535.660.81 - Precision Mechanical Design

Mechanical Engineering
Spring 2024

Description

This course will provide the student with a fundamental understanding of the principles and techniques used to design precision machines, instruments, and mechanisms. Lectures will include discussions on the implementation and design of mechanisms, bearings, actuators, sensors, structures, and precision mounts used in precision design. Upon completion of this course, students will have a clear understanding of positional repeatability and accuracy, deterministic design, exact constraint design, error modeling, and sources of machine and instrumentation errors.

Instructor

Profile photo of Ronnie Fesperman.

Ronnie Fesperman

rfesper1@jhu.edu

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Modules on the Canvas course navigation menu.  Each module is divided into many sections, which include the overview, content, readings, individual assignments, project work, quizzes, and optional supplemental material. Students are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting and to work through each module.  Modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted in the Course Outline.

Course Topics

Course Goals

To introduce students to the field of precision engineering and the art of precision mechanical design.  Students will demonstrate their knowledge of precision engineering principles by solving problems, reviewing literature, and designing a precision mechanical system.

Textbooks

Required

Leach, R., & Smith, S. T. (Eds.). (2018). Basics of Precision Engineering (1 edition). CRC Press. ISBN-13: 978-1-4987-6085-0

Hale, L. C. (1999). Principles and techniques for designing precision machines. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Retrieved from https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/9414  (Online MIT).  A digital copy will also be available for download in Module 1.

Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the MBS website.

 Optional Supplemental Books

Required Software

Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

You will need Microsoft word for writing and submitting literature reviews, Microsoft Excel for developing and working with engineering design calculators, and Microsoft Power Point for presenting the class project.

Computer Aided Design (CAD)

You will need access to 3D CAD software.  Versions of Autodesk Inventor, Solidworks, and Creo can be obtained at;

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each module will take approximately 7–10 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned journal articles and sections of the texts (approximately 2–3 hours per week), listening to the audio annotated slide presentations (approximately 2–3 hours per week), and writing, design, and analysis assignments (approximately 3–4 hours per week).

This course will consist of the following basic student requirements:

Module Discussions (15% of Final Grade Calculation)

Assignments (30% of Final Grade Calculation)

Assignments will include a mix of qualitative assignments (e.g. literature reviews, model summaries) and quantitative problem sets (calculator development). All assignments are due according to the dates in Canvas.

Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each week late (no exceptions without prior coordination with the instructor).

If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade. Please refer to Canvas for assignment instructions, grading, and due dates.

Course Project (30% of Final Grade Calculation)

A course project will be assigned several weeks into the course. The next-to-the-last week will be devoted to the course project.

The course project is evaluated by the following grading elements:

  1. Student preparation and participation (as described in Course Project Description) (50%)
  2. Student technical understanding of the course project topic (50%)

Please refer to the Course Project description, grading criteria, and due dates in Canvas.

Quizzes & Exams (25% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 10% for Quizzes and 15% for Final Exam)

Graded quizzes will be available in Modules 1 through 12.

 

 CategoryWeight

Module Discussions

15%

Assignments

30%

Course Project

30%

Quizzes

10%

Final Exam

15%



 

Grading Policy

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).

Score RangeLetter Grade
100-97= A+
96-93= A
92-90= A−
89-87= B+
86-83= B
82-80= B−
79-77= C+
76-73= C
72-70= C−
69-67= D+
66-63= D
<63= F

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. 

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. 
 
If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.