/Mechanical/Degrees-Programs/.
Textbook
Tentative
Course Outline
Assessment
None; any required or recommended readings will be provided on Bb Learn. However,
students will incur expenses during both design projects to purchase supplies. If this
expense is a hardship for a student, please see Dr. Oman at the start of the semester.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Intro to Design, Teaming
Dimensioning & Customer Needs
Functional Modeling
Important Dates
DFMA & Tolerances
1/14 – classes begin
Disassembly and Subtract & Operate
1/21 – MLK, Jr. Day
Quality Functional Deployment
1/24– last day to add/drop
(House of Quality)
3/18-22 – Spring Break
Week 7
Technical Writing Expectations
3/25 – last day to drop
Week 8
Design Review & Original Design
with a “W”
Week 9
Concept Generation
4/26 – last day to officially
Week 10
Concept Selection
withdraw from all classes
Week 11
System Models & Prototypes
in session
Week 12
Design of Experiments (DOE)
5/6-5/9 - Finals
Week 13
FMEA & Exam Review
Week 14
Midterm & Costing
Week 15
Original Design Demo
FINALS
Final Report
Note: weekly schedule is subject to change. Refer to Bb Learn for up-to-date schedule
You will be evaluated on the learning objectives (listed above), according to the following
methods: individual homework assignments, quizzes, peer evaluations, team memos,
project reports, project presentations, instructor observations as well as a single mid-term
exam. The table below illustrates the weighting of these assessment methods.
Assessment
Individual CAD Assignment
Individual Self-Learning Assignment
Other Individual Assignments
Quizzes
Exam
Project 1 - Reverse Engineering
Project 2 - Original Design
Class participation/attendance
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Percentage
15%
10%
10%
5%
10%
20%
30%
Multiplier
Attendance & Class Participation
 Attendance is mandatory. Attendance and participation will be evaluated through
participation in class discussion, completion of in-class activities or submission of
quizzes.
 An attendance multiplier will affect your final grade as follows:
# of
Absences
0 to 3
more than 3




Multiplier
1.000
1.000 - 0.012 * (# of absences - 3)2
If you show up late to a class (more than 10 minutes) or leave a class before an
activity is completed, this will be counted as an absence.
Plan on saving the three absences for sickness, unobserved holidays or unforeseen
events that may make you late or require you to leave. Life is complex and events
can come up unexpectedly, which is why there are three free absences. Do not
miss class because you have absences remaining, save them for when you really
need them.
You cannot pass the class if you miss three weeks of classes. You can miss three
individual classes and not incur a penalty (excused or otherwise). Do not come to
class if you are sick. You will be asked to leave.
All assignments and classroom content will be posted to BBLearn. Individual
students are responsible to work with their teammates in arranging for their missed
time to be made up in other ways over the course of the semester.
Individual Assignments & Quizzes
 Individual homework assignments will be assigned throughout the semester to
reinforce the material presented in class, reinforce creativity, computer aided
design, written communication, and guide you to engage in self-learning to
strengthen your design skills.
 Quizzes will be given periodically to evaluate your understanding of the material
and preparedness for class. If you are not in class when a quiz is handed out, you
may not take the quiz at another time unless you have notified the instructor ahead
of time regarding the absence or an extreme medical event.
 It is the responsibility of the student to address any concerns about assignment
grades to Dr. Oman within one week of the assignment grade being posted. Any
and all concerns or protests regarding grades on assignments will NOT be
addressed during Finals week or after.
Team Design Projects
You will develop two major design projects over the semester. Project 1 is a reverse
engineering project that requires teams to analyze an electro-mechanical project currently
on the market to determine what customer needs and engineering requirements would
improve the system’s performance. The second project is an original design competition
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between new teams in the class, with the opportunity to compete against the other
sections at the end of the semester. For these team projects, you will complete one or
more evaluations of your teammates on participation and contributions in the
accomplishments of project tasks. The instructor will adjust team grades based on the
information provided in the peer evaluations and observation. Thus, even though a team
project might receive an excellent grade, individual members may receive a lower grade
depending upon an individual’s lower participation level or behavior within the team.
Midterm Exam
The midterm will cover all content covered in the course prior to the exam date. It is
typically during Week 13 or 14. It will be worth 10% of the overall course grade.
Grading System
Final grades will be assigned using the scale shown below, based on the percentages listed
in the previous Assessment section. Grades are not rounded up to the next letter (e.g.
89.95% is a B).
Letter Grade
A
B
C
D
F
Course Policies
Numeric
Grade
90 to 100%
80 to 89%
70 to 79%
60 to 69%
59% or below
Professional engineers must abide by workplace policies, and similarly as an engineering
student, you must abide by academic (http://nau.edu/Student-Life/StudentHandbook/Academic-Policies/) and course policies.
Use of Electronic Devices and Computers During Class
 Any and all electronic devices are to be turned off and placed either in a backpack
or purse. As such, all electronic devices are not allowed on desks or tables and are
not to be used for any purpose during class. Such devices are disruptive and not
conducive to learning. Laptop computers and tablet devices are to be used only to
take class notes. They are not to be used for any activities unrelated to class (for
example, checking emails or working on assignments). A student ignoring this
protocol will be required to leave the class or will be considered absent. Repeated
occurrences will result in the student being dropped from the course.
Work
 All assignments must be neatly presented.
 All assignments due on Bb Learn must be turned in as a PDF only (Word or other
files are penalized) unless otherwise noted.
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

Every assignment must contain a memo header consisting of your name, due date,
a descriptive title, and ME286-0X. Team assignments also must include your team
number or team name.
Any homework that is not professionally presented will be returned with a grade of
zero.
Late Work
Work may be turned in up to 48 hours late, but there will be a 5-25% penalty on the
earned score (depending on how late it was turned in). Any assignment turned in later
than 48 hours will not be accepted and assigned a grade of zero. This rule applies for all
individual and team assignments. All assignments are due at their due dates and times.
It is the responsibility of all students and/or teammembers to ensure that the file was
uploaded correctly to Bb Learn on time. Dr. Oman will NOT consider statements showing
that the timestamp of an assignment proves the assignment was done on time, but that Bb
Learn didn’t upload it correctly.
Plagiarism and Cheating
 Refer to the University Policy on Academic Integrity shown below.
Using the D4P Rooms
 The classroom (room 118) & lab (room 119) are available after class hours for your
teams to work on and construct your projects. Teaching Assistants (TAs) will be
available to provide assistance in safely using the tools during lab hours. ME 286
lab hours will be posted on the door to Room 119. No students are allowed in the
lab (room 119) without a TA or instructor present. All students must obey the lab
rules. TAs have authority to remove disruptive students, and multiple incidents will
result in being banned from using the lab.
Email Use and Etiquette
 Students must use their NAU email for this course and must check their email
account regularly (recommended at least once a day).
 Any email sent to the instructor or TA must include ME 286-XX in the subject line
(XX should correspond to your section number). The remainder of the subject line
must be relevant to the topic of the email. For example,
ME 286-04: Memo 2 Question about Functional Models
 Any email sent to the instructor or TA must be formatted respectfully, including a
proper address, good grammar and spelling, and an appropriate signature.
 Emails submitted on behalf of a team must have all team members copied (CC-ed)
and include the Team Number/Name in the Subject Line.
 When discussing times to meet with Dr. Oman or the Class Aide outside of their
scheduled office hours, list at least three blocks of time that work for you (or your
team). Request the meeting at least 24-48 hours ahead of time.
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When communicating with your Course Instructor or Class Aides, if these requirements are
not met, we will not respond or will tell you to resend the email following the posted email
guidelines.
Medical and
Institutional
Excuses
Exceptions to the late homework, attendance, class activity, and examination policies may be made
only under certain extenuating circumstances such as a serious illness or an institutional excuse, and
will require valid written verification. In order to be valid, a medical excuse must state that you are
unable to attend classes due to the severity of the illness or the risk of spreading it and should
clearly state the dates that you should be absent from the university. Furthermore, a written
medical note that simply states that you visited a clinic or were seen by a doctor or nurse is not
valid and will not be accepted. Medical Excuses must be presented to the Office of Student Life
and will only be accepted if the instructor then gets a Classes Missed Memo stating the dates
missed. The dates on the Classes Missed Memo are the only dates that will be excused. Medical
Excuses must be received within two weeks of the absence.
If you have an institutional excuse (not a medical excuse), it must be presented to the instructor in
person or attached to an email at least 5 working days prior to the anticipated absence. For instance,
if you will miss a Wednesday 8:00 am class during a normal week, you should present your
institutional excuse no later than the previous Wednesday before 8:00am.
Be aware that neither medical nor institutional excuses absolve you of making up any required
work or exams. Remember also that you can turn in an assignment early.
University
Policies
Class attendance: According to the Class Attendance policy posted in the NAU General Catalog,
students are expected to assume responsibility for regular class attendance. When absence is
unavoidable, students should report the reason to the instructor and assume the responsibility for
any work they miss. Instructors are under no obligation to make special arrangements for students
who have been absent unless the student has an institutional excuse.
Academic integrity: NAU expects every student to firmly adhere to a strong ethical code of academic
integrity in all their scholarly pursuits. The primary attributes of academic integrity are honesty,
trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility. As a student, you are expected to submit original work
while giving proper credit to other people’s ideas or contributions. Acting with academic integrity
means completing your assignments independently while truthfully acknowledging all sources of
information, or collaboration with others when appropriate. When you submit your work, you are
implicitly declaring that the work is your own. Academic integrity is expected not only during formal
coursework, but in all your relationships or interactions that are connected to the educational
enterprise. All forms of academic deceit such as plagiarism, cheating, collusion, falsification or
fabrication of results or records, permitting your work to be submitted by another, or inappropriately
recycling your own work from one class to another, constitute academic misconduct that may result
in serious disciplinary consequences. All students and faculty members are responsible for reporting
suspected instances of academic misconduct. All students are encouraged to complete NAU’s online
academic integrity workshop available in the E-Learning Center and should review the full academic
integrity policy available at https://policy.nau.edu/policy/policy.aspx?num=100601.
Course time commitment: Pursuant to Arizona Board of Regents guidance (Academic Credit Policy
2-224), for every unit of credit, a student should expect, on average, to do a minimum of three hours
of work per week, including but not limited to class time, preparation, homework, and studying.
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Disruptive behavior: Membership in NAU’s academic community entails a special obligation to
maintain class environments that are conductive to learning, whether instruction is taking place in
the classroom, a laboratory or clinical setting, during course-related fieldwork, or online. Students
have the obligation to engage in the educational process in a manner that does not breach the peace,
interfere with normal class activities, or violate the rights of others. Instructors have the authority
and responsibility to address disruptive behavior that interferes with student learning, which can
include the involuntary withdrawal of a student from a course with a grade of “W”. For additional
information, see NAU’s disruptive behavior policy at https://nau.edu/university-policylibrary/disruptive-behavior.
Nondiscrimination and anti-harassment: NAU prohibits discrimination and harassment based on
sex, gender, gender identity, race, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability,
or veteran status. Due to potentially unethical consequences, certain consensual amorous or sexual
relationships between faculty and students are also prohibited. The Equity and Access Office (EAO)
responds to complaints regarding discrimination and harassment that fall under NAU’s Safe Working
and Learning Environment (SWALE) policy. EAO also assists with religious accommodations. For
additional information about SWALE or to file a complaint, contact EAO located in Old Main (building
10), Room 113, PO Box 4083, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, or by phone at 928-523-3312 (TTY: 928-523-1006),
fax at 928-523-9977, email at equityandaccess@nau.edu, or via the EAO website at
https://nau.edu/equity-and-access.
Title IX: Title IX is the primary federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex or gender
in educational programs or activities. Sex discrimination for this purpose includes sexual harassment,
sexual assault or relationship violence, and stalking (including cyber-stalking). Title IX requires that
universities appoint a “Title IX Coordinator” to monitor the institution’s compliance with this
important civil rights law. NAU’s Title IX Coordinator is Pamela Heinonen, Director of the Equity and
Access Office located in Old Main (building 10), Room 113, PO Box 4083, Flagstaff, AZ 86011. The
Title IX Coordinator is available to meet with any student to discuss any Title IX issue or concern. You
may contact the Title IX Coordinator by phone at 928-523-3312 (TTY: 928-523-1006), by fax at 928523-9977, or by email at pamela.heinonen@nau.edu. In furtherance of its Title IX obligations, NAU
will promptly investigate and equitably resolve all reports of sex or gender-based discrimination,
harassment, or sexual misconduct and will eliminate any hostile environment as defined by law.
Additional important information about Title IX and related student resources, including how to
request immediate help or confidential support following an act of sexual violence, is available at
http://nau.edu/equity-and-access/title-ix.
Accessibility: Professional disability specialists are available at Disability Resources to facilitate a
range of academic support services and accommodations for students with disabilities. If you have a
documented disability, you can request assistance by contacting Disability Resources at 928-5238773 (voice), 928-523-6906 (TTY), 928-523-8747 (fax), or dr@nau.edu (e-mail). Once eligibility has
been determined, students register with Disability Resources every semester to activate their
approved accommodations. Although a student may request an accommodation at any time, it is
best to initiate the application process at least four weeks before a student wishes to receive an
accommodation. Students may begin the accommodation process by submitting a self-identification
form online at https://nau.edu/disability-resources/student-eligibility-process or by contacting
Disability Resources. The Director of Disability Resources, Jamie Axelrod, serves as NAU’s Americans
with Disabilities Act Coordinator and Section 504 Compliance Officer. He can be reached at
jamie.axelrod@nau.edu.
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Responsible Conduct of Research: Students who engage in research at NAU must receive appropriate
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. This instruction is designed to help ensure proper
awareness and application of well-established professional norms and ethical principles related to
the performance of all scientific research activities. More information regarding RCR training is
available at https://nau.edu/research/compliance/research-integrity.
Sensitive Course Materials: University education aims to expand student understanding and
awareness. Thus, it necessarily involves engagement with a wide range of information, ideas, and
creative representations. In their college studies, students can expect to encounter and to critically
appraise materials that may differ from and perhaps challenge familiar understandings, ideas, and
beliefs. Students are encouraged to discuss these matters with faculty.
Additional University Policies: You can find additional important NAU academic policies at
http://nau.edu/OCLDAA/_Forms/UCC/SyllabusPolicyStmts2-2014/. Please take a few minutes to
review and become familiar with them.
The first two students to present Dr. Oman a picture of their favorite animal will receive an advantage
in the course.
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