MEC304 Manufacturing Systems – Individual Report (30% Module) Instructions 2020-21 1. Introduction The aim of this activity is to give you the opportunity to further consider and investigate the current manufacturing equipment and techniques discussed in MEC304 (i.e. the technical content of Theme 1) by completing some independent research and then writing a short report. This is deliberately quite an ‘open’ assignment in order to give you some choice on topic and let you be led by your interests and informed opinions. This means that, like in real manufacturing, there is not necessarily a single ‘correct’ answer, but if you write a well-argued technically correct case, supported by appropriate sources, you will get the credit for it. In preparing your report you will also gain more experience in searching for technical information, a key skill that you will be required to demonstrate your ability in during your Final Year Project (FYP). You will get chance to further hone these skills in the MEC304 ‘Individual Short Answers’ activity later in this module. Once all of the reports have been submitted, you will have the (optional) opportunity to read a selection of the submissions of other students in order to gain some further insight into the topics others’ researched. 2. What To Do Each scenario places you as an engineer in a company needing to write a report to your management on a particular issue. Read each of the scenarios and choose one to respond to. Imagine what products your company might manufacture and pick one (or a family of similar products) to use as a potential application. Each scenario will also give you some specific points to consider, including a general product type(s). 3. Research and Information Sources You must properly research your topic to improve you understanding of the technology suitable for the application described and thus inform your writing and you should consider using the following sources of information (in no particular order): a) MEC304 lecture slides/notes. b) MEC304 recommended textbooks. c) Other manufacturing textbooks. d) Manufacturing research literature (journals, conference proceedings). e) Technical literature produced by industry (white papers, reports, trade magazine articles, videos, technical information on corporate websites etc.). For source types c), d) and e) you should make use of the University’s StarPlus search engine, academic search engines (e.g. ScienceDirect, Google Scholar), or general search engines (e.g. Google). 4. Report Formatting Your report should: - Clearly state which scenario you are responding to. - Be no more than 3 pages of A4 in length (this will be approximately 800-1000 words with an appropriate number of figures, tables etc.). - Be presented in no smaller than 12pt font. - Have margins no smaller than 2.5cm from any edge. - Be presented in single column format. - Have several figures and tables to support your writing. Your report does not need any of the following: - Your name or registration number. - Cover page. - Abstract. - Table of contents. - Table of figures (or of tables). - Nomenclature or list of symbols. 5. Referencing You must properly reference your writing and you can use any recognised referencing style (e.g. you might like to use was Microsoft Word calls ‘ISO 690’ or ‘IEEE’ as they are often used in FYPs) and although you need to present a list of references at the end of the document, this is NOT included in the 3 page limit. 6. Mark Scheme Your submissions will be assessed against the following mark scheme: 0-7 marks – basic discussion of topic in very general and basic terms, no reference to information supplied in scenario. 8-11 marks – satisfactory technical discussion with some reference to information supplied in scenario. Examples and applications limited to those provided or very similarly to those provided in the MEC304 technical content. 12-13 marks – good technical discussion with some consideration of information supplied in scenario and use of indicative examples beyond those presented in the MEC304 content. 14-15 marks – very good technical discussion and significant consideration of information supplied in scenario. Focused application of specific example(s) beyond the MEC304 content. 16-20 marks – as for 14-15, marks but with a higher level of excellent technical discussion and application, and clear evidence of use of a wide range of information obtained outside of MEC304 lecture material. 7. Further Help There is a video introducing this part of MEC304 on Blackboard where I expand on the information in this document and also give some examples of using the search engines. There will be several of the weekly MEC304 tutorials (digital and F2f, see schedule) dedicated to answering questions, discussing any drafts of your assignment and helping you to make the most of your own research. 8. Submission Please submit via TurnItIn through the MEC304 Blackboard pages by: 12.00pm Wednesday 11th November (Week 7). (Scenarios overleaf) MEC 304 Manufacturing Systems – Individual Assignment Scenarios Scenario 1 – Tooling for Machining You work for an engineering company that provides contract machining services. Customers are increasingly asking you to machine (turn, mill, drill) more exotic metal alloys and composites (both metal matrix and carbon fibre reinforced polymers) used to manufacture components for the aerospace industry. Your existing machines and HSS tools cannot process to a satisfactory level of productivity (e.g. material removal rate) required for economic production of gas turbines (blades, shafts, casings, blisks etc.) and other aerospace structures (wing boxes, leading edges etc.). Write a report describing the recent advances in tooling and how your company can take advantage of modelling your machining processes to improve productivity. In your report; consider both the technical and economic advantages/ disadvantages of each of the newer types of tools you mention, and the benefits of employing process modelling. Where possible, give examples to illustrate your writing. Give a clear recommendation summarising what you think your company should implement first, and why, in this area. Scenario 2 – Inspection You have recently been employed as a manufacturing engineer at a traditional industrial machinery company which produces a range of mechanical components that are used in the power generation industry (rotating shafts, gearboxes, bearing housings etc.). All of these products are processed in- house, from raw material to finished component, by your company. Your customers are becoming increasingly demanding about the quality of the finished components. The company currently only performs basic safety checks (measuring bolt torques etc.) on the finished components so your manager asks you to investigate which of the modern inspection processes and procedures could be implemented. Write a report proposing what you would do to introduce more modern and sophisticated methods of inspection of your products. Include in your answer descriptions of inspection technologies, compare/contrast methods and give examples to illustrate your writing. Give a clear recommendation summarising what you think your company should implement first, and why, in this area. Scenario 3 – Additive Manufacturing The personal (e.g. dental and medical devices) and sporting goods (footwear, personal protective equipment, and playing equipment (e.g. hockey sticks, golf clubs, rackets, snowboards/skis etc.) used by sportspeople) manufacturer you work for has recently bought a rival company who were an early adopter of additive manufacturing (AM) techniques. Your manager has asked you to spend time with your new colleagues in order to develop a good understanding of these developing technologies and how they might be used to develop new products. Write a report detailing the main types of AM process likely to be suitable for the company (including the different uses of it e.g. prototyping, tooling for moulds, manufacturing in quantity/series etc.), the advantages and disadvantages of each process, and the potential benefits of introducing it more widely into your company. Where possible, give examples to illustrate your writing. Give a clear recommendation summarising what you think your company should implement first, and why, in this area. * Note: for Scenario 3, you do not have to consider both personal and sporting goods.
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